If you've just left the store

Time is critical. Your first priority is to stop your package from leaving the country. There are several ways to do this.

1. Get your courier receipt, call EMS and tell them to stop the package. The Tourist Police can call the shop and ask them to send the receipt to the Tourist Police station, but you MUST insist otherwise they will forget about you. Smile, but don't let them abandon you. You can also try to go back to your store and ask them for the receipt, though the stores are very suspicious of foreigners coming back without their tuk tuk escort. Harassing the Tourist Police to get the store to deliver the receipt is the safer option.

2. If your store has closed for the day (ie: it's 9pm or something), EMS can still intercept your package with just your name, the time you paid for the gems, and the date.

In either case, you will have to go the Laksi Mail Centre to pick up your package, which is a 200 baht taxi ride (one way).


Laksi contact numbers (near airport, remember that within Thailand, all Bangkok numbers start with 02):
EMS: 984 7323 (Fax: 984 7323)
Outgoing EMS: 984 7309 ext. 4241
Incoming EMS: 984 7317
Investigation Unit: 984 7304 ext. 4140

You can also try the Don Muang Mail Centre, where packages are sent after they are sorted at Laksi. The number is 535 6293-6 ext. 301.


Once you have your package, you are in a position to negotiate a refund with the shop. The safest way is to go back to the Tourist Police and ask them to call the shop to send a representative. As with the receipt, you will have to insist, with a smile, that they do it now. You will be told, eventually, that someone will be there at a particular time. Generally, this is true, but if the rep is more than 15 minutes late, start insisting again. Most shops are within a 5 block radius of the Tourist Police (a sign of the arrogance of this scam).

You can attempt to return to the store and negotiate directly, but as with the courier receipt, the store is suspicious of foreigners arriving without their escort. Violence has been reported as well, so avoid going back alone.

Generally, the stores will not give you a 100% refund, claiming they had to pay the tuk tuk driver, the actors, the cost of the shop, etc...You can certainly try for 100%, but it's almost unheard of. The members of our group who negotiated with the stores got back anywhere between 50% and 88%, with the average being around 70%. Whether or not this is good enough is up to you, but you do have to ask how much of a disruption to your travels you want to have.

Most of our members reported some fairly abusive negotiation sessions. These representatives are assigned to take as many cheap shots on your self esteem as possible, always referring to stupid or greedy tourists, and openly admitting they have scammed you. Be ready for this when you start negotiating.

If, after all your effort, your package has already left the country, click here


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