Bus Passengers Robbed - Again!

[JoeThePoster]

Tourists' valuables stolen

Bangkok Post

Published: 14/01/2009 at 12:00 AM

Thirty foreign and Thai tourists returning from Krabi were robbed by their bus crew and abandoned in Bangkok's Phasi Charoen district yesterday, police said.

After stealing their cash and valuables the Sri Sak Co bus crew abandoned the victims and the bus in Soi Charan Sanitwong 13 around 6am.

One of the victims told police they were on their way back from Krabi to Khao San road when the bus driver decided to stop at a petrol station on Buddhamonthon Sai 2 road.

continued here: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/9663...aluables-stolen

Edited January 14, 2009 by sbk
1st three sentences and a link to Bkk post articles only, please--sbk

[misterman21]

If I remember correctly from the last highway robbery: the owner of the company would not tell the police who the driver or crew were. So the police drew a blank!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Makes you wonder though how stupid these people on the bus are - leaving their valubles in the luggage compartment

[Briggsy]

Khao San Road bus again.

[britmaveric]

Why are you keeping dosh, and other valuables underneath the coach, instead of on your person?

[girlx]

it's funny that they have been reporting this lately... this is a well known scam that has been happening for years. never take a tourist bus on this route (Phuket/Krabi to Bangkok or Surat Thani)- the worst perpetrators are a company called PP Family Tour. they not only have people riding in the undercarriage who pilfer through the bags, but they purposely drive ridiculously slow to allow them time to steal, often making passengers miss their ferry connections to the islands. the police seem to be in on it as they do nothing to stop it, it has been reported numerous times and is posted as a warning on the lonely planet website at least once a week. i even wrote letters about it to the english language papers years ago and they refused to print them. always take a government bus from the station on this route. do not patronize companies who bite the hand that feeds them.

Edited January 14, 2009 by girlx

[JetsetBkk]

it's funny that they have been reporting this lately... this is a well known scam that has been happening for years. never take a tourist bus on this route (Phuket/Krabi to Bangkok or Surat Thani)- the worst perpetrators are a company called PP Family Tour. they not only have people riding in the undercarriage...

Are you sure it's not some unlucky passengers riding in the luggage compartment?:

(click image)

[ronz28]

I guess the victims should drive the bus to Bangkok, sell it to a chop shop and split up the proceeds to offset their losses.

[t.s]

Why are you keeping dosh, and other valuables underneath the coach, instead of on your person?

better yet, why would anyone take a khao san road bus?

on second thought why would anyone take a bus at all, with train and flight options?

Edited January 16, 2009 by t.s

[dave9988]

lol @ taking a bus in Thailand.

[ThaiEye]

Yes, another Khao Sarn Road, talk of the town down Khao Sarn now.

Whatever you do, do not take one of these buses. Anywhere in Thailand only take a bus from the main bus station.

[PhilHarries]

Sorry I don't understand this bit.

One of the tourists then saw the bus crew rummaging through the bags of passengers kept in the luggage compartment on his way back from a toilet visit at the petrol station and told fellow travellers what he had seen.

After checking their belongings, the tourists found their cash and other bank cards were missing.

After the tourists complained, the bus driver took them to Soi Charan Sanitwong 13, instead of Khao San road, and abandoned them there.

The driver and the crew then fled with the loot.

They caught the crew red handed rummaging through their luggage, checked their belongings and found some missing then got on the bus and allowed the perps to drive them off into the back streets of Bangkok.

It's people like that that makes gullible people feel better about themselves.

[sanook2me]

Yes, another Khao Sarn Road, talk of the town down Khao Sarn now.

Whatever you do, do not take one of these buses. Anywhere in Thailand only take a bus from the main bus station.

Thaieye

I've travelled on the khao sarn road fancy double deckers a few times and never had a problem but i would never put valuables downstairs...

No need to scare everyone into thinking not to travel on these buses.

but peeps who live in BKK do know better and would travel by

plains, trains and automobiles... me thinks.

khao sarn road buses for tourists... leave it to them....

majority of these buses are okay but avoid the set up and keep your valuables on you..

[JetsetBkk]

...It's people like that that makes gullible people feel better about themselves.

[bendejo]

> After checking their belongings, the tourists found their cash and other bank cards were missing.

This is the part that gets me: putting stuff like this in their bags? Do these people leave their brains at home, or do they come from a world that's so safe and insulated that they would never think not to?