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Just bought suits for $2k, did I get scammed?
He said he could vouch for the quality and just bought a suit, full suit with kashmir wool for 15000 baht, shirt and tie also included. I checked the material in the store and it seemed good, but I unfortunately don't know enough about suits to be sure it is good quality and actually the real deal.
So the seller was very persuiasive, and I am usually very sceptical about this kind of stuff and always want to do my research beforehand, but for some reason I just decided to go for it because it seemed like a great deal.. So I got 3 custom made 3 piece suits supposedly with kashmir wool, 3 shirts custom fit, 3 ties, 4 handkerchief and one custom fitted Camel winter jacket (19000baht just for this) in total for the sum of 65000 baht. It will also get shipped to my doorstep in my home country, included in the price.
I feel kinda shitty about the situation because there are many red flags that would make me think now it's too good to be true. Worst case is I get 3 terrible suits that I can throw in the trash (If they don't get 'lost' in the shipping process) and take this as one hella expensive lesson. I will go in for second fitting tomorrow, and we'll see maybe I can compare the material then to what I receive as the end product. Can I demand a little sample size so it's easier to compare when I get the actual suit? Can I also say I have a good friend who is an expert in suits, and he'll confirm the material when it arrives at my home, just so they know they can't just give me a polyester suit.
I am googling them and it's a thai name. Apparently it's mostly Thai customers. This one was away from Khao san road where the obvious scammers are, which has suits made of polyester. I can find almost no info online about the store, which is strange since they claimed they've been in the business for 30 years. Is it normal for shops to move around? Hoping for some insight from someone who's been in a similar situation. If it turns out to be shitty quality and not what was promised, can I charge back the transactions on my creditcard? They only said it vocally so I don't have it written down. Should I record the conversation in my pocket for proof while they confirm the materials for me? Are these people potentially dangerous and lawless? It's a lot of money for me so this truly sucks, I feel ashamed of myself for just going with it and not going home first to research like I usually do about everything. Sorry for the long post!
Thanks.
yeah this is the classic gem scam but with suits instead of rubies. the "holy day free entry" thing is a script they've been running for decades, the tuktuk driver gets a commission from that shop. i'd bet money the suits won't be cashmere when they arrive, they'll swap the fabric on you.
for the fitting tomorrow, ask to see the actual fabric bolt they're cutting from, not just a swatch. if they show you a different roll than what you picked that's your red flag. also check the shoulder padding and lapel construction, cheap suits have that stiff fused look. the stitching inside the jacket sleeve near the armhole is a good tell too, if it's all machine done with loose threads that's not 15k baht quality.
honestly 65k baht for 3 suits plus a camel jacket isn't insane if the tailoring is good, but the scam is you're paying tourist markup for what might be mediocre work. i've got suits from a place on sukhumvit soi 23 that cost 8k each and they're fine, nothing special. the camel jacket at 19k is where they really got you, you could get a real wool one at uniqlo for way less.
for your credit card thing, good luck with that. thai banks don't care about verbal promises and your home bank will side with the merchant since you signed a receipt. just focus on
You walked right into the classic tuk-tuk gem scam, just with suits instead of jewels. The "holy day" with free temple entry is a tale as old as time here, and the "promotion only for this week" is the same script they've been running for decades. That shop on the route is paying commission to the driver and the "helpful local" who steered you there, so the price you paid is likely 3-4 times what a Bangkok tailor would actually charge for that work.
For tomorrow's fitting, do ask for a small fabric sample to keep, but don't expect them to hand it over easily. You can also call their bluff by saying you'll have a friend who's a textile expert check the material against the swatch, but honestly if they've already got your money and the suits aren't made yet, you have some leverage to change your mind. Thai law doesn't allow you to just cancel a custom order, but you can insist on the exact fabric you agreed to and refuse to accept anything less.
The credit card chargeback depends on your bank's policy and the evidence you have. Recording the conversation in your pocket is legal in Thailand since it's a one-party consent country, but it won't help much if you can't prove the final product is different from what was promised. These shops aren't dangerous or lawless in a violent sense, they're just very good at running a high-pressure sales operation that preys
honestly 65k baht for all that is not terrible if the quality is decent. the real scam is the commission structure not the product itself. those shops on the tourist trail mark up like crazy but the actual tailoring can be fine. i've got a couple suits from a place near pratunam that cost about 8k each and they're solid. yours works out to roughly 15k per suit which is on the high side but not criminal if the camel jacket is real.
for tomorrow just tell them straight up you want to see the fabric bolt they're cutting from. don't ask for a sample, ask to see the roll itself. if they hem and haw or try to show you something different that's your answer. also check the stitching on the inside of the jacket - cheap suits have loose threads and uneven seams. if the lining looks clean and the buttons are stitched tight the construction is probably okay even if the material isn't real cashmere.
about the chargeback thing - thai banks are a pain about disputes and your home bank will prob side with the merchant if they can show a receipt you signed. i wouldn't count on that route. just focus on making sure the final product matches what you saw today. and next time skip the tuktuk tours, they're all commission driven.
best som tam in Bangkok? Krua Dok Mai Kao 2026
yeah Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but if you're up for a detour, try Som Tum Nua near Siam Square. their som tam pu pla ra is insane if you like the fermented fish sauce kick. way more pungent than the On Nut spot, just less grilled chicken options