Herbal shop grilled after cheating tourist 'with magic fat-loss honey'
A herbal shop owner was grilled for allegedly cheating a tourist with 'magic fat-loss honey'.
The Bangladeshi holidaymaker was walking along the beach when he was approached by several Pakistani men selling miracle weight-loss products in coastal town Pattaya, Thailand.
They claimed the special herbal goods would burn his belly fat and boost his performance in bed.
Despite repeatedly refusing, the tourist said the group surrounded him and pulled him into their shop, where the concoction was mixed in front of him.
Fearing for his safety, he paid 10,000 baht for the bottle before fleeing.
Officials inspected the shop on June 16 after an Indian tourist raised the alarm about the business's alleged scam.
Upon arrival, they found the front of the shop covered with opaque plastic sheets and signs prohibiting photography, while two Thai women were providing services inside.
A group of Pakistani men who had been sitting in front of the shop stood up and left shortly after noticing the reporters and the complainant.
When reporters inquired about the allegations, the Thai clerks reportedly walked away, declining to provide information.
However, one female employee allegedly admitted that their Pakistani employees would typically approach tourists at beaches and other tourist attractions before persuading them to visit the shop and purchase herbal products at high prices. The business was reportedly owned by a Pakistani man and his Thai wife.
Following negotiations with Thai officials, the shop agreed to refund 8,000 baht to the tourist, claiming they took a cut because the payment was made in euros.
The tourist said he was not interested in pursuing the remaining amount and instead wanted to return to his home country as soon as possible.
He said: 'I was terrified and worried that they might hurt me, so I felt I had no choice but to comply. I had planned to stay in Pattaya for a week, but after what happened, I no longer felt safe and decided to book a flight home the very next day.'
Authorities said they have received many similar complaints about herbal scams in the resort town.
The suspects allegedly worked by gaining tourists' trust, escorting them into shops, then demanding large sums for products while making exaggerated claims about their benefits.
In many previous cases, disputes reportedly ended with partial refunds negotiated between the parties rather than criminal prosecutions, allowing the businesses to continue operating.
Many tourists reportedly accepted partial refunds because they did not want to spend time pursuing legal action.
On March 19, British tourist Malcolm Campbell, 63, from Staffordshire, was allegedly conned into paying 41,000 baht for herbal weight-loss products after being approached by two Arabic men in Pattaya.
Police later tracked down the suspects and arranged a full refund after Campbell's Thai girlfriend recognised the scheme and reported it to Pattaya City Police Station.
While on June 3, Indian tourist Mohammad Safeer, 30, was duped out of his holiday spending money after being lured into the Thai Organic World shop in Pattaya and charged 12,160 baht for purported 'miracle' weight-loss herbs.
