[sambo]

Bernie, it's true these things do happen but you hear similar stories from over the world, wherever you have hoards of relatively wealthy tourists in a foreign country. I heard countless tales from fellow backpackers in western Europe and during my visits to Thailand and Cambodia.

The advice I received from an ex-pat running a bar in Koh Phangan (Thailand) was to pay them off at your first opportunity, otherwise the longer it drags on, the higher it goes and the more it will cost you - and not to be aggressive.

But just remember that the majority of people in Thailand are Buddhists - very kind, peaceful people who make you feel genuinely welcome. My advice is once you've seen the sights in Bangkok, head up north to Chiang Mai or out to the islands where there are less of these "scammers". Once you get out to the villages and less populated areas (within reason - stay clear of the Thai south border), the dollar signs disappear from their eyes and their smiles change accordingly.

And the food changes from region to region too. Ah, take me back...

My 2 cents!