British Couple Fights Bangkok Airport Extortionists

[Oberkommando]

They were perpetrating a similar scam on tourists bringing in excess tobacco from the Middle East recently. Anyone caught bringing in over the allowed amount was taken away and extorted in a similar fashion to the Ingrams.

It wasn't Customs doing their jobs either, it was just a bunch of people claiming to be officials searching travellers bags in the arrivals area and at the taxi ranks.

It seems they have switched tact and are now targeting Duty Free shoppers.

Extortion, pure and simple.

Rubbish!

This hoary old chestnut was gone through at length on TV more than a year ago, and clearly shown to be codswallop.

Those caught with excess fags were being fined the prescribed amount - hardly extortion.

But you are right on one point - it wasn't Customs Officers doing their jobs.

It was Excise Officers doing their jobs.

I don't believe the correct fines (imposed by Customs BTW, not Excise) are in the thousands of US$ as many people were extorted into paying for just a few excess cigarettes.

It was people claiming to be excise officers, no proof that they were actually Excise officers nor had jurisdiction or the authority to operate at the airport has ever been provided. If you have such informations please share them here with us. Thanks in advance.

Of course if a person has already passed through Customs and is in possession of tobacco waiting for a taxi or in the arrivals area there is absolutely no proof they brought that in with them to Thailand. Possession of tobacco is not a crime as far as I am aware, correctly tax stamped or not. In any country with a vague semblance of a justice system it would be laughed out of court.

In Thailand they use intimidation and bullying as they have done in the Ingram's case to extort money with the very real threat of having to face Thailand's inept and corrupt court system, a process which often takes months, if not years. If it is not shoplifting, it is people over the limit with their duty free, or they come up with another flimsy reason for the extortion.

Good on the Ingrams, The Times and Andrew Drummond for bringing the real problems at the airport to the public fore, even if some people are still sticking their heads in the sand and pretending nothing is wrong.

[stumonster]

I don't believe the correct fines (imposed by Customs BTW, not Excise) are in the thousands of US$ as many people were extorted into paying for just a few excess cigarettes.

Australia will calculate your fine/tax on the total goods and not just the amount in excess.

Of course if a person has already passed through Customs and is in possession of tobacco waiting for a taxi or in the arrivals area there is absolutely no proof they brought that in with them to Thailand. Possession of tobacco is not a crime as far as I am aware, correctly tax stamped or not.

so what use are the tax stamps then ?

[Datsun240Z]

There could be good news for Manchester United fans towards the end of the month. You know what they say about Liverpool people.

Ever seen hooligans brake down an airport?

[Datsun240Z]

for the services a XXXXXXX lawyer . Great help that!

I would advise you to delete that post

Why?

A few years ago the embassy recommended that I use one of the lawyers on their official list, I did, and the bugger ripped me off for B50,000.

Who can you thrust these days?

[jackspratt]

They were perpetrating a similar scam on tourists bringing in excess tobacco from the Middle East recently. Anyone caught bringing in over the allowed amount was taken away and extorted in a similar fashion to the Ingrams.

It wasn't Customs doing their jobs either, it was just a bunch of people claiming to be officials searching travellers bags in the arrivals area and at the taxi ranks.

It seems they have switched tact and are now targeting Duty Free shoppers.

Extortion, pure and simple.

Rubbish!

This hoary old chestnut was gone through at length on TV more than a year ago, and clearly shown to be codswallop.

Those caught with excess fags were being fined the prescribed amount - hardly extortion.

But you are right on one point - it wasn't Customs Officers doing their jobs.

It was Excise Officers doing their jobs.

I don't believe the correct fines (imposed by Customs BTW, not Excise) are in the thousands of US$ as many people were extorted into paying for just a few excess cigarettes.

It was people claiming to be excise officers, no proof that they were actually Excise officers nor had jurisdiction or the authority to operate at the airport has ever been provided. If you have such informations please share them here with us. Thanks in advance.

Of course if a person has already passed through Customs and is in possession of tobacco waiting for a taxi or in the arrivals area there is absolutely no proof they brought that in with them to Thailand. Possession of tobacco is not a crime as far as I am aware, correctly tax stamped or not. In any country with a vague semblance of a justice system it would be laughed out of court.

In Thailand they use intimidation and bullying as they have done in the Ingram's case to extort money with the very real threat of having to face Thailand's inept and corrupt court system, a process which often takes months, if not years. If it is not shoplifting, it is people over the limit with their duty free, or they come up with another flimsy reason for the extortion.

Good on the Ingrams, The Times and Andrew Drummond for bringing the real problems at the airport to the public fore, even if some people are still sticking their heads in the sand and pretending nothing is wrong.

What you believe is irrelevant. Everything posted thusfar on TV (going back 2 years) points to Excise Officers performing their legally sanctioned duty.

But please feel free to produce evidence, or even a convincing argument, to the contrary.

Unfortunately the entire lengthy thread initiated by Emperor_Tud was deleted when he chose to exit from TV. However, those who were around at the time will (hopefully) remember how silly he was made to look with his thread on "Rogue Customs Officers".

Perhaps the mods will feel free to reinstate the thread, in the public interest.

However, to briefly touch on the points you raise - Excise Officers are not confined to the Customs Hall when exercising their duties. The people discussed earlier were dressed in uniforms (blue jackets) and produced ID when questioning passengers coming from the Customs Hall.

The fines outlined by those unfortunate enough to be busted were totally in accordance with publicly available schedules for penalties.

Based on your argument so far, the only one that would be laughed out of court is your good self

[jackspratt]

for the services a XXXXXXX lawyer . Great help that!

I would advise you to delete that post

Why?

A few years ago the embassy recommended that I use one of the lawyers on their official list, I did, and the bugger ripped me off for B50,000.

Who can you thrust these days?

Perhaps not brand new posters on TV, who are full of unsubstantiated "facts".

[Oberkommando]

What you believe is irrelevant. Everything posted thusfar on TV (going back 2 years) points to Excise Officers performing their legally sanctioned duty.

I can't find anything to suggest that. Please can you provide links to substantiate these claims as I asked you previously but as yet you have failed to do so, thanks once again in advance.

But please feel free to produce evidence, or even a convincing argument, to the contrary.

There are many reports of men posing as uniformed officials extorting arriving passengers notwithstanding the example you highlight below.

Unfortunately the entire lengthy thread initiated by Emperor_Tud was deleted when he chose to exit from TV. However, those who were around at the time will (hopefully) remember how silly he was made to look with his thread on "Rogue Customs Officers".

Perhaps the mods will feel free to reinstate the thread, in the public interest.

However, to briefly touch on the points you raise - Excise Officers are not confined to the Customs Hall when exercising their duties. The people discussed earlier were dressed in uniforms (blue jackets) and produced ID when questioning passengers coming from the Customs Hall.

Once again, these people were targeting people in the main airport area and at the taxi rank, nowhere near the Customs hall (that is air-side) and they were not questioning, several people have remarked that they felt physically threatened, intimidated and harassed.

The fines outlined by those unfortunate enough to be busted were totally in accordance with publicly available schedules for penalties.

Again I ask you to provide evidence to substantiate this.

We have incidents of people being extorted into paying thousands of US$ is supposed fines, I don't believe that in these cases, as with the Ingrams, that due process was followed nor these fines are in accordance with the law.

Based on your argument so far, the only one that would be laughed out of court is your good self

I'm afraid these stories of extortion and blackmail by uniformed officials at Suvarnabhumi Airport are no laughing matter.

[crocodilexp]

To me a scam must involve a certain amount of co-operation by the victim. The gem scam plays on the greed of the victim. Same for the chemical to clean black money and the nigerian bank scam. In each of these incidents the victim is led to believe the will make a profit and are deceived. What is happening at the airport is extortion, a beast of a different color. These people are being terrorized, held against their will, and forced to pay for thier freedom. This is a far more serious offense. In a scam all your lose is your money. In extortion you can lose your freedom.

Extortion and not scam. You nailed it precisely.

I had the strong feeling that this goes way beyond a scam, but could not define it. What is the umbrella-category for "bad things that may befall an unsuspecting tourist"?

[brahmburgers]

Am curious, what is the official penalty for such things:

1. bringing in one more cigarette carton than is legally allowed?

2. alleged shoplifting of an item, let's say, $10 value (about what the Irish woman got detained for).

Are there actually any official 'schedule' of fines for such trespasses? First offence, 2nd offence?

Interestingly, we haven't heard any added info on the Sri Lankan. My bet is he's laying low, knowing that he's coming mighty close to getting popped for being part of an extortion operation. If he feels the squeeze, then it's not a stretch to imagine him implicating others in the ruse, though that could wind up being mighty hazardous to his health - especially if cops are involved, as it appears they are.

[jackspratt]

What you believe is irrelevant. Everything posted thusfar on TV (going back 2 years) points to Excise Officers performing their legally sanctioned duty.

I can't find anything to suggest that. Please can you provide links to substantiate these claims as I asked you previously but as yet you have failed to do so, thanks once again in advance.

But please feel free to produce evidence, or even a convincing argument, to the contrary.

There are many reports of men posing as uniformed officials extorting arriving passengers notwithstanding the example you highlight below.

Unfortunately the entire lengthy thread initiated by Emperor_Tud was deleted when he chose to exit from TV. However, those who were around at the time will (hopefully) remember how silly he was made to look with his thread on "Rogue Customs Officers".

Perhaps the mods will feel free to reinstate the thread, in the public interest.

However, to briefly touch on the points you raise - Excise Officers are not confined to the Customs Hall when exercising their duties. The people discussed earlier were dressed in uniforms (blue jackets) and produced ID when questioning passengers coming from the Customs Hall.

Once again, these people were targeting people in the main airport area and at the taxi rank, nowhere near the Customs hall (that is air-side) and they were not questioning, several people have remarked that they felt physically threatened, intimidated and harassed.

The fines outlined by those unfortunate enough to be busted were totally in accordance with publicly available schedules for penalties.

Again I ask you to provide evidence to substantiate this.

We have incidents of people being extorted into paying thousands of US$ is supposed fines, I don't believe that in these cases, as with the Ingrams, that due process was followed nor these fines are in accordance with the law.

Based on your argument so far, the only one that would be laughed out of court is your good self

I'm afraid these stories of extortion and blackmail by uniformed officials at Suvarnabhumi Airport are no laughing matter.

Start here http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/pdf/tobacco.pdf

Then look at this thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Customs-Tobb...l&hl=excise

[cmdream]

I wonder why all posters are focusing on whether the couple is guilty in this case. Even if they are, due legal process was not respected, and it's still a scam and instance of gross corruption. Is it somehow OK to kidnap and extort a thief, instead of delivering the legal punishment -- be it prison or proper fine. Somehow, I doubt scammers are picky as to who they frame.

The couple had *not* been granted bail by the court and then left/forfeited it. They have a paper stating that there are *no charges* filed against them. Thai police and legal system claim they *did not steal*, no matter what the low-res King Power video implies. Yet their money ended up in various private pockets, most of it probably with Thai police.

Your post is spot on and happens to highlight a peculiarity of the Thai and their curious take on morality.

the point really is about whether this couple are guilty of shoplifting - if they are not guilty , then they have been scammed.

if they are guilty , and instead of following the process of Thai law they have attempted to circumvent the system and pay their way out and paid well over what a Thai would have paid to get off a charge such as this - why should our sympathy lie with them ?

Do you think the Thai tourist authority should issue tourists with the correct procedure for buying your way out of trouble ?

Our sympathy should lie with them. Innocent until proven guilty! They chose the smart way. Get the "F" out of here. Whatever the cost ! Deal with the situation later. When you are on home ground you think better.

[Hawk]

for the services a XXXXXXX lawyer . Great help that!

I would advise you to delete that post

Why?

A few years ago the embassy recommended that I use one of the lawyers on their official list, I did, and the bugger ripped me off for B50,000.

Have you got a video of it?

I can soon make one just like your friends over at KP HQ did.

Edited July 8, 2009 by Hawk

[bulmercke]

Whew, i was just in that store last week.

Never again!

Thanks for the warning everyone.

just wondering or am i a little confused - what in hells name are any of the Embassies or more importantly TAT doing about this - seeing that TAT in fact control the tourist police -- have u ever noticed that the tourist police are driving better cars - have smart new looking uniforms - all paid out of the TAT budget - so if this sort of things is inpacting on the tourist sector - which has been suffering numerous down turns and bad publicity why the hel_l is TAT allowing this sort of thing or are they just turning a blind eye -- and how the hel_l can this Sri Lankan embassy gangster be allowed to roam the airports and also work as a so called volunteer translater for the police -- or is this just another amazing case of amazing thailand - i had to laugh earlier when some TV poster was extolling the virtues of this country - was this the sort of thing that he condones - oh well keep the thai smiles going and ummmm TIT --

Apparently the British embassy offered to help and the couple turned them down.

In light of the footage showing the couple clearly stealing, its fairly obvious why they didn't want the embassy to help settle the matter legally.

Does it?

I've watched the video carefully twice and it appears to be inconclusive and certainly doesn't prove anything one way or another.

Anyone can speak with authority and moral righteousness - including King Power - and this doesn't mean a thing unless there is clear and unequivocal evidence of guilt - which in this case appears to be lacking.

The statement issued by King Power - and their indeterminate CCT footage - reeks of nothing more than a carefully thought out PR exercise by a mafia ridden outfit who have at last been exposed and embarrassed by a very lucrative scam and extortion operation that they have been involved in - for who knows how many years!

[Benjie]

You seriously cant see the lady put down the wallet on the 2nd shelf down, then put it in her bag. Its not rocket science, simply look for the wallet, its on the 2nd shelf, she puts it into her bag and then its not on the 2nd shelf or anywhere else.

[caf]

They were perpetrating a similar scam on tourists bringing in excess tobacco from the Middle East recently. Anyone caught bringing in over the allowed amount was taken away and extorted in a similar fashion to the Ingrams.

It wasn't Customs doing their jobs either, it was just a bunch of people claiming to be officials searching travellers bags in the arrivals area and at the taxi ranks.

It seems they have switched tact and are now targeting Duty Free shoppers.

Extortion, pure and simple.

Rubbish!

This hoary old chestnut was gone through at length on TV more than a year ago, and clearly shown to be codswallop.

Those caught with excess fags were being fined the prescribed amount - hardly extortion.

But you are right on one point - it wasn't Customs Officers doing their jobs.

It was Excise Officers doing their jobs.

I don't believe the correct fines (imposed by Customs BTW, not Excise) are in the thousands of US$ as many people were extorted into paying for just a few excess cigarettes.

It was people claiming to be excise officers, no proof that they were actually Excise officers nor had jurisdiction or the authority to operate at the airport has ever been provided. If you have such informations please share them here with us. Thanks in advance.

Of course if a person has already passed through Customs and is in possession of tobacco waiting for a taxi or in the arrivals area there is absolutely no proof they brought that in with them to Thailand. Possession of tobacco is not a crime as far as I am aware, correctly tax stamped or not. In any country with a vague semblance of a justice system it would be laughed out of court.

In Thailand they use intimidation and bullying as they have done in the Ingram's case to extort money with the very real threat of having to face Thailand's inept and corrupt court system, a process which often takes months, if not years. If it is not shoplifting, it is people over the limit with their duty free, or they come up with another flimsy reason for the extortion.

Good on the Ingrams, The Times and Andrew Drummond for bringing the real problems at the airport to the public fore, even if some people are still sticking their heads in the sand and pretending nothing is wrong.

What you believe is irrelevant. Everything posted thusfar on TV (going back 2 years) points to Excise Officers performing their legally sanctioned duty.

But please feel free to produce evidence, or even a convincing argument, to the contrary.

Unfortunately the entire lengthy thread initiated by Emperor_Tud was deleted when he chose to exit from TV. However, those who were around at the time will (hopefully) remember how silly he was made to look with his thread on "Rogue Customs Officers".

Perhaps the mods will feel free to reinstate the thread, in the public interest.

However, to briefly touch on the points you raise - Excise Officers are not confined to the Customs Hall when exercising their duties. The people discussed earlier were dressed in uniforms (blue jackets) and produced ID when questioning passengers coming from the Customs Hall.

The fines outlined by those unfortunate enough to be busted were totally in accordance with publicly available schedules for penalties.

Based on your argument so far, the only one that would be laughed out of court is your good self

8000 pounds is in accordance with publicly available schedules for penalties.?????

Have you read any of these posts or visited other independent websites ( eg drummond but there are others). How long have you lived in Thaialnd

[jackspratt]

8000 pounds is in accordance with publicly available schedules for penalties.?????

Have you read any of these posts or visited other independent websites ( eg drummond but there are others). How long have you lived in Thaialnd

Do you have an understanding of "context"?

The kommando was talking about "excise scams", and I was responding about "excise scams".

This has nothing to do with the Ingrams, and 8000 pounds.

[jackspratt]

A few years ago the embassy recommended that I use one of the lawyers on their official list, I did, and the bugger ripped me off for B50,000.

Have you got a video of it?

I can soon make one just like your friends over at KP HQ did.

With Brad Pitt playing your part, no doubt

[Serpico]

Department of Foreign Affairs and its British counterpart are reviewing their travel advice for their countries' citizens in Thailand.

[Serpico]

They were perpetrating a similar scam on tourists bringing in excess tobacco from the Middle East recently. Anyone caught bringing in over the allowed amount was taken away and extorted in a similar fashion to the Ingrams.

It wasn't Customs doing their jobs either, it was just a bunch of people claiming to be officials searching travellers bags in the arrivals area and at the taxi ranks.

It seems they have switched tact and are now targeting Duty Free shoppers.

Extortion, pure and simple.

Rubbish!

This hoary old chestnut was gone through at length on TV more than a year ago, and clearly shown to be codswallop.

Those caught with excess fags were being fined the prescribed amount - hardly extortion.

But you are right on one point - it wasn't Customs Officers doing their jobs.

It was Excise Officers doing their jobs.

I don't believe the correct fines (imposed by Customs BTW, not Excise) are in the thousands of US$ as many people were extorted into paying for just a few excess cigarettes.

It was people claiming to be excise officers, no proof that they were actually Excise officers nor had jurisdiction or the authority to operate at the airport has ever been provided. If you have such informations please share them here with us. Thanks in advance.

Of course if a person has already passed through Customs and is in possession of tobacco waiting for a taxi or in the arrivals area there is absolutely no proof they brought that in with them to Thailand. Possession of tobacco is not a crime as far as I am aware, correctly tax stamped or not. In any country with a vague semblance of a justice system it would be laughed out of court.

In Thailand they use intimidation and bullying as they have done in the Ingram's case to extort money with the very real threat of having to face Thailand's inept and corrupt court system, a process which often takes months, if not years. If it is not shoplifting, it is people over the limit with their duty free, or they come up with another flimsy reason for the extortion.

Good on the Ingrams, The Times and Andrew Drummond for bringing the real problems at the airport to the public fore, even if some people are still sticking their heads in the sand and pretending nothing is wrong.

What you believe is irrelevant. Everything posted thusfar on TV (going back 2 years) points to Excise Officers performing their legally sanctioned duty.

But please feel free to produce evidence, or even a convincing argument, to the contrary.

Unfortunately the entire lengthy thread initiated by Emperor_Tud was deleted when he chose to exit from TV. However, those who were around at the time will (hopefully) remember how silly he was made to look with his thread on "Rogue Customs Officers".

Perhaps the mods will feel free to reinstate the thread, in the public interest.

However, to briefly touch on the points you raise - Excise Officers are not confined to the Customs Hall when exercising their duties. The people discussed earlier were dressed in uniforms (blue jackets) and produced ID when questioning passengers coming from the Customs Hall.

The fines outlined by those unfortunate enough to be busted were totally in accordance with publicly available schedules for penalties.

Based on your argument so far, the only one that would be laughed out of court is your good self

The scammers are tripping over one another at Bangkok Showpiece Airport.

[Thai at Heart]

The scammers are tripping over one another at Bangkok Showpiece Airport.

PRICELESS

Now those must be some pretty expensive suits.

Valuables worth 2mn in his luggage, and he catches the scammers.

Oh, it's alright everyone does it you know. Yes I did have my brand new diamond encrusted Rolex in my luggage!!!!!!!!!!!

[bungy007]

This is not the type of scenario where you can demand to speak to an attorney, or make a phone call. This is a scenario where you feel isolated and tangibly threatened - and where paying big money quickly seems like the only way out of one's h#llish situation.

from the original story

Vijitpokin and a colleague, Kittamert Engchountada, of the Lawyers Association of Thailand, urged them to stay in the country to fight the case and have since assembled a dossier for potential prosecutions.

so they ignored the legal advice and paid

The couple are being kept somewhere against their wishes. They're looking at losing the two seats on their flight home (no compensation, of course), AND.... Thai lawyers are saying they can stay and fight the charges - which could entail many months more in Thailand - not working at their jobs, paying for food and hotels, perhaps being under arrest of some sort, plus possibly not having their passports. ....and a questionable verdict which may find them guilty, and therefore forced to stay in a Thai jail.

Not a decent option if you ask me. The alternative is to pay an extortionists fee and get free right away. I know which option I'd feel compelled to take, especially if I had a wife along.

I think its a case of 'There by the grace of God go I'. We are all vulnerable out here. This is why Thais put so much stock in making merit and 'connections'. You just don't know when you're numbers up, so to speak!

[Serpico]

The scammers are tripping over one another at Bangkok Showpiece Airport.

PRICELESS

Now those must be some pretty expensive suits.

Valuables worth 2mn in his luggage, and he catches the scammers.

Oh, it's alright everyone does it you know. Yes I did have my brand new diamond encrusted Rolex in my luggage!!!!!!!!!!!

Huh?

The point of the story is not how much they had in their suitcase but the FAKE POLICE roaming the Bangkok International Airport, a supposedly secure area.

[Thai at Heart]

The scammers are tripping over one another at Bangkok Showpiece Airport.

PRICELESS

Now those must be some pretty expensive suits.

Valuables worth 2mn in his luggage, and he catches the scammers.

Oh, it's alright everyone does it you know. Yes I did have my brand new diamond encrusted Rolex in my luggage!!!!!!!!!!!

Huh?

The point of the story is not how much they had in their suitcase but the FAKE POLICE roaming the Bangkok International Airport, a supposedly secure area.

Yes indeed, and just by shear luck they found a guy with reportedly 2MN baht of valuables in his suitcase? I presume he declared his precious cargo.

As you said, the scammers are falling over each other at Bangkok airport.

[Farma]

Another case

Local woman home from Thai jail after being targeted by scam

Published Date: 10 July 2009

By Tess Felder

A NATIVE Kilkenny woman returned home safely at the weekend after a harrowing ordeal in Thailand, which should serve as a warning to people travelling there.

In fact, due to reports of other similar incidents, both the Department of Foreign Affairs and its British counterpart are reviewing their travel advice for their countries' citizens in Thailand.

Dr Angela 'Ashie' Norris, originally from Greenshill, Kilkenny, had travelled to the Southeast Asian country to address a conference, and it was at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok on her way home when she encountered the trouble.

The 41-year-old scientist told Irish media that while at the airport she made several purchases in the Duty Free area, including a couple of items of make-up. Upon leaving the shop, she was surrounded by security guards.

"They were shouting at me: 'You! You! You go jail six months," Ms Norris told the Irish Mail on Sunday. "They took the eyeliner off me and started waving it in my face. I said I had paid for it, but when I looked at the receipt it was only a receipt for 576 Thai baht (f12) for the lipstick." She insists she had no intention of stealing the Bobbi Brown cosmetic.

She was taken to the airport police station and then to Rajatewa police station near the airport, where she was detained overnight in filthy conditions. After she was released on bail, however, her passport was still in the possession of the Thai authorities - and when she went to immigration police to retrieve her passport, she was arrested again.

Outrageous

At the time, Dr Norris was aware that a price would have to be paid for her safe return to Ireland.

"What is happening here is outrageous and needs to be exposed. It's a national scandal," said her husband, Ronan Loftus, who flew over to Thailand to help his wife escape the ordeal.

Con't http://www.kilkennypeople.ie/news/Local-wo...Thai.5439546.jp

Edited July 9, 2009 by Farma

[jacobbells]

Ok, King Power have done the gentlemanly thing and replied to (and silenced) many of their challengers, so isn't it about time that The Times newspaper who originally came up with the 'scam' 'planting of goods' and 'arrest of innocents' story also reply?

I doubt it, as that was a typical crap piece of one-sided British journalism. The journalist who wrote that spiced up report can thank his lucky stars if Kings Power don't sue for libel.

Dr Norris in the above story is probably as guilty as OJ Simpson. Claiming innocence is the only way to save face.

Edited July 9, 2009 by jacobbells

[Serpico]

The scammers are tripping over one another at Bangkok Showpiece Airport.

PRICELESS

Now those must be some pretty expensive suits.

Valuables worth 2mn in his luggage, and he catches the scammers.

Oh, it's alright everyone does it you know. Yes I did have my brand new diamond encrusted Rolex in my luggage!!!!!!!!!!!

Huh?

The point of the story is not how much they had in their suitcase but the FAKE POLICE roaming the Bangkok International Airport, a supposedly secure area.

Yes indeed, and just by shear luck they found a guy with reportedly 2MN baht of valuables in his suitcase? I presume he declared his precious cargo.

As you said, the scammers are falling over each other at Bangkok airport.

Who cares if it was 2 million or 2 baht.

The point of the story is FAKE POLICE at Bangkok International.

[jackspratt]

Who cares if it was 2 million or 2 baht.

The point of the story is FAKE POLICE at Bangkok International.

And the rest of the story is that the FAKE POLICE were arrested by the REAL POLICE at Bangkok International.

[Thai at Heart]

Who cares if it was 2 million or 2 baht.

The point of the story is FAKE POLICE at Bangkok International.

I guess irony is lost on some.

[loong]

The scammers are tripping over one another at Bangkok Showpiece Airport.

This old news item was in another thread and has absolutely nothing to do with this one!

[Serpico]

Who cares if it was 2 million or 2 baht.

The point of the story is FAKE POLICE at Bangkok International.

And the rest of the story is that the FAKE POLICE were arrested by the REAL POLICE at Bangkok International.

The REAL POLICE don't like others getting in on the graft out there it seems to me.