Did the hotel clerk try to scam me?

[SnakeEyes]

I stayed at the D&D Inn last year.

When I checked in I put cash/camera/passport in a safebox behind the counter.

I had to leave a 2000 bhat deposit for the safe key.

Now, the moment was very hectic, other people checking in/out, other people getting into their safes, the clerk was helping several people at once.

I hand her the money, she hands me a receipt and paperwork.

A few hours later the phone in my room rings. It's the clerk.
She tells me that I forgot to pay the deposit on the key.

"What the hell are you talking about?" is my thought but I keep cool.

I go down to the lobby with the paperwork and explain "I didn't forget, I remember very clearly handing you the $ and you gave me a receipt".

She claims that I never gave her the $. 2000 bhat is missing.

It goes back and forth a bit, she's telling me to give her money. I refuse and pretty much walk away.
I see her several times several times over the day, it's very uncomfortable.
I try to talk to her again, telling her I work in bars and restaurants, I know the hectic scene she was dealing with and I would never take advantage of a mistake like that.
I paid her the 2000 bhat.

Looking at me with big puppy dog eyes she tells me she has to pay it back or get fired.
It breaks by heart.

Man, I saved for years for this trip, I was living dollar to dollar day to day, watching every penny. No way did I stiff this girl and no way was I going to give up another 2000.
Thank god she wasn't there when I checked out and got 2000 back for the key.

Jump ahead several months. I'm back in BKK.

I'm walking thru the lobby of the D&D Inn to visit the rooftop pool/internet room.
I'm with friends, old BKK hands who have worked and lived in LOS for years.
In the lobby there's my girl.
She looks at me very calmly and says "you're back".

As we walk out I tell them the story.
I ask if I should just give her 2000 bhat.

"No F'n way!" They say, "I'll bet she pulls that stunt 10 times a week!"

Man, I NEVER though about it like that, and here I was feeling like shit about the incident.

LOL, I have to go meet friends @ the D&D inn in Jan, but no way will I stay there again.

[TanMan]

The way you have described it here would lead me to believe that it was a possible scam. First, a clerk generally will not hand you a receipt without getting the money in their hand first. This is especially true in Thailand where they are borderline paperwork fanatics still in the carbon copy age.

You gave her the money you state so why even think about / feeling guilty about giving more? The fact that you had scrimped and saved to get to Thailand has no bearing. It's you're money regardless of where it came from. This sounds more like a charity question?

It is possible she screwed up the handling of your money somehow, but that is her problem, not yours. You can't supervise her 24/7. She still has her job, so no worries....

[SnakeEyes]

Well, I just felt bad because 2000 bhat won't buy dinner for two here in NYC.
Like when you find yourself haggeling for something then realize your haggeling over .50 cents.
Still, I gave up a hell of a lot of 2000 bhat dinners to be able to afford to come to BKK the 1st time.

But your are right. Guilt "feelings" should not be a factor here, and I wasn't going to pay twice because she F'd up.

I was just wondering if anybody heard of this scam before.

[Latino4life]

I don't even remember getting any receip... But I do remember the fuzzy guy in the front desc with long nails (yeak ) always calling me "hello Mr" and asking me to pay for the mini-bar I mean it said clearly on the hotel rule's manual that the customer will be asked to pay first when the bill reaches 5K Baht but I was asked to pay silly amounts as 103 Baht. The whole bill never reached 5K in total which according to the hotel's rules I could have paid when I checked out... The guard was great though and he let teelak go in and out as she pleased, she was asked ID the first two nights but not after that, even if she came alone the guard never asked her for any ID, I gave him a tip though. Jintana is a nice hotel but Victoria guest house is still my fave place, I really feel at home there and hardly get "home sick"

[palaceboy]

Well if you have the receipt it should be simple to clear it up