Easy pickings for thieves at Suvarnabhumi luggage carousels

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thai Rath reported that despite high level security and wide CCTV camera coverage the luggage carousels at Bangkok's main airport were being targeted by thieves. 

 

They said that some of these were easy pickings with the chance for thieves to make up to 300,000 baht. 

 

On Sunday the online version of the South China Morning Post featured a story about Chinese nationals stealing at Bangkok's principal airport. 

 

Two recent cases in November resulted in arrests after thieves arriving at the airport went to the wrong carousel for their flight and targeted expensive looking bags. 

 

But there are many cases of theft that go unresolved, said Thai Rath. 

 

They listed six tips from a local female police captain to help avoid becoming a victim.

 

Pol Capt Preeyakarn Saleeworarot advised passengers to go to the allotted carousel without delay, make sure your bag is clearly identifiable, has labels in Thai and English and airline tags. 

 

She further warned people not to have valuables in their loaded bags and not have third parties pick up luggage. 

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-12-03

Install the same process as used at Japanese airports.

 

Passengers claim their bags from the carousel then line up for an official to check the number on the tags put on the luggage at check-in at departing airport against the check-in stub given to the passenger at check-in (often stuck on to the back of the boarding pass or the passport).

 

As always in Japan it's checked carefully and nobody gets past these airport officials without this check.  

Pol Capt Preeyakarn Saleeworarot advised passengers to go to the allotted carousel without delay, make sure your bag is clearly identifiable, has labels in Thai and English and airline tags. 

 

This woman is a police captain? Seriously? 

Where does she think passengers are going if not to the carrousel? there is nowehere for them to go, except maybe to take a leak. If there is a delay it is because the  arriving pax are  in long immigration lines.

 

As for airline tags and labels, perhaps this genius may wish to familiarize herself with airline regulations; An airline baggage tag is mandatory. The airline baggage tag has the passenger name on it. And it is  unreasonable to expect  visitors to  have Thai language baggage tags.

 

Fix your security.

 

11 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Install the same process as used at Japanese airports.

Passengers claim their bags from the carousel then line up for an official to check the number on the tags ....

It's always been a complete mystery to me why this doesnt happen everywhere, as it seems to be the most basic of security procedures. But it doesnt happen here, or in the UK or in the US or in Portugal or indeed anywhere else that I can remember.

So full marks to Japan.

The delay is immigration

I flew in 4pm 2 weeks ago on a Sunday, immigration queues over 1 hour.

By then the carousel was just finishing being cleared of all bags by highly trained personnel when i got there!

By the amount of bags chucked in a pile,  i was one of the first!

Edited December 3, 20187 yr by poohy

Being told to go to the carousel without delay, when you are stuck in a queue halfway back down the airport to clear immigration is quite amusing. Sometimes it takes so long, thieves could have had your luggage away and sold the lot many miles down the road, before you even get there. 

Improving security might help, though it seems from the news reports we get, that a lot of thefts are committed by airport workers. When coming to Thailand, I never put anything valuable in my case.

With facial recognition technologies getting more sophisticated by the day, maybe soon, systems will be in place that take a picture at check-in and link the baggage tag numbers to that image.  Facial scanners at the exits of baggage claim could match faces to tags instantly.

30 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Install the same process as used at Japanese airports.

 

Passengers claim their bags from the carousel then line up for an official to check the number on the tags put on the luggage at check-in at departing airport against the check-in stub given to the passenger at check-in (often stuck on to the back of the boarding pass or the passport).

 

As always in Japan it's checked carefully and nobody gets past these airport officials without this check.  

In most countries checked baggage is generally inspected and checked at customs, but in Thailand customs checks are not regular.

Have face printed on your case:

 

 

Not your face, not your case

13 minutes ago, VYCM said:

In most countries checked baggage is generally inspected and checked at customs, ....

Not in my experience, as I mentioned above. And even if customs do check, I dont think they necessarily check that the luggage tag number matches the ticket stub number.

21 minutes ago, VYCM said:

In most countries checked baggage is generally inspected and checked at customs, but in Thailand customs checks are not regular.

You are day dreaming?

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Pol Capt Preeyakarn Saleeworarot advised passengers to go to the allotted carousel without delay

.........well, it is glaringly obvious that she has never flown into Swampy on an International Flight....How do these people end up in positions of responsibility.

12 minutes ago, AhFarangJa said:

How do these people end up in positions of responsibility.

Like all government employees, they have to pay for it.

Free visas, free luggage

1 hour ago, dddave said:

With facial recognition technologies getting more sophisticated by the day, maybe soon, systems will be in place that take a picture at check-in and link the baggage tag numbers to that image.  Facial scanners at the exits of baggage claim could match faces to tags instantly.

Good idea, the chinese facial recognition software is so good they picked out a wanted man in a crowded music concert within minutes. Soon every government & corporation in the world will know your face, your emails, mobile phone contacts, your browsing history, your bank account, your political views, your crimes & fines, so you will be very safe.  ...as long as you don't disagree with the government.

2 hours ago, scorecard said:

Install the same process as used at Japanese airports.

 

Passengers claim their bags from the carousel then line up for an official to check the number on the tags put on the luggage at check-in at departing airport against the check-in stub given to the passenger at check-in (often stuck on to the back of the boarding pass or the passport).

 

As always in Japan it's checked carefully and nobody gets past these airport officials without this check.  

How could the security possibly be any easier than this? The inability to grasp such logic is astounding.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

She further warned people not to have valuables in their loaded bags and not have third parties pick up luggage.

"not have third parties pick up luggage."????

How is this even allowed much less monitored for true identity and pickup permission?

There should be no third party pickup of personal luggage permitted unless at least coordinated through the passenger luggage claims department by the ticketed passenger.

No personal luggage should be carried on a commercial passenger flight if unattended that would require a third party pickup. It should otherwise pass through customs (not immigration) for proper clearance and pickup.

 

Chinese is still welcome 

But for how long 

Running illegal business 

Working without permit 

Stealing 

Nice tourists 

Organised gangs can waltz off with other peoples' luggage but woe betide anyone trying to board a plane with a big tube of toothpaste or a bottle of water. Security priorities need some re-evaluation methinks, globally; I might add; not just in Thailand.

 

Edited December 3, 20187 yr by champers

 

Have face printed on your case:

 

 

Not your face, not your case

This would be a terrible thing to do with my ugly face, I hate to think of how many young kids would be scarred for life if left near my bags  ????

 

Organised gangs can waltz off with other peoples' luggage but woe betide anyone trying to board a plane with a big tube of toothpaste or a bottle of water. Security priorities need some re-evaluation methinks, globally; I might add; not just in Thailand.

 

Sorry, I think they do have it right: preventing liquids is (supposedly) to protect all passengers and crew on a flight. You or me losing our luggage is much less important...

Edited December 3, 20187 yr by ParadiseLost

This is hardly a new problem, and definitely not restricted to Thai airports.

 

The trick is to use a battered old bag that crooks would not give a second glance...

 

Works when choosing a wife too! ????

They should send the bags to immigration counters so the officers could check and distribute the bags at the same time.

The solution is simple: in future you and your luggage are placed into a mini container and loaded on the plane. This also makes layout of planes much simpler and does away with pesky things like seat allocation, annoying passengers encroaching your space, screaming brats running amok...

 

Food and water (and a bedpan) will be preloaded in your container, according to your booking. At your destination, you are offloaded and have your luggage immediately!

 

Of course, there will be 1st, business and cattle class containers.

 

 

In most countries checked baggage is generally inspected and checked at customs, but in Thailand customs checks are not regular.

You are day dreaming?

I’m not dreaming, but I’m sure you are.

 

Working offshore I’ve travelled through more than 40 countries, the general process is once you pass immigration you collect your checked in baggage and then have it scanned by customs. This eliminates would be bag snatchers as they would be more concerned about the bags contents and getting questioned by the Customs officer.

 

To those of you that have only travelled UK (or whatever your home country) to Thailand I can understand your lack of knowledge – BTW, there is a world out there, you should travel someday.  

 

Thailand does not scan every bag, actually I rarely see customs officers when arriving.

I’m sure if customs did scan all incoming luggage it would reduce the number of thieves.

 

It's always been a complete mystery to me why this doesnt happen everywhere, as it seems to be the most basic of security procedures. But it doesnt happen here, or in the UK or in the US or in Portugal or indeed anywhere else that I can remember.

So full marks to Japan.

Domestic airports in China also use this system. Maybe they use it in areas where thefts are rampant ?

 

 

This is hardly a new problem, and definitely not restricted to Thai airports.

 

The trick is to use a battered old bag that crooks would not give a second glance...

 

Works when choosing a wife too! ????

THat is why I am amused every time I saw matching expensive ( branded) suitcases on the conveyor belt advertising the goodies inside them.. 

 

This would be a terrible thing to do with my ugly face, I hate to think of how many young kids would be scarred for life if left near my bags  ????

Bag handlers would have a field day improving the look of all the faces ....

 

On 12/3/2018 at 1:53 PM, VYCM said:

In most countries checked baggage is generally inspected and checked at customs, but in Thailand customs checks are not regular.

Most airports worldwide only do random customs checks. 

On 12/3/2018 at 1:44 AM, poohy said:

The delay is immigration

I flew in 4pm 2 weeks ago on a Sunday, immigration queues over 1 hour.

By then the carousel was just finishing being cleared of all bags by highly trained personnel when i got there!

By the amount of bags chucked in a pile,  i was one of the first!

Which of course is way beyond the passengers control and unlikely that the Thai officials are going to fix.