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[MongerSEA]

ThaiRack, on 2009-07-31 11:35:40, said:

Thailand's rapidly deteriorating reputation is reaching new audiences now, courtesy of more exposure in mainstream western media. As one slightly trivial example, my dear old mother now no longer says "ooh, they eat dogs over there" now whenever I call her to say I'm going to or passing through Thailand, but instead she says "watch out - they're all bloody scammers out there - even the police".

A rubbish example, yeah, but it still shows you how my Mum sat in her house in the midlands (UK), watching the telly and listening to Radio 2 all day is hearing about what a shady place Thailand is turning into. "More fool her and others for believeing the media", some may say. But this time, the media are right. Thailand's dodgier than ever. I speak as someone with more experience of visiting, living in and working in Thailand than most folks you meet (except on here, of course). I love Thailand, but the corruption, scams and other deviant shit has started to permeate my every day existance there on recent trips like it never has before. It's going to shit.

Your example is neither trivial nor rubbish. Thanks for posting it because it does accurately reflect a rapidly growing worldwide sentiment towards Thailand even among people who've never traveled here and have no plans to do so. Thailand has lost the international media and consequently it's losing the middle class who make up the vast majority of international tourists.

Som naam na meuang thai, but you brought it on yourselves. Will the last farang tourist out please remember to close the lights...

[sunnymarky]

It pisses me off when they break padlocks on  the suitcase when I only have clothes and liquids ,gels over 100ml inside. If they scanned they would see. I guess its being suspicious when you put a lock on the case , maybe something to hide.
But back to the main point. It is incredible that staff who work at baggage handling are so dishonest to open up a case (I may be naive) and surely chances are it's the baggage which is stored because of not claimed or late etc?  Thats why  I had things stolen .. in Tel Aviv airport of all places, a transit flight, baggage lost , get it 48 hours later and opened (for the tight security Israel has) and a pack of Mach 3 razor blades and Perfume goes missing.

Edited by sunnymarky, 2009-07-31 11:54:23.

[rajuismythainame]

yeas its true misshandling is also thearein bangkok airport,,
they through the luggae like any think
many passanger complain abt this but no action....

[ericthai]

StrandedBusinessPerson, on 2009-07-31 10:55:48, said:

Wait, a thief gets two free passes before they are fired on the third botched attempt to rip us off?!? What kinda crazy rule is that out.  This is not baseball, it's crime.  We always wonder why when we go to tland we always come home with more things missing then travels elsewhere, remarkably so. Now we know. Cheers.

No they said the employee would be fired and the company get a hit with a fee. Also if a any company is found that 3 times one of their employees are caught then they will loose the contract with the airport.

[hardy1943]

wrecker, on 2009-07-31 11:48:15, said:

Let's be clear that theft is not a problem limited to Thailand. In all major airports from the US to Australia and from Hong Kong to Europe people get robbed. It is good that the Thai authorities have recognized the problem and seem to work on it. All these negative comments make Suvanabhumi look bad. All frequent travellers know that on all airports worldwide the same problems exists. You get robbed by illegal taxi drivers anywhere, drugs are smuggled by crooked cleaners (who seem to make too little money anyhow, anywhere, luggage get stolen, valuables disappear and scams are in progress. Customs and immigration officers are bought in each and every country too. But as the Germans like to say: By uns zum hause is alles viel besser, which is obviously nonsense.
It would be a good thing to recognize that the airports in the countries where we come from are often less customer friendly and that authorities are surely often rude. I dare to say that Suvanbhumi is much better than stated in this forum.

True, but in the Western everyone  seem to have certain right, what bothers me most for us that live here
that have wives, families and houses we are at their mercy to get kick out anytime.

[chiangmaibruce]

neverdie, on 2009-07-31 11:06:24, said:

I am wondering what sort of things are getting stolen from the bags. Are people really silly enough to put valuables inside their checked baggage.

Well in our case (travelling Phuket to chiang mai via BKK) they stole our child's teddy bear, most of his (good quality) clothing and some of mine too.  So they will take whatever they can re-sell.

To those who say it's not common - you're dreaming! Spend some time online in TV and other thailand or travel-related web sites and you will find untold dozens of reports of goods stolen at the airport. I know because i researched it at the time it happened to us. We aren't ones to take things lying down so we took it up with the airline, with AOT, the Police, TAT and the Ministry of Tourism. And guess what? No-one gives a dam_n. AOT were the worst of the lot - you are lucky if you can get a phone number or email for anyone who works in the place. Then when you do, they don't answer anyway.

Just to make a point I sent an email (with detailed complaint) once a week for over two months just to see if I EVER got a response. Lo and behold I got an email back eventually saying that they had referred my email to the lost property section. Ha ha, they're a funny lot

[pacovl46]

StrandedBusinessPerson, on 2009-07-31 10:55:48, said:

Wait, a thief gets two free passes before they are fired on the third botched attempt to rip us off?!? What kinda crazy rule is that out.  This is not baseball, it's crime.  We always wonder why when we go to tland we always come home with more things missing then travels elsewhere, remarkably so. Now we know. Cheers.

you didn't read it properly. anyone who gets caught stealing will be fired immediately. if three different workers of the same company get caught on three different occasions the company will lose its contract.

[Serpico]

The problem with Thai security is they all will exploit their position for personal gains.
More rules = more exploitation.

[aylo]

You guys want some cheese with that.......?

crazyswede, on 2009-07-31 11:30:54, said:

thaibkk, on 2009-07-31 05:43:48, said:

everybody needs his cut right, and they forgot the luggage thieves...
ur last surprise when you come home... if you did not end up in one of the other thai scemes to get rid of your useless baht's outside thailand...
so for tourists who plan to come here :
ripped on arrival
ripped with taxi fares
prepare to pay double in hotels, restaurants, shops ...
watch out for security that might accuse you with dropping a sigarette bud even you do not smoke ...
carefull when shopping in duty free, might end up in jail
what out of buying stuff or doing business with thais as you might fly out of a window (famous in pattaya)
watch out not to get robbed, shot, stabbed
watch out for ladyboys, aids, veneral deseases
etc...

Stop whining or stay in your Falang country!

Thank you, exactly my thoughts. I really can't see why this would be a negative thing, but it doesn't really matter. any news that comes out here have to be bad news?
I log in to read the news, and maybe some more info about this, but all i see is whining...go home then if everything is that bad....or if you can't stick to topic, go post in SA instead.
Like most of you guys i choose to come here, why try to change this place then? Remember, you are all guests...

[neverdie]

ericthai, on 2009-07-31 11:54:55, said:

StrandedBusinessPerson, on 2009-07-31 10:55:48, said:

Wait, a thief gets two free passes before they are fired on the third botched attempt to rip us off?!? What kinda crazy rule is that out. This is not baseball, it's crime. We always wonder why when we go to tland we always come home with more things missing then travels elsewhere, remarkably so. Now we know. Cheers.

No they said the employee would be fired and the company get a hit with a fee. Also if a any company is found that 3 times one of their employees are caught then they will loose the contract with the airport.

Yes they did say exactly that ericthai....it certainly pays to read carefully.

No doubt when the contractor gets his contract cancelled after 3 strikes, he will rapidly set up a new company name & proceed with the exact same staff, without missing a shift , then he gets another whole 3 strikes and he doesnt even need to get out of his seat.

[Patriot]

Don't stop at Suvarnaphum, my locks are tampered with EVERY time flying out from Ubon Ratchathani

[fxe1200]

Aasim, on 2009-07-31 10:41:58, said:

another crackdown .. i think government have nothing else to do i reckon !

How about a crackdown on the government to exfiltrate the inapts.

[neverdie]

aylo, on 2009-07-31 11:59:41, said:

You guys want some cheese with that.......?

crazyswede, on 2009-07-31 11:30:54, said:

thaibkk, on 2009-07-31 05:43:48, said:

everybody needs his cut right, and they forgot the luggage thieves...
ur last surprise when you come home... if you did not end up in one of the other thai scemes to get rid of your useless baht's outside thailand...
so for tourists who plan to come here :
ripped on arrival
ripped with taxi fares
prepare to pay double in hotels, restaurants, shops ...
watch out for security that might accuse you with dropping a sigarette bud even you do not smoke ...
carefull when shopping in duty free, might end up in jail
what out of buying stuff or doing business with thais as you might fly out of a window (famous in pattaya)
watch out not to get robbed, shot, stabbed
watch out for ladyboys, aids, veneral deseases
etc...

Stop whining or stay in your Falang country!

Thank you, exactly my thoughts. I really can't see why this would be a negative thing, but it doesn't really matter. any news that comes out here have to be bad news?
I log in to read the news, and maybe some more info about this, but all i see is whining...go home then if everything is that bad....or if you can't stick to topic, go post in SA instead.
Like most of you guys i choose to come here, why try to change this place then? Remember, you are all guests...

YOU ARE ALL GUESTS line has cropped up again.   

You will get all sorts of arguements on that one.  Would you really treat your guests as that poster has described, because whilst his post may come sound like a whinge, its all true.

[beerchang]

As I mentioned earlier while trying to do a simple reply and it all going badly wrong!
This will not help Thailand's declining image at all. It's nonesense as usual. Hardly make international news will it?

[ozzieovaseas]

As for the three times rule, i think many may be missreading the article...

any firm who has three incidences of having employees caught stealing will get its contract cancelled..

you can hardly expect a company to get its business shafted after one bad employee is caught.

This might motivate companies to look harder at staff and take broader measures to ensure this crap doesnt continue imo

[cracker1]

skettios, on 2009-07-31 10:49:34, said:

I've actually never heard that this is much of a problem. I'd much rather have them get rid of the touts in the lobby.

[fxe1200]

Patriot, on 2009-07-31 12:02:07, said:

Don't stop at Suvarnaphum, my locks are tampered with EVERY time flying out from Ubon Ratchathani

Never lost anything out of my unlocked 20 year old, patched everywhere, EASTPACK bag!

[cracker1]

I have had two bags in the last year broken into at Bangkok Airport on the way to Samui.
However I doubt AOL have the expertise to fix the problem.

[Scott]

The problem with luggage is magnified because it's so much harder to bring carry on luggage on the plane.  That often means that things I would normally keep quite close to me are now, not so safely put into my suitcase.  This has happened to me at the airport where they decided the carry on bag was too heavy and made me repack things into my suitcase.

Fortunately for me, what I consider valuable and what thieves consider valuable are different, so I have had very little theft in many years of flying.

[harrycallahan]

george, on 2009-07-31 11:28:57, said:

They will be fired and the contracted company that hired them will face legal consequences.

A firm whose staff steal from passengers' bags more than three times will have its contract terminated, Mr Piyaphan said.

The individual thieves are sacked immediately, the firms that provide them gets 3 chances. RTFA.

[Nacho]

Serpico, on 2009-07-31 11:59:04, said:

The problem with Thai security is they all will exploit their position for personal gains.
More rules = more exploitation.

So true. Every time a new law is implemented I can't help but to think to myself of ways the police will exploit it.

[samjaidee]

StrandedBusinessPerson, on 2009-07-31 10:55:48, said:

Wait, a thief gets two free passes before they are fired on the third botched attempt to rip us off?!? What kinda crazy rule is that out.  This is not baseball, it's crime.  We always wonder why when we go to tland we always come home with more things missing then travels elsewhere, remarkably so. Now we know. Cheers.

Can't you read? The initial post clearly says the thief will be fired immediately and the contractor will get three chances.

Your post is yet another attempt at misinformation by a member. You think that's clever? If you do then you're obviously not clever.

[bowbells]

thefalang, on 2009-07-31 10:59:28, said:

neverdie, on 2009-07-31 11:51:50, said:

thaibkk, on 2009-07-31 10:43:48, said:

everybody needs his cut right, and they forgot the luggage thieves...

ur last surprise when you come home... if you did not end up in one of the other thai scemes to get rid of your useless baht's outside thailand...


so for tourists who plan to come here :

ripped on arrival
ripped with taxi fares
prepare to pay double in hotels, restaurants, shops ...
watch out for security that might accuse you with dropping a sigarette bud even you do not smoke ...
carefull when shopping in duty free, might end up in jail
what out of buying stuff or doing business with thais as you might fly out of a window (famous in pattaya)
watch out not to get robbed, shot, stabbed
watch out for ladyboys, aids, veneral deseases
etc...

CLASSIC POST.....So true. Thailand the land of lies and deception!

So true, so true... This is the unfortunate reality. As a friend once said, Thailand is a country full of con men.

yeah! spread the word...maybe more people like you will stay out and it will make our lives that much more delightful here.  That list is ridiculous, generalized, and not to mention par for the course in every country in the world except maybe the Vatican...on second thought the latter portion of that list probably describes the Vatican City as well...sorry to say. Oh and you forgot the pedophile part...better put that in your list as well.

[Markaew]

I have been in and out of Bkk airport 5 times now with locks on my bags with no tampering. Maybe my bags look too cheap to have anything valuable inside.

[Markaew]

Oh yes. I forgot. I arrived in bkk via Asia Air yesterday, which I found Asia Air quite good in service and price, except claiming the baggage took nearly an hour. Now I understand they probably needed time to rummage through the bags a bit to find items of interest. Makes sense now.