20 Sleeping Tourists Robbed

[ScubaBuddha]

"Twenty foreign tourists were robbed in their sleep on a bus and awoke to find they had been left in the middle of nowhere in Bang Pa-in district early yesterday morning".

A person can not be robbed while sleeping. For the act of robbery to take place, the victums has to be aware of it happening with some fear. There are no fear when they all are sleeping!

This crime is another one of those theft by some of the bad elements of Thailand.

I rather not have it happen to me but I prefer this kind of crime anyday then getting robbed with force, intimidation or violence like in my country in the USA.

I suppose many tourists from other countries also bitched about getting robbed and assaulted when they come to visit my country in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Florida.

I have nothing to bitch about while traveling to Thailand because I still feel safer there then in many other countries, except Japan. The crime rate in Japan supposely very low in the world.

????? What is then?

First off, hello to the forum and its members as this is my first post. Thanks to all for the great info.

tonyrx7, thanks for pointing out the error in the use of the word "robbery" here. I was going to do the same. Monkfish, to answer your question, most, if not all jurisdictions require the element of force or fear for it to qualify as a robbery. Even generally speaking the definition of robbery includes the elements of force or fear be present. This is a common mistake/embellishment made by news editors the world over either because they themselves don't know the difference or because it is a more dramatic attention grabbing term than "theft" or "burglarized," which is what has happened to our unlucky tourists here. Theft is an element of both robbery and in most cases burglary, again depending on your jurisdiction as legal definitions do vary slightly. Another element of burglary is the entrance into a dwelling, vehicle or structure of some kind.

Cheers!

SB

[dingdongrb]

Does anyone realize that riffling through one's luggage and taking anything of value is an everyday occurrence in the USA airline industry? At least on a bus you could look out the window and possibly see them.

[Who, me ?]

Does anyone realize that riffling through one's luggage and taking anything of value is an everyday occurrence in the USA airline industry? At least on a bus you could look out the window and possibly see them.

Ohhhh, if it's done in the USA every day, then we can feel better.....

I can't imagine that being relieved of personal belongings while traveling, by bus , plane or whatever else, is something we can take lightly. When we board a plane or a bus, the operator takes responsibility for our life and.....belongings...This company should be banned from operating any longer, owners banned from opening a company, and brought to court......

[leebeeUK]

20 TOURIST ROBBED AND LEFT IN A BUS THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE

er, another 'only in Thailand' story! Deoesn't ring true, 20 people, all fast asleep not one waking up until all the money etc's gone... the woman at the sub-contracted bus's company - her Dad a suspect - just flings up her hands and says 'no sorry I'm not saying who the staff are [is that an allowable option?] but we'll pay back half' <deleted>... ??? I've no idea what the true story is but I'm not buying this one...!!!!

Edited November 25, 2008 by leebeeUK

[alstaxi]

He was being entirely and blatantly sarcastic because some guy was saying that the people got what they deserved due to the fact that they didn't take every single possible precaution beforehand.

No I wasn't!!! Had those tourists been carrying firearms, they could have protected themselves. Even if only 1/2 of them had handguns, this wouldn't have happened.

Instead, they chose to be victims. Off with their heads!

It was obviously the fault of the tourists, if they had not come to Thailand the theft would not have happened.

[Johpa]

Priceless.

I remember on my first trip to LOS in 1983, travelling on the train, an official showed me a card

warning against taking food or drink from strangers.................

The scam continues to this day.

Yes, I remember at about that same time, around 1983, I took a bus from Chiang Mai down to Bangkok and awoke at the Mor Chit Station with a headache, 20 baat in my pocket, and no passport. The scam had been going on for months and the bad guys, who were based out of the Montri hotel in Chiang Mai, were in cahoots with employees of the bus company who made sure they were seated next to the targets. It took about a year before the police in Chiang Mai finally busted the gang despite a long list of complaints to the TAT over the previous two years.

Now you want real travel adventure, try arriving on a bus in Bangkok with only 20 baat and no passport.

[kumsamut]

maybe they are PAD members.

[fabianfred]

Priceless.

I remember on my first trip to LOS in 1983, travelling on the train, an official showed me a card

warning against taking food or drink from strangers.................

The scam continues to this day.

Yes, I remember at about that same time, around 1983, I took a bus from Chiang Mai down to Bangkok and awoke at the Mor Chit Station with a headache, 20 baat in my pocket, and no passport. The scam had been going on for months and the bad guys, who were based out of the Montri hotel in Chiang Mai, were in cahoots with employees of the bus company who made sure they were seated next to the targets. It took about a year before the police in Chiang Mai finally busted the gang despite a long list of complaints to the TAT over the previous two years.

Now you want real travel adventure, try arriving on a bus in Bangkok with only 20 baat and no passport.

Please continue this story......

[eggomaniac]

This paragraph has been in the Canadian travel advisory for years! All in all, though, I feel safer in Thailand, almost anywhere, than in many parts of Canada. There are LOTS of thefts and ROBBERIES here.

http://www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/report-en.asp?country=290000

Petty crime, such as purse snatching, pickpocketing, and theft, is common. Bags should not be left unattended. Exercise safety precautions and ensure personal belongings are secure, especially in tourist areas, crowded markets, and bus or train stations. Thieves sometimes use razors to slit open purses or bags to remove the contents. Only use reputable transportation companies. Thefts have been reported on buses and vans travelling between Bangkok and southern tourist/beach destinations. Break-ins occur at budget guesthouses, sometimes while guests are asleep in the room.

[ScubaBuddha]

"Twenty foreign tourists were robbed in their sleep on a bus and awoke to find they had been left in the middle of nowhere in Bang Pa-in district early yesterday morning".

A person can not be robbed while sleeping. For the act of robbery to take place, the victums has to be aware of it happening with some fear. There are no fear when they all are sleeping!

What a load of bullshit

sangfroid, it's not a load of bullshit at all...see my reply above. tonyrx7 and I were just commenting on the mis-use of the word robbery here. The mistake is so common that many people don't know the difference. We (I think I can speak for tonyrx7 here) in no way are minimizing what happened. It sucks, and I worry it's only going to get worse with the effects of the global economic crisis.

I don't ever remember feeling unsafe out at night when I lived here (Phuket) in 2001-3, but now I definately feel less safe. I think all the new money on the island has lured in the proper criminals, IMHO.

SB

[ScubaBuddha]

I just realized something...if they moved the bus from it's original path, you may be able to add kidnapping to the charges. At least if it were in a western county you would, which I realize it's not.

SB

[tropo]

Im just waiting for all the thai defenders coming over the hill shouting " oh this can happen in the USA UK etc blah blah blah !

I'll save you the wait. Yes it could happen anywhere else.

[fabianfred]

Yesterday.....a tourist came to Fang with this story

She had been in Krabi and got a bus from Krabi to kao san road with the P.P.Family business...... there were Thai passengers on the bus, as well as about 15 to 20 farangs. The bus crossed the island and stopped where all the thais got off....then they continued. after about 2 hours the bus stopped beside the road and they were told to get off and wait for the bus to bangkok.....

There was only a small shelter there, and it rained hard, so the farangs had to take turns getting some shelter from the rain. one member of the staff was with them. FIVE hours later a bus arrived and they continued their journey. Being exhausted they all fell asleep. Upon waking later they had all been robbed. The girl who related the story had put her bag between her feet, and it had had the 1000 Baht notes removed from her wallet...but the 20's and hundreds were still there, as was her passport. She lost 14,000 Baht,and the others were probably similar. Some had lost credit cards too.

Someone remebered the bus stopping somewhere briefly, probably to allow the loot to be removed....... notes alone being untraceable.....cards and goodies are more difficult to get away with.

Edited November 25, 2008 by fabianfred

[insideleft]

I'm flumoxed at which reference points you'd use to declare anywhere "the middle of nowhere"

Would they be geographical, emotional, metaphorical, illusory or what?

Thai thieves, oh my Goddess!!! How dare any Thai person act just like persons everywhere else...I'm really shocked and am not going to eat any somtam today to show my disgust...

I love galloping on my high horse...

I'll show those somtam thieves from nowhere!!!

Edited November 25, 2008 by insideleft

[mangostays]

Im just waiting for all the thai defenders coming over the hill shouting " oh this can happen in the USA UK etc blah blah blah !

I'll save you the wait. Yes it could happen anywhere else.

but it's about a million times lot more likely to happen on a tourist bus from Bangkok to Suratthani than on a tourist bus from Bristol to Penzance.

[FatherF]

For years now on other websites (particularly the backpacker oriented ones, if not this one) people have reported thefts on private buses.

Why on earth anyone seems to think it is necessary to book a "package" on Khao Saan Road of all places is beyond me.

Feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but I have never heard of this sort of thing happening on the scheduled Govt run transport system.

So to all those who are new to this country; Thailand is still very safe and relatively crime free but you increase the risk by dealing with some of the "agents" who prey on vulnerable tourists.

Travel on scheduled Thai transport like Thais and I am sure you will have no problems.

I fully understand what you are saying, But, how does your average innocent tourist to this lovely country know which company is good and which is bad?

Maybe a star rating system? 5 Star = little chance of being robbed - 1 Star hand over your belongings upon entry to the bus?

FF

[insideleft]

but it's about a million times lot more likely to happen on a tourist bus from Bangkok to Suratthani than on a tourist bus from Bristol to Penzance.

I understand this to be your conclusion, but for those of us who aren't too good at math and statistics and stuff, you know, the kind of data you've used, can you show us the calculations you've used to reach your specific conclusion.

[skorchio]

How is it that the Bus's owner Sirada Boonme, 26 refuses to provide the names of the 4 thieves in her employ..Shouldn't she be arrested for hindering a police investigation?

Yes isn't it pathetic that such a comment even goes to print. If the cops want info (really want it), they get it. And they can extract it by any means they wish. Not only should she be arrested, she ought to be offering that information willingly. Before it is "extracted". But it is a matter of how interested the police are. If that story runs in a big newspaper abroad, specifically in a country such as UK, Germany or any Scandohooligan country, there would be an order to bring those responsible to justice. And then it would be a matter of hours before those responsible are apprehended......

[insideleft]

Im just waiting for all the thai defenders coming over the hill shouting " oh this can happen in the USA UK etc blah blah blah !

I'll save you the wait. Yes it could happen anywhere else.

but it's about a million times more likely to happen on a tourist bus from Bangkok to Suratthani than on a tourist bus from Bristol to Penzance.

Gee, your conclusion seems to be in the same genre as "the middle of nowhere". It does appear (sic) to be an illusory form of calculation - are you an Illusionary?.

[mangostays]

Im just waiting for all the thai defenders coming over the hill shouting " oh this can happen in the USA UK etc blah blah blah !

I'll save you the wait. Yes it could happen anywhere else.

but it's about a million times more likely to happen on a tourist bus from Bangkok to Suratthani than on a tourist bus from Bristol to Penzance.

Gee, your conclusion seems to be in the same genre as "the middle of nowhere". It does appear (sic) to be an illusory form of calculation - are you an Illusionary?.

Sure, on average between 1983 and 2008, there was one coach from Bristol to Penzance robbed for every million coaches that were robbed from Bangkok to Suratthani.

Everybody who actually lives in Thailand knows this

[Samuian]

.....edited.... It really suck to have someone take something that does not belong to them. .....edited...

Well it takes 2 to tango!

Doesn't it?

And don't blame an entire nation for the miss behavior of a few!

thanks!

Regarding stealing things from luggage, I travel ONLY with a Samsonite Hard Shell Suit Case which is difficult to open/cut, if "soft luggage" and stored in an unguarded luggage compartment, there shouldn't be ANYTHING in which could become the target of a potential thief in the first place, shouldn't it?

Or would ANYbody put his purse, jewelry, ipod, camera, on a park bench, wall crest, etc. and go for a run around the lake?

Would they?

It really helps to use common sense once in a while!

Play it safe, anytime, any where!

If so, WE are responsible, NOT "the other"! and have to take things from here....

[mangostays]

Im just waiting for all the thai defenders coming over the hill shouting " oh this can happen in the USA UK etc blah blah blah !

I'll save you the wait. Yes it could happen anywhere else.

but it's about a million times more likely to happen on a tourist bus from Bangkok to Suratthani than on a tourist bus from Bristol to Penzance.

Gee, your conclusion seems to be in the same genre as "the middle of nowhere". It does appear (sic) to be an illusory form of calculation - are you an Illusionary?.

It goes without saying that the expression 'a million times more likely to happen than...' is not to be taken literally. Illusionary is an Adjective. One cannot be an 'Illusionary'.

Edited November 25, 2008 by mangostays

[shiatsuman]

The Lonely Planet guide has been warning of robbery and abandonment on the unregulated buses on Chiang Mai Ko Shan Road route.

The answer is clear enough get the government or regulated bus running between the bus stations.

Its just the backpackers cant be botherd to find there way to the bus station so get a cheap ticket from an agency and pick up a bus in Banglanfu or be picked up from their guest house in Chiang Mai. Done it myself but getting robbed is the risk you take.

[UbonTaz]

I wonder did they impound the bus? If so just auction it off an compensate the victims. Amazingly no mention of the driver. The driver and runners abandoned the bus without fear of repercussions by their employer? The tour company taking no responsibility and offering only 50% restitution? What about mental anquish, inconvenient and all? I hope a campaign is initiated to make the public aware of the travel company and whatever bus company it was. Justice would be neither get foreign tourist business again. Both names should be posted in Bold Letters in all articles and TAT should broadcast a warning. But neither will happen. Authorities should be fighting to protect any and all tourists in an effort to keep them coming and spending money.

[Artisi]

A good counter for this in the future would have been to fire bomb the bus - now that would get some attention.

[dingdongrb]

I wonder did they impound the bus? If so just auction it off an compensate the victims. Amazingly no mention of the driver. The driver and runners abandoned the bus without fear of repercussions by their employer? The tour company taking no responsibility and offering only 50% restitution? What about mental anquish, inconvenient and all? I hope a campaign is initiated to make the public aware of the travel company and whatever bus company it was. Justice would be neither get foreign tourist business again. Both names should be posted in Bold Letters in all articles and TAT should broadcast a warning. But neither will happen. Authorities should be fighting to protect any and all tourists in an effort to keep them coming and spending money.

"Mental anguish"? :D :D You've got to be kidding me, right? You were supposed to have been asleep. If you wake up and find your belongings gone and it has some traumatic effect where you need compensation (for mental anguish) then perhaps you should have been in a rubber padded room and not on a bus to begin with..... Oh I see, get on the western 'sue happy' bandwagon.....support those worthless lawyers....... Now I get ya......

Edited November 25, 2008 by dingdongrb

[lubbkis]

Im just waiting for all the thai defenders coming over the hill shouting " oh this can happen in the USA UK etc blah blah blah !

In Canada they just take your head and not your luggage......

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...y/National/home

I would prefer to have some of my valuables missing to be honest.....

I think we've all sat next to some young person playing his ipod too loudly.

[hamishgillan]

Karma

[favre360]

Still better than waking up in a tub fulla ice...

[pepi2005]

Something similar happened to me a few years ago - also 'managed' by a travel bureau on Khao San Road (I think the name was 'Golden Travel' or something like that... opposite street side of the police station and quite close to the main road over there).

In the bus from Bangkok to Koh Samui/Koh Phi Phi & Malaysia , the luggage was stored downstairs in a separate room of the bus, while the tourists were sleeping upstairs and on a few seats downstairs. At the next morning I woke up and left to Malaysia, on the border I figured out that my backpack had been completely emptied and every tiny little bit in it searched for money and other valuables. My credit card which I had been hiding in an inner bag of a long trouser I had rolled very tightly and put near the bottom of my backpack had been stolen as well as a few 100 USD. As I figured out later together with my bank, the whole bus crew seemed to have been organized criminals, as the bus was tanked full with my credit card a few hours before I even had a chance to notice the theft!

Yes, my fault to leave something like that in the backpack - but at that point I realized that at least this company on Khao San is part of the organized crime and planned setups against the tourists. The impression got even stronger when 3 police reports (1 on Khao San police station, one in another station in BKK and one in Malaysia) didn't have ANY consequences.

cheers,

p.