"The Grand Palace is Closed": Hilarious account of a common scam (based on a true story)
How I Got Scammed in Bangkok: The Grand Palace "Closed" Trick (And My $500 "Discount" Suit) Let me tell you the story of how I, a supposedly intelligent traveler who once successfully assembled IKEA furniture without crying, got completely scammed in Bangkok like a wide-eyed newbie who had never heard of the internet. It all started with my grand plan to visit the Grand Palace, because obviously, you can't go to Bangkok without seeing the Emerald Buddha and taking at least 200 photos to prove you were cultured. Act 1: The Friendly Stranger Who Definitely Wasn't a Scammer As I approached the palace gates, sweating like a snowman in a sauna (because Bangkok heat is no joke), a well-dressed man with a very official-looking badge stopped me. Him (in decent English): "Oh no, sorry sir, Grand Palace closed for Buddhist ceremony until 3 PM!" Me (squinting suspiciously): "Really? But Google said..." Him (cutting me off with a sa...