I almost fell for an elaborate scam in Thailand
But it didn’t change my positive view of this incredible country.
By Emily Flemming
I went to Thailand shortly after graduating college because I wanted to break out of the bubble that I had been living in.
I applied to a program that set you up with a school where you could teach English as a second language, and so I ended up living in a small town about four hours outside of Bangkok, teaching English full-time for about 400 students.
During my time there, I managed to squeeze in some independent traveling for a few weeks.
I was in this little seaside town called Hua Hin, wandering around in a market alone, when this woman commented on my dress, and we started to chat. Everyone in Thailand is super, super friendly, and especially to tourists. We were just chatting and having a great conversation, and then she asked me if I wanted to go to her house to have lunch the next day.
In America, if a stranger invited you over for lunch, it would be super weird. You’d be like, “Why?”
I said yes because I had heard so many stories of tourists being invited to a Thai person’s house for lunch, and having the best time ever, and making a lifelong friend. I was like, “This is my time. It’s finally happening for me,” and I was super excited.
In America, if a stranger invited you over for lunch, it would be super weird. You’d be like, “Why?” But in Thailand, it’s normal and friendly.
She and her brother pick me up the next day, and they drive me to their house, which was a little outside of town. We eat lunch, and it’s really delicious, and we’re having a nice conversation. And then the brother tells me he’s a blackjack dealer at a nearby casino. That should have been my first red flag, because gambling is illegal in Thailand.
Her brother told me that the night before, there had been this very rich woman playing. She had promised him something like 20 percent of what she won that night, and then she won a whole lot of money and only gave him $50.
If he touched his head, that meant that his next card was a ten. If he asked if I wanted water, then I was supposed to ask for another card, and if he did another thing, I was supposed to fold.
He said, “Isn’t that so unfair? Can you believe that she cheated me? She lied to me and wouldn’t give me what she promised me.”
And I said, “Oh, yeah. I’m so sorry that happened.” But I didn’t really have any stake in this, so I was just going along with it.
He eventually asked me if I wanted to learn how to play blackjack. I agreed, thinking it would be a cool experience. He took me into this little room next to the living room, and he started smoking cigarette after cigarette. He taught me how to play blackjack, but after he had taught me the basic rules, he started to teach me ways that he could send signals to me so that we could cheat together. If he touched his head, that meant that his next card was a ten. If he asked if I wanted water, then I was supposed to ask for another card, and if he did another thing, I was supposed to fold. All of these really intricate signals — like a code.
I thought, “This is fun. It’s not like I’m ever going to go to his casino and play with him, so I guess I’ll just play along.”
After about an hour spent teaching me how to cheat, he said, “Do you remember that woman I told you about earlier?” I nodded. “ Okay, so when she gets here, I need you to help me win my money back. And tell this woman that my sister is your tour guide,” he added.
I was totally taken aback by this turn of events. “Oh my god. No,” I said.
Right then, there was a knock on the door.
I instantly thought, “Nothing good is going to come from this.”
A woman walked in, dressed nicely in a brown skirt and a blazer. I instantly thought, “Nothing good is going to come from this.”
I turned to the man and said, “No, please take me home. I don’t want to play. I’m not going to play blackjack with you.”
“No, it’s fine,” he responded. “Here, you can use my money to play with. This is just for fun!”
“Absolutely not,” I said, firmly. “This is not happening. Take me home right now.”
Luckily, they did take me back. When I looked it up online later, I found a number of stories that involved tourists getting invited to people’s houses and then playing a card game and getting cheated out of a bunch of money, or using someone else’s money and then having to pay them back.
I am really thankful that I listened to my gut instinct and demanded to leave. But none of that changed how grateful I am for my overall experience in Thailand.
I know that I wouldn’t be the person that I am right now if I hadn’t done that year abroad. From a personal growth standpoint, I became so much more independent and self-sufficient on that trip. It was really hard in a lot of ways, but it also opened my eyes and changed me for the better. I may have almost been scammed, but I was never cheated.
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