Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport

[pathersaras]

I am sad to say that my checked-in luggage was tampered with. I checked-in on the 7 February 2007 to depart to Auckland New Zealand. Little realising that my baggage that I had checked in would be tampered with and all my valuables stolen from it. I had a blissful stay in Bangkok and with incident which marred the whole trip. I would have thought that there would be better security in place and also a forum at the airport that I could have reported it to but after sending an e-mail on teh 10 February to date I have not received a reply. Shocking is the least I can say. Does anyone out there that have had their baggage tampered with after check-in I would like to know and if possible who do I contact to make a formal complaint. Note the Zipper of the baggage was cut and all my valuables including jewllery and camera taken. Do they have cameras in the specific areas after luggage is checked-in or not what security does this high class facility have.

[britmaveric]

Why would you leave valuables in your checked luggage? Anything of value goes in my carry-on with me on the plane.

[pathersaras]

Why would you leave valuables in your checked luggage? Anything of value goes in my carry-on with me on the plane.

Well u seem to be sympathetic , what shame / blame teh traveller and spare the thieves.........we need a solution to getting rid of the thieves not keepin them where they are and continuing to thieve. Some poor person is going to have drugs placed in their luggage and then what.....a unnecessary jail term ...think before u reply smart one.

[britmaveric]

No honestly why would you put anything of value in a suitcase when they can be easily opened?

In a perfect world yes you shouldn't have to worry about theft, but we don't have a perfect world hence your loss. Make a claim with the airline or with travel insurance, best you will do.

http://www.airsafe.com/issues/baggage.htm

Edited February 28, 2007 by britmaveric

[besth]

How do you know your property was stolen in Thailand? It could also have happened in New Zealand, couldn't it?

As britmaveric said, always carry with you anything of value.

[Farma]

There have been a few news items mentioning theft at the new airport including one in the Bangkok post a few days ago. That doesn’t rule out theft occurring at your stopover port or on arrival in NZ.

A claim against insurance is the only way I can see of recovering the value of your lost items.

For future travel this may help.

Buy a hard shell suitcase with combination and clip locks. (I’ve seen too many soft suitcases arrive cut open with items missing).

Set the combination wheels to 000 after closing and check it’s still the same when you collect your suitcase. This gives you a chance to make a complaint at the airport if tampering has occurred.

Never carry valuable or attractive items in hold baggage. (Baggage handler friends tell me they can tell what’s in a suitcase just by the way it rattles etc)

[The Philosopher]

Samsonite is the answer

[Crossy]

Agree with pretty much what has been said ^^^

I NEVER lock my checked luggage, remember that security can open and inspect should they desire, why make it difficult for them, I've never had anything stolen because there's never anything worth stealing.

Anything remotely valuable goes in the cabin where I can keep an eye on it. QED.

Our OP is obviously not a seasoned traveller otherwise he'd know all this. Not sure if the insurance will cough up, most say do not put valuables in checked luggage.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

How do you know your property was stolen in Thailand? It could also have happened in New Zealand, couldn't it? VALID POINT

As britmaveric said, always carry with you anything of value.

[TheWalkingMan]

I am of the "never lock luggage" crowd. Security may need to inspect the bags and the riff-raff would just break the lock or slice the open the bag to get at the goodies. Additionally, I never check anything of value as I just don't completely trust the baggage handlers.

TheWalkingMan

[Jamie]

While I agree with the above posters about placing "valuables" in your carry-on, there has to be a point where something needs to be done. Yes, theft does happen everywhere you go, but there seems to be quite a lot of talk of this happening at this particular airport. Perhaps more needs to be done? I don't travel much internationally, but I do a lot of domestic and I've never had things stolen from my luggage, nor has my luggage ever been sliced open.

[percy2]

I returned from UK recently and was froced to place valuable items in my checked baggage as NO carry on was allowed.

I always use tie wraps to secure my luggage wether there is anything valuable or not.

[Fielder]

Where was the luggage broken in to? Seeing as the bags would be sitting around in BKK before they are loaded on the plane, and hopefully, quickly unloaded at the destination, I bet BKK is the culprit.

It is not always possible to carry all valubles on board. We buy a suitcase full of samples on our trips to BKK. Far to much to carry on board.

Lets stop blaming the victims and start on the the thieving little bastards at BKK airport.

[mr_hippo]

Lets stop blaming the victims and start on the the thieving little bastards at BKK airport.

First of all, you have to prove it happened at BKK. Of course, thefts don't happen at any airport, just at BKK, right? For a long time LHR had such a bad reputation, it was known as 'Thiefrow'!

[womble]

Why would you leave valuables in your checked luggage? Anything of value goes in my carry-on with me on the plane.

You obviously don't have many valuables.............

Ofcourse you try to take as many valuables with you and carry on, but sometimes you simply cannot carry it all, it's not physically possible. Sometimes I find it really hard to choose which gets carried on and which goes in the suitcase. Luckily I havn't lost a bag or anything in it so far.

[pathersaras]

No honestly why would you put anything of value in a suitcase when they can be easily opened?

In a perfect world yes you shouldn't have to worry about theft, but we don't have a perfect world hence your loss. Make a claim with the airline or with travel insurance, best you will do.

http://www.airsafe.com/issues/baggage.htm

I placed my valuables in my baggage and did not expect something like this to happen but a lesson well learnt, expect the unexpected. Unfortunately not insured so apart from teh financial lose it was a greater sentimental lose.

[britmaveric]

Womble - have enough gear on me to fund a thai for few years, but it goes on the plane with me. (laptop/dvd player/mp3 player/camera/jewelry)

[womble]

Womble - have enough gear on me to fund a thai for few years, but it goes on the plane with me. (laptop/dvd player/mp3 player/camera/jewelry)

That's fair enough but there are many that couldn't, and an example of myself....... I often travel with a fair amount of fishing stuff, the reels (6) and a few other bits and bobs that are allowed in hand carry go in my bag ( big bag, these reels are not small), I then have laptop and a proffessional camera with additional lenses, I can't physically carry anymore, and that is more bags than I am allowed anyway as hand luggage although I always seem to get away with it.

My point is that there are many of us with hobbies who regulary carry additional items that may not always be valuable in monetary terms but hold great value in the sense that our trip without them is ruined. So for me often the fishing stuff takes priority over certain other items that may actually hold a higher value in cash terms. As it happens the reels are extremely expensive, but even if they were cheaper models they would still hold the same level of importance to my trip and therefore still go in my hand luggage.

[phazey]

Bizarre, i just happened on this thread. A few weeks ago i returned to Yangon from Bkk - sans one MP3 player accidently left in a side pocket - thought it was lifted on the Burmese side - i considered SVNB airport too "hi-tech" to have oppurtunities for theft. Judging by the ammount of threads about this sort or thing, i may be mistaken........maybe.....

Piddle.

[brahmburgers]

We'd like to see objective oversight. In other words, hidden cameras and/or undercover personnel scrutinizing whether bad things happen concerning luggage. It's similar to getting things stolen from postal service - which happens VERY OFTEN in Thailand.

Unfortunately, Thailand has no track record of objective and forceful enforcement of such things. First off, it's doubtful that any thieves would be found - maybe because undercover cops were watching TV or......? Second, if they were found, the security person would not confront the suspect. Reason: no one wants anyone else to lose face in Thailand.

Third, even if the suspect was approached, the suspect could toss out an excuse - and that would be the end of it. Reason: same as the previous reason. Fourth: Even if the thief was caught red-handed, and his soggy excuse didnt' get him off with a chuckle and a pat on the shoulder, there would be no serious trial or tribulation. This is Thailand. Thais just aren't going to bust Thais for stealing from farang.

[jetjock]

As I am sure everyone knows, theft out of checked bags is a worldwide problem among the airlines. Here is the US, several organized rings of thieves among the airline baggage handlers have been prosecuted in recent years. The problem still exists, so like it or not , the only sure solution is what everyone has mentioned which is to not anything valuble into a checked bag that you are not willing to lose. Even though I personally put all my valuables in my carry on and never put any valuables into my checked luggage, I do occasionally leave an open padlock on my checked bag and ask the baggage checker to close it after they have sceened the bag. Although my procedure is not failsafe, I think is does lessen the chance of some baggage handler rummaging though my bag somewhere down the line.

[libya 115]

Sometimes when I see the quality of the bags that people use for checked-in baggage I chuckle. Tiny little padlocks on zippers that are useless.

There are dishonest baggage staff the world over.

The only way to avoid theft is by purchasing expensive, hard bodied, secure locking suitcases.

Good quality suitcases start at a minimum of U.S. $400 : They are an investment and might last 15-20 years and prevent the heartache of theft of personal items.

[Richard W]

Sometimes when I see the quality of the bags that people use for checked-in baggage I chuckle. Tiny little padlocks on zippers that are useless.

Their purpose is to be tamper-evident so that drugs will not be put in the baggage.

[JonnieB]

Checked-in bag security is a concern...both for theft and, more importantly in my opinion, planting of items in your luggage for international travel, e.g., drugs. If someone at the airport or airline is working with drug couriers and opens your bag to put some drugs in it to be picked-up by someone at your destination and it is discovered by officials in transit or at your destination, how can you prove you were not a willing courier? Not something I would want to explain to Singaporean police officers

So, to be safe, always carry small high-value items in carry-on bags. I also always, if available, have my bags shrink-wrapped at the airport before checking-in. This service is available at most airports these days and the cost is minimal. At Bangkok, it's B100 per bag. Small money for a little more peace of mind

[Boo]

At the old airport you used to be able to shrink wrap your luggage before checking it in. I never saw that at the new airport. Again not foll proof but a deterrent esp against drug planting worryies.

Something I do, which is a bit gross, is leave some used underwear & hubbies stinky socks etc on the top of the suitcase & shove anything that may be of value to someone else as far in between the clothes as possible, wrapped in a plastic bag inside more dirty pants & socks. I never lock the cases but I have never had anything stolen, so whether my ploy works or not I don't know but as nothing has been stolen I will assume it does And if they ever do, then good luck to them, they must be so desperate to handle my husbands dirty pants & socks so IMO they have earned whatever they can get

Sad for the op to lose valubles but it really is common sense to keep small valubles on you at all times.

[Soju]

Boo, as the poster previous to your post stated, they do now have the plastic wrapping machines at Suvarnabhumi. I do believe that the term "shrink wrap" is incorrect, as I've only heard that term used for plastic that you heat up and it shrinks to fit the form. The machines at BKK just wrap plastic tightly all around your luggage. They're located at the front of the departure hall...I think at least 4 or 5 of them in front of various check-in rows. You can't miss them.

Do you put only your husband's used underwear or your used underwear also on top? If it's your underwear, just hope none of the baggage handlers have a fetish for that kind of thing or they actually may be attracted rather than detered from searching your luggage.

[mark lamai]

as far as lodging a complaint, i urge you to do it.

too many resident foreigners have adopted the thai mentality of accepting theft,bribery and corruption as a normal part of the experience, almost to the point of excusing it, and then as we see here blame the victim for being stupid.

try complaning to the Director of Human Resources at AOT.

In my recent experience in attempting to lodge a complaint she was the only person who would listen.

but of course she has no authority over Immigration (in my case) and possibly not the group that controls baggage handlers.

this is thailand of course, and noone is ever responsible for anything.

thailand needs foreigners to drag them into some semblance of reasonable moral and ethical behaviour,

they cannot obviously do it themselves.

i say this because of thailands pretensions to be a world class destination, have a world class airport,

have world class friendliness to visitors etc. etc.

if thailand did not have these pretensions and just admitted to the world that they are a normal corrupt 3rd world country,

then us foreigners would have no basis for complaints.

complain, complain, complain.

else it will never change.

[aussiecollin]

Sydney Airport has a 'shrink-wrap-your-case' service prior to checkin. Costs a few bucks but the case is securely wrapped in heavy duty shrink wrap.

When travelling, my little tips are:

Never put your home address on the luggage tag. If you do, it's a good contact for naughty boys to break into your home. Better still, use your mother-in-law's address, or ex-wife.

Wrap some plastic coloured tape around the handle of your checkin bag: too many bags look alike on the luggage carosell : and a little colour in your life is nice, anyway :-)

I use a cheap soft case, but luckily never had anything nicked. Never put valuables in the case.

BUT: The Thai so-called postal service seem to be facinated by packets that I send to Surin from Australia every so often: about 50% never make it. (Home made DVD's to family).

[bkk_mike]

You can put in a claim with the airline, and they should offer some compensation, if only for the damage to the bag...

Personally, I use hard-shelled cases, if I'm carrying more than will fit in my hand-luggage, and it's generally only got non-essential stuff in it. Anything expensive is in my carry-on (normally).

I also got hit with the no hand-luggage problem at Heathrow last year, ironically, on the one trip when, because of a broken arm, I'd restricted myself to my carry on on the outbound flight to the UK, so didn't have my suitcase. (Luckily I was flying two days after they banned hand-luggage, so had time to buy a new hard-shell case just for that trip.)

As the other posters have said, if you have anything of value that you are having to check in - get a hard-shelled case. Unfortunately, they cost more, and they take up a lot more space at home (when you're not travelling), but they are also a lot more secure (except in America, where they require that the case travels unlocked for security reasons...)

[toadstool]

Feel sorry for the guy who stuff stolen. I had my bag stolen at More Shit station from undre my nose.

Having said nothing valuable should go in the checked in baggage some do have a problem with too many high value items. Try getting anything thorugh LHR these days.

In 35 years I have had nothing stolen or go missing so far.

I use Samsonites suitcases and add a strap for additional security. My oldest is now 15 years old.

If I use soft cases with zip, nothing goes in them that is valuable. I do not use padlocks of any type as these can be opened. I use pastic tie wraps which can be difficult to open at the best of times. It will also highlight if the bag has been tampered by security or theives. Again use a strap on the bag.

Remember theives will go for an easy bag to open more than one that is difficult.

At LHR, 20 years ago when I worked there, baggage loaders would put a coat across the door way to hide their activities in the bulk crago hold!!!!

But the qusetion that should be asked is how do they know which suit case has valuables in them? Easy, the security at the x-ray machine know. Makes you wonder. Is there a link?