A Thai tourist has been forced to pay VND10 million (around US$500) for a 6-kg fish at a fishing village in Ha Long Bay, northern Quang Ninh Province.

Kasilod Wuttichai from Thailand fishes out a fish from a fishing craft in Ha Long tourism site in northern Vietnam., Photo: Tuoi Tre

Kasilod Wuttichai from Thailand visited Ha Long Bay, a popular tourist site in Vietnam, with the excitement of exploring a new country.

After the boat carrying him stopped at the Ba Hang fishing village where many tourists like to visit, Kasilod and some friends went to a fishing craft for sightseeing. He caught a fish and told the owner that he wanted to buy it without asking the price first.

The owner told Kasilod that the fish he chose cost VND1.8 million per kg and weighed a total 6 kg.

As the result, he was forced to pay more than VND10 million (US$500).

“I told them I don’t want it any more, but they force me to buy it because they already beat the fish’s head to death,” Kasilod told Tuoi Tre.

After being informed about the scam, Nguyen Dang Truong, chief of Quang Ninh’s market management, reassured that during the Tet holiday from January 16 to 30, the price was very stable in the market and he had yet to receive any information about the rip-off at local fishing crafts.

However, he also warned tourists to be careful.

He said tourists should ask fishing craft owners to show the marked price first before deciding to buy anything.

In case they are ripped off, tourists should keep the receipts and notify authorities of the violation via hot-lines.

Source: Tuoi Tre