Customs Officers Scanning All Suitcases

[Governor]

Flew back from Singapore last night, 18.00 hrs, and the customs staff were putting all cases through the x-ray scanner, causing quite a queue.

I was a bit over the top on booze, two bottles in my flight bag and two an a King Power duty free bag, so I didn't put them through the machine and no one asked me to.

Not sure what it was all about, or what the point was.

[Kerryd]

They may have had a tip-off that someone was trying to bring something in, or someone noticed something odd about a bag from a flight and reported it. Or they were just bored. Or the customs guy was chastised recently for not doing his job, so decided to check everyone's luggage just to be petty.

[bendix]

It's usually the case that they get a tip-off or that they do this on particular flights. I'm not sure which airline the OP was flying on, but I've seen many people on flights via the middle east being subjected to particular scrutiny by the customs people.

Quite right too . . . nothing wrong with a bit of profiling.

[Freddie_fly]

It's usually the case that they get a tip-off or that they do this on particular flights. I'm not sure which airline the OP was flying on, but I've seen many people on flights via the middle east being subjected to particular scrutiny by the customs people.

Quite right too . . . nothing wrong with a bit of profiling.

Nice provocative little statement there Bendix...Did it take you long to think that one up or was it on your weekly to say list??.

Profiling may be close to working in the US or Eu airports, but do you honestly think that it would be implemented in a rational way in Thailand??

Get real mate, how long have you lived here ??

Freddie

[bankei]

Maybe the customs officers just wanted to make a bot of pocket money - like the police regularly do.

[mijan24]

It's usually the case that they get a tip-off or that they do this on particular flights. I'm not sure which airline the OP was flying on, but I've seen many people on flights via the middle east being subjected to particular scrutiny by the customs people.

Quite right too . . . nothing wrong with a bit of profiling.

Nice provocative little statement there Bendix...Did it take you long to think that one up or was it on your weekly to say list??.

Profiling may be close to working in the US or Eu airports, but do you honestly think that it would be implemented in a rational way in Thailand??

Get real mate, how long have you lived here ??

Freddie

Freddie sorry to be the fly in your ointment - Many overseas countries send their customs personnel to work hand in glove with the Thai Customs Officers - It doesn't take a genius no matter how long or short time you have lived here to deduct - They (the visiting Custom Personnel) pass on a variety of techniques to the Thai Customs Department.

this in no way is intended to put down the Thai Customs Personnel as they have a difficult enough job as it is

Edited October 13, 2008 by mijan24

[Crushdepth]

Or it may have been a random 'crackdown'. Don't worry they'll get sick of the extra work after a few hours and stop.

[Maejo Man]

I think it's possibly a sign of the times. I flew in from Australia last week and the same thing was happening. After an hour in the immigration queue, I was not really impressed with another hold up at customs.

[Crushdepth]

In Australia its been standard practice to x-ray all bags for a few years now, and they have people watching you like a hawk as you go through immigration. They nearly always pull me aside and ask me a few pointless questions.

[Kerryd]

Just arrived yesterday morning on a flight from the Middle East.

No scanning of anyone's bags.

Taxi touts didn't come near me.

No "fake" customs officers in the outer arrival area trying to scam me.

Went down to the bottom floor to catch the Bell bus to Pattaya (didn't call ahead or reserve a seat, ended up only maybe 8 people on the whole bus).

While waiting outside (having a smoke), 1 person approached me about a taxi. Told him I already had arrangements and that was it. No hassles.

Police officer came out and sat near me having a smoke. Never tried to hassle or scam me.

Totally uneventful arrival, just like every other time I've arrived. Maybe they mistake me for TheDon (or Donzmate or Donz) and think I might snap and give them a spinning, jumping snap-kick to the head if they approach me ?

[ray08]

In Australia its been standard practice to x-ray all bags for a few years now, and they have people watching you like a hawk as you go through immigration. They nearly always pull me aside and ask me a few pointless questions.

I have to say Australian customs ,are the lot of wanke_rs i have seen ,i travel a lot ,even LA customs are less

a pain than the aussies ,

[pampal]

oddly enough, on my last trip to LAX, I breezed through without any hassles, which was strange for me since everytime I go through there, I am hassled to no end.

[Antimony]

Maybe the customs officers just wanted to make a bot of pocket money - like the police regularly do.

Bingo.

[BSJ]

ray08: I have to say Australian customs ,are the lot of wanke_rs i have seen ,i travel a lot ,even LA customs are less

a pain than the aussies ,

Funny that. My son says the same thing! I have never had one problem with them.

[Crushdepth]

I've had a couple be rude to me over pathetically trivial issues, like not filling in an exact residential address on the entry form (apparently its a legal requirement, but I didn't have one organised, which isn't a bloody crime). But at least they don't hassle you for money like customs in some other countries.

Edited October 17, 2008 by Crushdepth

[londonthai]

Many overseas countries send their customs personnel to work hand in glove with the Thai Customs Officers - It doesn't take a genius no matter how long or short time you have lived here to deduct - They (the visiting Custom Personnel) pass on a variety of techniques to the Thai Customs Department.

this in no way is intended to put down the Thai Customs Personnel as they have a difficult enough job as it is

custom departments from all over the world are cooperating - to thailand they do send their own oficers to detect and prevent exporting drugs, they don't bother with arrivals. Those officers would be gathering inteligence, cooperating with a consulate - in the airport they are in the checking in area overlooking the passengers and later by the departure gates, sometimes checking passports and at this same time whisking off drug couriers.

thai customs would rather concentrate on imports - so in the arrival area, already from the airplane to the x-ray mashines.

profiling is rather used for antyterrorism, if they catch anybody else, like drug couriers, is just a bonus, rather than the object