Buying Gemstones in Thailand

Thailand is well known as one of the most important trading centers in the world for colored gemstones. So it is not surprising that many visitors to Thailand - over 30 million tourists per year - are interested in buying Thai gems. But it's not as easy as it sounds. In fact many tourists fall prey to unscrupulous con men in an infamous swindle sometimes known as Thai Gem Scam.

Here's how it works. A tourist sets out to visit one of the well-known tourist attractions in Bangkok, such as the Grand Palace or Wat Phra Keow, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Upon arriving in the area, the tourist will be approached by a friendly well dressed Thai, perhaps a student, who speaks good English. He informs the tourist that unfortunately the attraction he wants to see is closed today because of a special holiday, but there is a tuk-tuk (auto rickshaw) that will take him to a special temple that few tourists have a chance to see.

Upon arriving at the temple, the tourist meets another friendly Thai who strikes up a conversation. In the course of the conversation the tourist is informed about a special government program that allows foreigners to buy gemstones and jewelry tax free and make a profit on the items when they are shipped back home. However, he also mentions that today is the last day of the program.

The unsuspecting tourist who falls for this story is taken to a gems shop where he is pressured to buy stones or jewelry which, he is assured, are of the finest quality. The shop owner insists on cash payment but provides the extra service of packaging up the goods and mailing them to the tourist's home address.

Once he returns home, he discovers the gems are synthetic or of inferior quality, worth far less than he paid. At this point there is little he can do.

Tourist scams are an unfortunate fact of life in many places in the developing world. You can protect yourself by being skeptical when faced with improbable stories about special promotions. Additionally, high pressure sales tactics are always a warning sign. Never pay cash for valuable items - credit cards and electronic payment methods such as PayPal provide an important measure of consumer protection.

One of the key considerations is purchasing gemstones from a reputable dealer known for conducting honest business. This can be challenging when you are unfamiliar with the local area, but conducting online research before your departure can be helpful. Many renowned gem dealers operate online, offering the same prices as those found in Thailand but with significantly reduced risks.