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All great intentions of doing sight seing today are quashed by the ever increasing sense of being scammed. One tuk-tuk driver told us the centre of town was closed and the Royal Palace!! So we just walk about town and investigate ourselves. The Palace was open but we couldn't get in cos we had shorts on. Some really nice guy stopped and showd us on the map where we should go and then stopped a tuk-tuk for us. We bailed after seeing a couple of sights and before he had a chance to take us to a tailor. So walking about later we see the same tuk tuk driver with the "nice guy." Looks like we were scammed again!! The rest of the day we just plan our escape and decide Ayuthaya is a good day trip.

Getting out of Scam City

Gareth Penpraze
2007-04-20 22:03:37

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All great intentions of doing sight seing today are quashed by the ever increasing sense of being scammed. One tuk-tuk driver told us the centre of town was closed and the Royal Palace!! So we just walk about town and investigate ourselves. The Palace was open but we couldn't get in cos we had shorts on. Some really nice guy stopped and showd us on the map where we should go and then stopped a tuk-tuk for us. We bailed after seeing a couple of sights and before he had a chance to take us to a tailor. So walking about later we see the same tuk tuk driver with the "nice guy." Looks like we were scammed again!! The rest of the day we just plan our escape and decide Ayuthaya is a good day trip.

Saturday 1st July

Jet lag kicked in last night (cos the drink has dissappeared from the system) so its a struggle to get out of bed. We read its 15 baht but at the train station its suddenly 315. By this time I think we'd pay anything to get out of BK. At least we did get a meal slapped down infront of us on the way.

Ayuthaya was once the largest city in the world until the Burmese waded in and burnt the place down. Its now a UNESCO site with loads of ruined temples. We avoid the first mellay of Sangthew men (like a tuk tuk but a little fancier) and wander in to town. We give in and get a tuk tuk thingy. The drivers son/grandson/lover (possibly) is there - Lee - who couldn't be any older than 10. We entertain him and he entertains us. Funny kid. Think we really needed out of BK and its restored our confidence in Thailand. Its was great to see some authentic temples, breate fresh air and generally get out of scamville..

Gareth Penpraze
http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/ASBO-Holidays/