A shameless farang has been taking Bangkok’s gridlocked traffic as an opportunity to con Thai drivers out of small amounts of cash by speaking a little Thai and pulling on their heartstrings.

His latest victim was conned just last night. Retired Lad Phrao woman Surawan, 60, was parked not far from her home when a young foreigner driving a motorcycle knocked on her car window at a corner near the Ratchada – Lat Phrao Intersection. In Thai, he told her that his motorcycle’s underseat storage had been broken into and his stuff stolen. He asked her for “THB60 or THB70 cash to fill up his tank.”

But, according to records on social media, the same man has been “robbed” and had to beg other motorists for gas money at least fifteen times in the past year.

Another innocent victim posted on Facebook in December 2015 that she felt good about helping out a foreigner. Photos: Nan Kanjana Phoolam

An annoyed Surawan half-believed his story, so she handed him a THB20 bill to make him go away. Looking at the bill, he took the money and drove off without saying thank you.

“I just thought that he could still ask other people for cash if he really needed it, so I handed him a THB20,” Surawan told Coconuts.

“I knew I was duped when he drove off without saying thank you. Why would a farang kid do this?” the retired woman said innocently.

The Facebook page “We love Pattaya” posted a photo of the con artist, who Surawan confirmed was the same guy who asked her for money last night. According to a comment thread, he has been seen begging from Thais in Bangkok, Pattaya and Rayong, using the same dialogue, for at least a year.

“This guy goes around knocking on people’s car windows, lying that his underseat storage was broken into and asking for gas money. I was almost duped yesterday, but my friend who sat next to me said this guy had asked him for money before!” the page’s admin wrote in January of 2016.

Two other women also posted that they encountered him at Lat Phrao – Ratchada Intersection and Rama IV Road.

Seriously, dude, you’re a man capable of working. Get a job and don’t beg from a retired old lady.

Grove: Coconuts Brand Studio

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