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[sibeymai]

MJo, on 2009-06-28 09:43:31, said:

Yes i remember the previous story as well. And yes this has been going on for some time now and King Power employees are in it.

It is usual that you get freebies when buying stuff. In a style "buy two of these and receive free of that". So you when you are at the cashier you get presented these "free gifts" that actually includes something you should pay for and the second you set your foot outside the shop there is copper waiting for you.

I have refused to accept any freebies there for a year now unless it is something that is clearly advertised in the shop.

This is precisely how the scam is perpetrated. The KP staff are part of the scam. Essentially you have to buy something to become a victim. Actually, the whole concept of an airport duty free shop being cheaper than other retailers is a scam in itself. These victims who buy from KP are unfortunately getting scammed twice.

[animatic]

Mario2008, on 2009-06-28 10:05:25, said:

Lets hope that the Thai government and King Power act swiftly to this. They have a huge image problem with this and storries like this will hurt the tourism sector even more. I hope it will be reported in the Thai media as well.

This goes to the heart of it.
King Power has huge clout, and even if their staff was not involved directly,
this makes many avoid ANY contact with King Power and other sales outlets.

K.P. has the clout to close down this scam operation if they think it hurts their bottom line enough.
And that folks is the ONLY bottom line recognized here...

In the mean time no back-packers, Thailand only wants 'Quality Targets'!

Edited by animatic, 2009-06-28 11:12:28.

[apetley]

Mario2008, on 2009-06-28 11:05:25, said:

Lets hope that the Thai government and King Power act swiftly to this. They have a huge image problem with this and storries like this will hurt the tourism sector even more. I hope it will be reported in the Thai media as well.

Maybe Thaivisa.com can ask it's contacts at 'The Nation' why they are not covering a Thai story that is already in the British press.
If 'The Nation' are not interested I think that will speak volumes of where their loyalties and investigative priorities lie.
King Power will only put a stop to this sort of scam when it is out in the public domain and starts to hurt their own bottom line.

[grantbkk]

animatic, on 2009-06-28 11:11:28, said:

Mario2008, on 2009-06-28 10:05:25, said:

Lets hope that the Thai government and King Power act swiftly to this. They have a huge image problem with this and storries like this will hurt the tourism sector even more. I hope it will be reported in the Thai media as well.

This goes to the heart of it.
King Power has huge clout, and even if their staff was not involved directly,
this makes many avoid ANY contact with King Power and other sales outlets.

K.P. has the clout to close down this scam operation if they think it hurts their bottom line enough.
And that folks is the ONLY bottom line recognized here...

In the mean time no back-packers, Thailand only wants 'Quality Targets'!

I would go a bit further and say the King Power Duty Free has a duty (no pun here) to excise this problem.  To us this is an exercise in blogging but to the victims it must be a nightmare.  Some of those hundreds of smiling or sleeping employees I see working the stalls should be made aware of what is going on around them.  I for one only look into a King Power shop from the small isle left for airline passengers to get to and from the planes.  Suvarnabhumi should be classified as a mall and not an airport.

[MJP]

Keep it up Thailand. Well done!

You'll put yourselves right back in the 3rd World before you know it.

[babuhavas]

they always come up with new ideas to scam people,if they use their brains in right direction thailand will be much better and respectable place.this is no more land of smiles.i now confirm it as LAND OF SCAMS,i my self experienced small scams almost every day.
not so happy.....

[philliphn]

I for one will never even go into any shop in the Airport ever again!

[imaneggspurt]

philliphn, on 2009-06-28 11:33:30, said:

I for one will never even go into any shop in the Airport ever again!

Seconded,

[jackdanielsesq]

Time to bring Thaksin back - there is no discipline in Thailand anymore - from anyone.
BR>Jack

[ballpoint]

jackdanielsesq, on 2009-06-28 11:41:06, said:

Time to bring Thaksin back - there is no discipline in Thailand anymore - from anyone.
BR>Jack

Would this be the same Thaksin who illegally sold KP the right to the Duty Free concession?

[bangon04]

Mario2008, on 2009-06-28 10:47:59, said:

Although it happend at a King Power store, there is no involvement of King Power itself. Let's not suggest it is or call for boycots etc.

Has King Power made any official contribution to the story? In a normal business it would be the minimum to expect the PR department to distance itself, nay even condemn such scams and promise an investigation of its own...... Silence on the subject would suggest disinterest or complacency, wouldn't it?

Does any member have some contacts in King Power?

[guig]

For the more experienced travellers you can smell or sense a scam a mile away. What worries me so much about this scam is that you normally have your defences down as you are heading home etc and would not really be thinking about possible ways of getting scamed as you are leaving a country. Happened to me last month at Swampy when i was changing some money and she short counted my Thai Baht. I caught her in the act and spoke firmly to her about her actions.......mai pen rai for her ......next mug please!

Well this changes all of that...............so what to do if this happens to you?

I know don't go into any airport duty free shops or dont buy anything from the airport, don't change money you might get ripped off, don't catch taxis etc,  but if for some unfortunate reason you or your partner are caught up in this scam what would you do?

Make a scene, start screaming and really lose it........or maybe faint and pretend to have a heart attack.........get as many people involved as possible..........start filming the people involved with your camera, mobile etc...........Have your lawyer on speed dial on your mobile phone?

Any ideas from the more seasoned jury members?

[bangon04]

judgedredd, on 2009-06-28 10:54:22, said:

2.)Foreigners, whether tourists or expats, will surely develop an increased level of distrust and disrespect for Thai cops .
Ah, the fun never stops. Amazing Thailand…

Judge Dredd

Just how many higher levels of distrust are available to us?  I thought we had reached the top level already. You mean it can get worse?

[Maejo Man]

imaneggspurt, on 2009-06-28 11:35:00, said:

philliphn, on 2009-06-28 11:33:30, said:

I for one will never even go into any shop in the Airport ever again!

Seconded,

I never did before, and most certainly never will after this episode. Major scams are all too frequent in the realm these days....Tourist downturn perhaps?

[jalansanitwong]

I know that for years there have been all sorts of 'dodgy types' hanging around the airport but I have never heard of this sort of scam.Why dont they just threaten to call their Embassy??? In all the years i have travelled i have bought nothing more than a newspaper in any airport. There is no such thing as duty free shopping. Monthly rents and sign on  contracts  for shops in  airports are so high the price of goods has to absorb these extras making prices ridiculous. Genuine silk tie on'special' for 1,500 baht. I could get 2 or 3 for that price  downtown.TIT

[goonerthegooner]

Here's another family that will NEVER WALK in their shops again.
King Power have shot themselves in the foot once again.
Well Done.
I have forwarded this story too The Sun newspaper in the UK,lets see what they say about it??.
Oh well the tourist industry cannot get any worse now can it?

[farseer]

Calling the embassy is a complete waste of time as they will do nothing to help and the tourist police know this very well. In fact the tourist police will normally inform one's embassy about your case but they will be talking to a Thai assistant who will have absolutely no sympathy for your plight and therefore will do nothing.  The Thais believe what they are told by the police, especially when foreigners are involved.


As for the foreigners who "work" for the tourist police, be very careful of them, quite a few are as crooked as their new Thai police friends.

[sriracha john]

jackdanielsesq, on 2009-06-28 11:41:06, said:

Time to bring Thaksin back - there is no discipline in Thailand anymore - from anyone.
BR>Jack

Thaksin bondage and discipline is not what Thailand needs.

[RKASA]

WoW.   I don't even want to go near the airport.   

[fantuzi]

I had read warning about this scam in another portal few months ago.
I think - this scam is going on on two levels - one:they frame innocent passengers,
two:they help real thieves to get off  the hook.
There are quite a number of genuine shoplifters in aiport crowd,few are sort of - pros,
few - cleptomaniacs,but mostly - just hobbists(finger-jonny).

[Paddleshifter]

Just let the thais drain this country empty for foreign money. They dont deserve a single dollar. I ve said it before, whats going on here and they dont deserve any tourist in this country anymore.

It sure not fun to see 8000 GDP go down the drain or to face some years in prison. My advise to someone that gets into this situation. Once out on bail without your passport run away, arrange with someone to get you out of Thailand thrugh a jungle crossing which there is 1000 of and into a neighbouring country except Burma. Then go to your embassy there and tell the story. They will be able to issue a one way travel document back to your home country. Its only your embassy in the country of the accused crime that can not help you.

When home make a big story about it. Make it big and hurt the bastards responsable for this shit.You ll save your money but cant return to Thailand though. But who would want that after this.
There are bigger stories than this around involving much bigger claims from scams.

Edited by Paddleshifter, 2009-06-28 12:50:15.

[frodo]

guig, on 2009-06-28 11:54:45, said:

Make a scene, start screaming and really lose it...

Any ideas from the more seasoned jury members?

God forbid, don't lose your temper and make a Thai lose face. You could end up in the slammer or worse, regardless of the situation. If you've read many postings here you'll see that a large percentage of members support jail time for losing ones temper; even when you're being screwed.

[Tawai]

I for one will never even go into any shop in the Airport ever again!

[/quote]Seconded,


[/quote] Thirded  

[JacknDanny]

What surprises me most in all of this is the attitude of the British Embassy.
Basically refusing to get involved, and the only help offered is giving them a Thai lawyer, whose advice is to stay in Thailand and fight the case
I have lived here over 10 years, and fortunately speak enough Thai and have enough friends/contacts etc, etc, that it would be highly unlikely something like this would go very far.
But if you were here on holiday, you pay the money and get out of Dodge.
Anyone who has been here any amount of time, we all know how the system works, which is why the embassy's naivity surprises me.
Having said that, maybe it doesnt. Cushy job, dont rock the boat etc
British Embassy= Chocolate Fireguard

[ajc1970]

ozsamurai, on 2009-06-28 08:36:41, said:

............... and Thailand takes another hard shot to the kidneys, staggering now against the ropes, we shall see what the media can dish out next to put the final nail in the coffin.  It just goes to show you if you are not fit enough to play with the big countries don't go into the ring!!

Oz

Yeah, I was just thinking, "haven't they nearly depleted the supply of nails for the coffin?"