16 minutes ago, sandyf said:

If you trust them or not is irrelevant. If they say your pockets should be empty then your pockets should be empty.

It would be more of an issue if they were bowing to belligerent passengers.

Take it out and stuff it down the front of your underpants.

Not quite sure how they would react to that.

As I usually carry dollars it shouldn't upset anyone.

My laptop bag has a pocket on the back that can be locked with a small padlock.

That's where valuable stuff goes. Take out laptop put the bag on its back and if they want to see inside easy to unlock it and show them.

27 minutes ago, sandyf said:

If you trust them or not is irrelevant. If they say your pockets should be empty then your pockets should be empty.

It would be more of an issue if they were bowing to belligerent passengers.

 

I've never anywhere in the world been told to empty pockets other than things that are metal. On a couple of occasions the scan wand staff have felt coins in my pocket and asked me to show the coins and no further problem, pen also. In this scenario they are just doing their job. 

 

Sure there is a need to do a check of what might be going into an aircraft cabin, good policy.

 

On the other hand there have been several cases of proven theft from cabin bags, wallets etc., as things go through the scanning machine,  including a Thai work colleague who I was travelling with, therefore I believe I have every right to take logical (not illegal) precautions, and until I'm told by a sign or whatever that pockets must be completely empty I will put my cash deep inside my pants pockets.

 

In fact I take a logical approach (to me it's logical) always put my mobile and wallet inside a zipped pocket which is inside another zipped pocket in my computer bag, and I remove all coins, pens, etc., from my pockets and put them in my cabin bag before approaching the machine, the only thing that's in my pockets is paper money. I do all of the above before I start the 'journey' of ticket checking, security scan etc., takes 10 seconds and not difficult.

 

Therefore the scanning wand doesn't activate when it's run across my body. If they ever ask during this activity to empty my pockets I will do so, and I will either:

 

1). Hold the money up but inside my fist whilst I get scanned with the wand and keep walking and recover my cabin bag etc., then proceed on my way.

 

2). If they insist the cash notes must be placed in a bag then I will insist that I recover my computer bag (which is not holding my notebook, that's always taken out and put in a separate tray) and I will put the cash inside the zipped pocket which is inside of another zipped pocket. I will rejoin the line and hold my computer bag until it's my turn, then place my computer bag on the conveyor belt. and I will watch as much as I can what happens until my bag re-appears after the scan, and how long it takes to scan and I will quickly open my computer bag pockets and check if the money etc., is still there before I walk away from the machine.

 

None of the above if difficult. 

 

Bottom line, I don't trust them.

 

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, overherebc said:

As I usually carry dollars it shouldn't upset anyone.

 

It is not a case of what you are actually carrying but to do with what you could be carrying.

 

As terrorists become more sophisticated in their approach the vigilance needs to be stepped up. There is little dispute it is inconvenient but very few are totally aware of what can and cannot present a potential threat. I cannot understand why so many see the threat of potential pilfering as being more important than the safety of others.

On 4/4/2018 at 8:16 AM, ezzra said:

All in all, with like 40 million plus tourists coming and going to Thailand

if one person has been caught stealing every now and then, it's not

too bad...

Apt. Good to see a few understanding blokes here. I'm not condoning the crime, just agreeing to this view that once in a while a stray malfeasance should be expected to occur. It happens in the bars (overbilling), Pattaya beaches (mugging by LBs), on the streets(cops demanding bribes), and so on. Neither individually nor collectively do these incidents turn us away from this beautiful country. Those others have stopped getting reported, whereas a crime in the airport, as some have pointed out, is bad business and tarnishes the airport's and the country's reputation. If you can, lodge a complaint and try to retrieve, as that elder did and just moved on to  his  flight. Be careful just like you would anywhere.   

Geez, I'm 89 now, better wait to fly anywhere until my next birthday so I don't get ripped off!!

Quick reaction from the 89 year old, I hope my memory will be the same if I reach that age.

 

 

On 4/4/2018 at 9:51 AM, faraday said:

Don't be so quick to slag off Thailand about airport theft.

Heathrow, was known as 'Theifrow' for years.

They didn't steal from bags, they stole the whole bag.