I flew to Khon Kaen last week and while in the domestic terminal noticed a bag about the size of a large briefcase on a seat with no-one near it. As I saw it, a man wearing some kind of ID badge also saw it as he walked by, and ignored it.

I then went to a Thai Airlines employee manning the desk by a gate and tried to tell her there was an unattended bag. At my third attempt I was able to communicate the problem (first, I was asked what flight I was on, then where I was flying to, as she struggled to understand English). She then walked up the terminal to where I indicated, walked right past the abandoned bag, and I had to call her back and point it out to her. She then poked inside the bag and, finally, went to a phone and called someone. At the desk where she made the call, by a gate, several more bags were left, which she said belonged to the crew of the next flight. How do you know that, I asked, and got the Thai smile.

No-one arrived from security, until 10 minutes later a young Thai woman strolled up and claimed the bag.

Isn't it unbelievable that, no matter how many thousands of times we are told not to leave bags unattended, people still take absolutely no notice. Even airport staff ignore it or move at the pace of a snail to deal with it. And even an aircraft crew leave their bags unattended.

On a similar topic concerning Thai-style security, last year I flew back from Dubai and two Middle-Eastern gentlemen decided to have a fight, waking up the entire aircraft in the process. What did the Thai crew do? They swiftly vanished from sight, hiding in the galley areas. Couldn't deal with the confrontation thing, I guess. Doesn't give you much confidence in how they would deal with a terrorist situation, does it.

TIT

How can u have security in an airport when u don't have security in the world?? The Phillipine government and the Thai goverment are leaving Iraq The only way to stop being insecure is to do what you did to point it out that a bag was left unattended. You expect other people to make u feel secure?? My Opinon is this we must do our part if it just a little. How did you feel when u pointed the bag was left there own it's own??

chok dee

What I thought when I saw the unattended bag was, what's the point of telling people not to leave bags unattended when they take no notice. Which, of course, is exactly what terrorists rely on. Many people are just not too bright and play into their hands. Human beings are defective. That's just the way it is.

By the way, does Bangkok airport still have a place to leave luggage, before security, with no x-ray facilities to check what is in the suitcase or bag? Unbelievable in this day and age, but TIT of course. At least the duty free shops don't ask you to leave your bag at the entrance while you shop there any more (allowing - inviting - anyone to leave any unchecked hand luggage containing who-knows-what.)

By the way, does Bangkok airport still have a place to leave luggage, before security, with no x-ray facilities to check what is in the suitcase or bag?

They were x-raying bags bound for the storage room at Don Muang for a period but that policy seems to have been discontinued (or at least the last time I stored a bag, about two months ago, it was not x-rayed).

About one year ago I took the airport bus from outside my office. Not being too familiar with the Rangsit area I got off the bus together with the TG ground staff, one stop too early.

At that place, there is a ditch on the left side of the road, a high wall on the right side, and the airport buildings behind the wall.

I got off at a bus stop at the "ditch" side of Wibhavadee-Rangsit and crossed to the "airport" side of the road to avoid the ditch. As I got off one stop early, I had to walk past the cargo terminal before getting to terminal two. The pavement is very narrow there, with a nice paved road on the other side of the wall, but inside the airport area. I thought I had once taken a taxi that drove that way, so I decide to walk in and follow the smaller road, instead of taking the main road.

To my surprise I ended up at the airport cargo center. No security personel asking for ID or for an airport badge... nothing. Walked straight in, and walked straight out at the other end too.

ASIC

Hey another thing....

It's possible to enter Thailand without going through customs. It almost happened to me once.

If you end up in one of these flights that park at the runway instead of at a finger at the terminal, they will take you back to the terminal building by bus. (TG from Singapore does that at times)

At the terminal, as you go up the stairs, there is a lady with a sign-board showing you the way to the international arrivals. If you are a bit confused or busy reading some magazine, OR THE LADY IS NOT THERE, you can turn left and end up at the domestic arrival hall.

It happened to me once. I had to back-track through the terminal to get to the international arrival hall so I could have my passport stamped.

ASIC

I did the same thing in De Gaulle, Paris once. Must have walked through a door that should have been closed at some point because I suddenly found myself in the arrival hall without having passed through neither passport control or customes. Never actually realized how it came by

Don Muang must be the only airport with a golf-course in the middle of it! Do they really check all the golf-bags????

Exploding balls are a thing of the past, smurfie.

ASIC

Exploding balls are a thing of the past, smurfie.

Glad to know that. I wouldn't want exploding balls.