Put wallets and purses in larger carry on bags and remove temptation, Suvarnabhumi airport official tells passengers

[Rimmer]

A baiting post has been removed

[scorecard]

 

Well I fly often inside Thailand and to neighbouring countries. Most times I've put my wallet, watch and phone in a sipped pocket inside my carry on and that section of my bag is again zipped closed.

 

Often the attendants ask: phone, wallet etc?, and I respond inside my bag.

 

Several times I've then been told, cannot be inside a bag, must be alone in the tray?

 

On one occasion I listened to a security guy from AOT telling a passenger that notebook, tablets, phone and wallets cannot be inside a bag because it's makes it too difficult for the machine to detect anything untoward.

 

So Mr. Kittipong, which is it?

 

Another point, I wonder whether some travel insurance policies mention whether valuables can or cannot be loose in a x-ray point tray? 

 

 

[heybuz]

Last time I left I put my stuff in the basket to be x-rayed and the security bloke there told me I don't have to put the wallet through.just go through the body scan.

[Moti24]

6 hours ago, scorecard said:

Mr. Kittipong from the airport authority knows well that theft from check-in luggage also happens fairly often, so his advice is very inappropriate and gives no guarantee of security of personal belongings. 

Read the article again.

[evadgib]

4 hours ago, HooHaa said:

the advice in the op is valid, removing temptation is the best way to prevent thievery.

Another would be to place a rubber snake in the tray just as your wallet enters the x ray 

[HooHaa]

Or huge dildo. 

[EVENKEEL]

I always put wallet, money, watch and phone in carry on bag before I enter security area. Not because of stealing but because it speeds things up when you don't have to waste time empting pockets.

[hotchilli]

9 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Good. I hope all staff working at airports get to hear about that sentence. Should deter the tempted somewhat.

The staff should be looking out for something suspicious, not something valuable.

But this is Thailand.... hub of temptation!

[Sydebolle]

The Thai solution (larger bags) to the problem (of theft) - how stupid. Ensure proper pay, CCTV and a background check. Another solution (I applied on some critical staff positions) was that the staff had to be able to provide for a guarantor in form of a civil servant (employment class 10 or higher) who would sign a guarantee of B50‘000 in case of irregularities. Once that was implemented I never had a single screw nicked again - ever! 

[surangw]

so  now the theives will have to work in concert with the xray persons ?

[Expatthailover]

10 hours ago, JSixpack said:

 

Why wait? How about your acting as a consultant since you know exactly which staff will be tempted and more importantly which will act on that temptation? Your ace expertise is sorely needed. Could make good money, since it happens worldwide. Oh--you'll need to remove the passengers too.

 

K. Kittipong's advice is commonplace, nothing new.

 

According to a report by the NBC affiliate in Miami, checkpoint thefts at the local airport can happen up to twice a week. The most thefts are attributed to fellow passengers.

     --How to Protect Yourself Against Airport Checkpoint Theft

 

A TSA agent convicted of stealing more than $800,000 worth of goods from travelers said this type of theft is “commonplace” among airport security. Almost 400 TSA officers have been fired for stealing from passengers since 2003.

     --https://www.rt.com/usa/tsa-stealing-from-travelers-358/

Great post

You'll upset a few in here

[farcanell]

11 hours ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

It is an X-Ray machine, meaning it needs to be encased, thus, making everything visible will be quite tough.

Always a smart move to immediately after security, check all your belongings before you move away from the area.

Then from this encased x ray machine, how is the stealing done?

[JSixpack]

6 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

Often the attendants ask: phone, wallet etc?, and I respond inside my bag.

 

 

Several times I've then been told, cannot be inside a bag, must be alone in the tray?

 

On one occasion I listened to a security guy from AOT telling a passenger that notebook, tablets, phone and wallets cannot be inside a bag because it's makes it too difficult for the machine to detect anything untoward.

 

 

I don't believe any attendant told you that your wallet can't be in the carry on bag. If you really think that, then you misunderstood.

 

48 minutes ago, surangw said:

so  now the theives will have to work in concert with the xray persons ?

 

This is one of our fave conspiracy theories that surfaces now and then. It falls apart under scrutiny.

 

59 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

The Thai solution (larger bags) to the problem (of theft) - how stupid.

 

No, merely standard advice and NOT just a Thai solution.

 

Larger only if needed. Your wallet really that big? Surprised it hasn't been lightened for you numerous times already.

 

Quote

Ensure proper pay, CCTV and a background check.

 

How do you know they haven't done that? You seem blissfully unaware that CCTV verified the theft.

 

Anyway, they've definitely been doing exactly that in the States for many years. Yet

 

11 hours ago, JSixpack said:

A TSA agent convicted of stealing more than $800,000 worth of goods from travelers said this type of theft is “commonplace” among airport security. Almost 400 TSA officers have been fired for stealing from passengers since 2003.

     --https://www.rt.com/usa/tsa-stealing-from-travelers-358/

 

 

Quote

Another solution (I applied on some critical staff positions) was that the staff had to be able to provide for a guarantor in form of a civil servant (employment class 10 or higher) who would sign a guarantee of B50‘000 in case of irregularities. Once that was implemented I never had a single screw nicked again - ever! 

 

They commonly do this in Thailand (post bond and get a guarantor) and I don't think that you know they haven't done so for these security personnel. In any case, though I suppose it helps, it doesn't work all the time. Not here, anyway. Nor was a 7-year jail sentence for an "irregularity" hanging over your staff, as applied here. The thieves were reportedly handed seven year sentences by the court. 

 

But, for the purposes of schoolmarming and bashing, we've greatly exaggerated the problem at Swampy in proportion to the number of passengers going thru there yearly. 

 

So then, much to our chagrin, we're forced to conclude that, despite all our hot air, we really don't have any sure-fire solutions, it's not just a Thai airport problem, and that the standard security precaution of stowing your wallet inside your carry-on bag does seem worth mentioning by K. Kittipong. 

 

[HLover]

Keep your uninsured valuable items with you if possible.

Problem solved.

[MaxYakov]

"Put wallets and purses in into larger carry on carry-on bags and to remove temptation, Suvarnabhumi airport official tells passengers"

 

Translation errors or ignorance of the English language?

Ref: www.dictionary.com

[Ron19]

Posts denigrating Thai people have been removed

[Davmaac]

17 hours ago, sanemax said:

Some Thai guy offers some good advice and most TV posters just want to moan and complain about something .

   Do you sit at home in abject misery , waiting for something to moan and complain about ?

   Some of you guys act like over grown spoiled brats who spend all day in a bad mood tantrum

Quite a little tantrum you are throwing there yourself :)

[rosst]

Pathetic, take steps to ensure clarity and honest staff 

[mikebell]

20 hours ago, Cadbury said:

In other words the passengers should treat all Thai airport security staff as potential thieves. 

 

Why stop at airport security staff?  Many companies go to extraordinary lengths to prevent staff being confronted by temptation.

[impulse]

1 hour ago, rosst said:

Pathetic, take steps to ensure clarity and honest staff 

 

And you have a magic formula for doing that?  Because if you did, you'd be rich.  Just about every major employer in the world would pay you big bucks for that formula.

 

But since I doubt that such a formula does exist, isn't it prudent to remind customers to watch out for themselves, along with some practical advice for how to do that? 

 

Edited April 12, 2018 by impulse

[nakhonandy]

Sensible advice. 

 

I have always done this and never lost anything. It can happen in any airport and not just from staff, fellow travelers also steal. 

[sanemax]

57 minutes ago, nakhonandy said:

Sensible advice. 

 

I have always done this and never lost anything. It can happen in any airport and not just from staff, fellow travelers also steal. 

No they dont ONLY travelers to Thailand ever steal anything .

Its the final nail in the coffin , the Burmese 2 and the Red Bull heir 

[surangw]

https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2018/04/13/watch-baggage-handler-stealing-passengers-luggage/#_ga=2.139193971.1387338195.1521902925-94636807.1503336798

[nausea]

Crazy, if you don't have security at the security check-in point, where do you have it? God knows what happens in baggage handling. Lazy staff, who should be looking at what goes through and picking up on guys taking stuff that isn't theirs.

[anon537687643]

Thieving b*******s all over country right up to when you are trying to extricate yourself !

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

[jayceenik]

I do put my money belt purse in my bag before going through airport XRay machines but once at the Zurich APT I must have been seen  doing it and they put my bag on the side after XRay check and took me to an enclosed alcove under pretense of a "personal check". I immediately insisted that I be in visual contact with my bag. They accepted that without fuss and then just let me go right away with my bag without any of this "personal check" they wanted.

Why did they want to separate me visually from my carry-on after I had put my money belt in ?

[Cat ji]

On 4/11/2018 at 12:41 PM, MaxLee said:

What a lazy a**** excuse to blame the passengers to protect the image of Suvarnabumi staff..... 

Typical stupid ****** thaivisa comment.
He did.not.*blame.*  He advised, suggested.  And there is nothing in it to "protect image".

[wgdanson]

On 4/11/2018 at 10:30 AM, scorecard said:

 

Mr. Kittipong from the airport authority knows well that theft from check-in luggage also happens fairly often, so his advice is very inappropriate and gives no guarantee of security of personal belongings. 

 

Where do they find these guys? Sorry silly question, nepotism and tea money for promotions rules in many government agencies.  

 

In fact I'm sure I have seen notices telling passengers not to put valuables in check-in bags.

 

Further is passengers take his advice and valuables are stolen from check-in bags the passengers wouldn't know about it until they reach their destination and eventually open their check-in bags, way too late to report the matter to the police, possibly even in another country. Would the RTP or AOT be interested? Very doubtful. 

 

 

 

He said put you valuables in bigger carry-on bags, not checked in luggage.

[tifino]

 

it would have been more productive. to use that time to insteadremind passengers;

 that if they have just landed, and in Transit; that they need to quickly in the Departures Lounge,

go buy another checked baggage bag

- to put in their bottles of duty free in, that they purchased at the previous airport.

They won't be allowed to go back onto their next Flight from Transit, with those bottle in the same clear bag that was sealed at the previous airport...

[Artisi]

On 4/11/2018 at 10:00 AM, lupin said:

"If you can that would be helpful", said Kittipong Kittikhajorn. "That would help to remove temptation from staff".

mmmkay .. how about removing staff that are tempted

sorry that's far too an intelligent Kitti Kitti, and besides it's your responsibility - if you didn't have any valuables you wouldn't loss them,  and as the current head has said now on a few occasions -- no Thai person would do such a thing.