Foreign thieves preying on tourists at Suvarnabhumi Airport arrested - authorities warn tourists

[webfact]

Picture: Thai Rath

 

The director of Suvarnabhumi Airport along with airport and tourist police have announced the arrest of three members of a Mongolian gang preying on foreign and Thai tourists at the airport.

 

There are many victims of the gang and several gang members are still at large.

 

The travelling public have been warned about taking care with their possessions as security is stepped up at Thailand's largest airport.

 

The MO of the gang appears to have been to watch people exchanging money then follow them before using classic theft techniques.

 

Airport chief Kittipong Kittikhajorn held a press conference yesterday announcing the arrest on warrants for theft of Damdin J., 37, Batbold S., 51, and Batmyagmar U. aged 37. They are all Mongolian, reported Thai Rath.

 

They gave the press details of three cases of theft at the airport in the last week.

 

Last Wednesday a Japanese tourist called Mr Koji went to the tourist police.

 

He had been exchanging 180,000 yen at the Superrich booth by the airport link before putting the money in a bag.

 

CCTV showed that after making the exchange he went to get transport on the 4th floor and was followed up the escalator.

 

Damdin blocked his way while a woman, who remains at large, lifted the money.

 

Later the same day the gang targeted a Japanese man and a Thai woman called Prertphraew who had exchanged yen in the sum of 200,000 baht at an underground Kasikorn booth.

 

They were followed in a lift in one of the parking buildings by the three arrested Mongolians and two women who remain at large.

 

The money was stolen and the suspects were seen exiting the lift in a hurry on the 2nd floor.

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Then next morning Canadian Peter D. went to the tourist police after a wallet containing credit cards, a driver's licence, and Thai, US and Vietnamese currency  was stolen.

 

CCTV clearly identified the men later known as Batbold and Batmyagmar.

 

The victim had exchanged money at a counter then gone to Rows M and N.

 

The suspects were apprehended on Friday and the warrants secured their detention. The other suspects are bein g sought.

 

Kittipong urged travellers to take care of their possessions and said that security had been beefed up.

 

People should call 1155 if they experience problems at the airport.

 

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[markclover]

Full CCTV from every angle viewed 24/7.  Cops in every corner.  Undercover cops following people around the airport all day.  Gormless Thai's staring at you for no reason.  These thieves must be really good at what they do.

[stoner]

this cannot sit well with immigration. not only is it happening right under their nose but.....

 

perfectly good thai jobs are being taken away by foreigners. the audacity. 

[John Drake]

Even the Mongols! Heavens to Genghis Khan.

 

BTW, what are "classic theft techniques." Might help awareness if described.

[sammieuk1]

Mongolian mafia here by the sound of it to add to the mafia hub ????

[brianthainess]

They knew it was a gang, with 2 women involved, yet instead of doing an uncover op, the two women got away, a sting could have been easily set up.

[paulbrow]

  On 3/28/2023 at 2:42 AM, John Drake said:

Even the Mongols! Heavens to Genghis Khan.

 

BTW, what are "classic theft techniques." Might help awareness if described.

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My thoughts exactly! If some explanation is given it would help us to know what to look for! Most of us are not thieves and don't know how they do it.

[goldenbrwn1]

  On 3/28/2023 at 6:01 AM, paulbrow said:

My thoughts exactly! If some explanation is given it would help us to know what to look for! Most of us are not thieves and don't know how they do it.

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Distraction usually . Made easier after a long haul flight .

[KhunLA]

don't want to victim blame, but a little uncommon common sense goes a long way.

[DonVito82]

That Japanese goon is beyond stupid.  Exchanging your Yen at the airport at a rate 3-4 Baht lower than the actual rate. ???? Then getting robbed by a bunch of clowns. Asians are the most easy to rob. You see it here in Holland on the news (all the time!) as well.

[Fat is a type of crazy]

  On 3/28/2023 at 7:17 AM, DonVito82 said:

That Japanese goon is beyond stupid.  Exchanging your Yen at the airport at a rate 3-4 Baht lower than the actual rate. ???? Then getting robbed by a bunch of clowns. Asians are the most easy to rob. You see it here in Holland on the news (all the time!) as well.

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Not at Super Rich near the train station. You get a good rate. Metres away the main banks in the terminal have terrible rates. 

[Regyai]

  On 3/28/2023 at 7:17 AM, DonVito82 said:

That Japanese goon is beyond stupid.  Exchanging your Yen at the airport at a rate 3-4 Baht lower than the actual rate. ???? Then getting robbed by a bunch of clowns. Asians are the most easy to rob. You see it here in Holland on the news (all the time!) as well.

Expand  

 

  On 3/28/2023 at 7:27 AM, Fat is a type of crazy said:

Not at Super Rich near the train station. You get a good rate. Metres away the main banks in the terminal have terrible rates. 

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Not only do you proclaim yourself clueless as to the worst kept 'secret' (widely known about for many years) in Suvarnabhumi: the best rates downstairs near the slip down to the railway - but then offer up this gem, even using the full Xe rate for JPY getting "3-4 Baht lower than the actual rate" he would have at best been not worth robbing or more likely found himself in negative exchange territory.

[hotchilli]

  On 3/28/2023 at 12:30 AM, webfact said:

Kittipong urged travellers to take care of their possessions and said that security had been beefed up.

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Good news.

[IAMHERE]

  On 3/28/2023 at 6:20 AM, KhunLA said:

don't want to victim blame, but a little uncommon common sense goes a long way.

Expand  

 

could you explain that a little?  The perps watched the exchange of a large amount of money and then went after it. I've never seen any privacy at an exchange booth, it's all out in the open.

[sambum]

The director of Suvarnabhumi Airport along with airport and tourist police have announced the arrest of three members of a Mongolian gang preying on foreign and Thai tourists at the airport.

 

So that's the Director of the airport got one, the airport police got one, and the tourist police got one?

 

Not bad going! ???? 

[KhunLA]

  On 3/28/2023 at 8:36 AM, IAMHERE said:

 

could you explain that a little?  The perps watched the exchange of a large amount of money and then went after it. I've never seen any privacy at an exchange booth, it's all out in the open.

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You get a large amount (subjective) of funds in public view, but don't secure it.

 

What is there to explain ?  

If you don't understand uncommon common sense, when it comes to that situation ...  oh well, next news blip may be about you.

[KannikaP]

What happened to Tippy Tappy cards? Who needs cash?

[ChipButty]

I know it says they are Mongolians, but they could be Russians dodgy AF, I think the term they use to describe them is Buryats, Pootin as been using them in the war in Ukraine, They are the ones who have been doing all the thieving and looting and raping,

[AustinRacing]

Taking jobs away from Thais? Naughty, naughty. I bet they didn’t pay any tax on their income and don’t have work permits either. 

[Liverpool Lou]

  On 3/28/2023 at 6:01 AM, paulbrow said:

My thoughts exactly! If some explanation is given it would help us to know what to look for! Most of us are not thieves and don't know how they do it.

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You think that detailing pickpocketing instructions would be a good thing?  No one needs to know the specifics of skilled theft, they just need to know to keep an eye (and a hand) on their own valuables and be suspicious of being crowded. 

[KhaoYai]

  On 3/28/2023 at 7:27 AM, Fat is a type of crazy said:

Not at Super Rich near the train station. You get a good rate. Metres away the main banks in the terminal have terrible rates. 

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In other areas of the airport yes. Last time I changed money down near the train station, Kasikorn's rates were the same as Superich's.  Imagine how someone who doesn't know about the booths down there is going to feel if they'd just changed money at a Kasikorn upstairs then see the same bank offering a much better rate downstairs?

[Regyai]

  On 3/28/2023 at 10:09 AM, KhaoYai said:

In other areas of the airport yes. Last time I changed money down near the train station, Kasikorn's rates were the same as Superich's.  Imagine how someone who doesn't know about the booths down there is going to feel if they'd just changed money at a Kasikorn upstairs then see the same bank offering a much better rate downstairs?

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Slightly less violated than if they'd  been helped along by some Mongolians

[Ctkong]

Classic method is to put one person in front of the mark and another just behind along the escalator.

upon reaching the top of the escalator, the person in front of the mark took a step backwards with the mark ‘crashing’ slightly into the person in front. once the mark is distracted by the accident,the light fingered accomplice execute his operation from behind. The mark may not feel the physical intrusion due to too many touches. Both in front and back. They may use two persons in front and back of the mark to block the view of the crime from other passengers.

This method is widely used in Singapore .

[RichardColeman]

  On 3/28/2023 at 12:30 AM, webfact said:

He had been exchanging 180,000 yen at the Superrich booth

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I'm too poor to have this problem

[PingRoundTheWorld]

  On 3/28/2023 at 2:24 AM, markclover said:

These thieves must be really good at what they do.

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Apparently not, considering they got caught.

  On 3/28/2023 at 2:44 AM, brianthainess said:

instead of doing an uncover op, the two women got away, a sting could have been easily set up.

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But then again neither is the police - considering they let (at least) 2 suspects get away when they could've easily caught them. Now they'll probably lay low for a while then restart their "operation" later.

As far as the tourists themselves go - exchanging large amounts of money at the airport is stupid to begin with, but if you do the least you can do is carry it with you in a way that cannot be easily stolen rather than dump it in a bag (huh?).

[Iron Tongue]

  On 3/28/2023 at 12:30 AM, webfact said:

Kittipong urged travellers to take care of their possessions and said that security had been beefed up.

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So a few more bored officers will be assigned to the airport so  they can stand around, and after 2-weeks, will be returned to their regular postings.

 

[IAMHERE]

  On 3/28/2023 at 9:07 AM, KhunLA said:

You get a large amount (subjective) of funds in public view, but don't secure it.

 

What is there to explain ?  

If you don't understand uncommon common sense, when it comes to that situation ...  oh well, next news blip may be about you.

Expand  

Jugging it is now called. Follow someone that has just got a large amount of cash and rob them of it. Latest is to make headlines is a Dallas woman hospitalized after being body slammed; returning 24 miles to home from the bank.  She was followed for 24 miles.

The 'secure' part is difficult for many.  Putting the money in a wallet, or pocket, or fanny pack isn't secure enough these days.

[KhunLA]

  On 3/29/2023 at 12:53 AM, IAMHERE said:

Jugging it is now called. Follow someone that has just got a large amount of cash and rob them of it. Latest is to make headlines is a Dallas woman hospitalized after being body slammed; returning 24 miles to home from the bank.  She was followed for 24 miles.

The 'secure' part is difficult for many.  Putting the money in a wallet, or pocket, or fanny pack isn't secure enough these days.

Expand  

Dallas, 24 miles away ... ????

 

How hard is it to secure 1 stack of money 100k, I mean seriously.  Stick it in your bra/underwear (if not wearing boxers), and just think if you planned ahead.

 

People keep the phones dry during songkran, pouch around the neck, under your shirt/blouse.

 

How people lose sh!t all the time is mind bogglingly stupid.  Som naa na

 

I lost a wallet ... once ... lesson learned, and only had a few $$$ in it, not even a DL as too young to have.  

 

Note to self:  don't put wallet in back pocket while on a horse.

 

 

[bang saen guy]

  On 3/28/2023 at 6:12 PM, Iron Tongue said:

So a few more bored officers will be assigned to the airport so  they can stand around, and after 2-weeks, will be returned to their regular postings.

 

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Do the RTP get free coffee at the airport?