CHIANG MAI – A night out in Chiang Mai recently turned into an expensive nightmare for two British tourists. They faced an outrageous credit card bill of nearly 150,000 baht after visiting a local karaoke bar. Consequently, this shocking incident has once again raised serious concerns about tourist safety in the popular northern Thai city.
The Thai wife of one of the British men quickly filed a police report at the Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station. She hopes to expose these shady business practices and get justice for her husband. Currently, local police are investigating the case and attempting to mediate between the two parties.
Key Takeaways
- A British tourist was charged nearly 150,000 baht during a single night at a Chiang Mai karaoke bar.
- The victim’s wife filed a police report, suspecting a coordinated scam involving a local tuk-tuk driver.
- The bar claims the high bill was for hiring multiple hostesses, a story the family strongly disputes.
A Fun Night Takes a Dark Turn
The trouble started on June 28 when the British husband and his visiting friend enjoyed dinner and drinks. They started their evening at an Italian restaurant in the trendy Nimman neighborhood. After having a bit too much to drink, the pair decided to visit a karaoke bar near the city moat.
Their first bill at the karaoke bar was very normal, costing just over 700 baht. However, when the two friends tried to leave, the bar staff pressured them to stay longer. The husband bravely threatened to call the police, and the staff finally let them walk out.
Afterward, the men hailed a tuk-tuk outside the venue to go home safely. They first dropped the visiting friend off at his hotel in the Nimman area. Then, the driver was strictly told to take the highly intoxicated husband to his home in the Hang Dong district.
Massive Credit Card Charges and Shaky Excuses
Instead of taking the tourist home, the tuk-tuk driver drove him in circles around the city. The GPS history on the victim’s phone clearly showed he was taken through several different streets. Eventually, the driver brought the helpless man right back to the same karaoke bar.
The very next morning, the man’s wife discovered massive unauthorized charges on their bank accounts. Her husband’s credit card was charged 124,110 baht, completely bypassing his normal daily spending limit. Furthermore, her own cash card, which her husband carried, was also swiped for an additional 26,400 baht.
According to a detailed report by Thairath, the payments were sent to two private PromptPay accounts. Naturally, this suspicious detail made the couple realize they were victims of a scam. Without wasting any time, the wife quickly took her husband to the police station for help.
Karaoke Bar Owner Claims Bill Accurate
Meanwhile, the karaoke bar owners claim the massive bill is completely real and accurate. They told the police that the men hired almost every hostess in the entire venue. The bar charges 700 baht per hour for each girl, and they claim the men stayed for five hours.
The victim’s wife, however, strongly disputes this wild and unbelievable claim. She pointed out that her husband was already too drunk to stay awake, let alone party until morning. Moreover, she questioned why the cards were charged in multiple small amounts instead of one single, clear bill.
This type of tourist trap is sadly not a new story for the city of Chiang Mai. Scam networks often use local tuk-tuk drivers to bring drunk tourists back to expensive, shady bars. These drivers likely earn a secret commission for delivering easy targets to the corrupt businesses.
Locals are now calling on government officials to crack down on these deeply unfair practices. Incidents like this heavily damage the image of Thailand as a safe, welcoming holiday spot. If the problem continues to grow, tourists may simply start choosing safer destinations for their vacations.
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