Danish Embassy Warns Against King Power Dutyfree

[thaifrelst]

It is sad to witness a totally human destruction of the Thailand Nation. Where is the Thai Government in this case? Where is the police head on the airport? How can he let these incidents take place without take action to rescue Thailand and its people from total doom?

This is not only a shame for the Thailand people, but also for the human race.

I want all flight crew flying to BKK to carry out a warning to all passengers before landing; Never enter a shop or going close to a shopping area. If you have to walk by for reaching your gate or exit keep your bag closed.

I want a representative from the authorities to announce a statement on the issue.

I do also want to warn the fraud police in BBK to not try this criminal act towards a norwegian. We will sit in your Bangkok Hilton until everyone in the world now about this scam shit.

[regfrancis]

Bloody hel_l, this conforms the story I read months ago that the Indian embassy had warned citizens against travel to Thailand for a simular reason.---- Unbelievable.

The country must be rudderless for this to be allowed to happen. very sad.

Edited July 20, 2009 by regfrancis

[thaiphoon]

I guess this represents as good a reason as any, not to shop in King Power, EVER! Who wants to run the risk of

a scam like this one. What a lowbrow operation. I give the Danes alot of credit for speaking out. /quote]

Bravo to the Danes. Unfortunately the British embassy (my embassy, I'm sad to say) just pussy footed around the matter with their advice so as not to upset the locals.

Edited July 20, 2009 by thaiphoon

[poldebol]

See the video about the british couple here.....

And make your own opinion.

I believe King Power!!!

That video was discussed into lengthy detail here on TV since many weeks; it's nothing new.

Where are the videos on the Kingpower website from the other passengers who were scammed and extorted ?

LaoPo

Let us not forget that if this British lady has stolen something, the question still remains why this couple was held in an illegal prison and extorted an enormous amount of money and not brought before any judge?

And what about the people who have had similar experiences?

[chillibilly]

.... Since I live and work in Thailand, (and not just visiting the place as a 5 star tourist in my "cocoon") it is similar to an African country with its corruption inside of the government, police, and business dealings.

SCAMS??? The officials are unable to end the scams of the airport "taxi" touts so they won't be able to control the thugs that control the duty free monopoly.

When I lived in Malaysai, it seemed that the government looked at Singapore as their role model. Who does Thailand look at as a role model? Burma??? Cambodia???? Nigeria????

[thaibreaker]

I was in fact held back for an hour myself by these security guards at my last trip back to my country.

I might have crossed an invisible line or not, but what was in my hand at first, I put back where it belonged, after showing it to my fiancee. Nothing unusual about that in a shop.

If they were watching the cameras, they surely would have noticed that.

I was taken away and searched for almost an hour and accused of shoplifting. A real nightmare.

Luckily, I was able to make my flight, when they couldn`t find anything, and let me go.

They were at first telling me a huge amount of bath I would have to pay to stay out of trouble, but I convinced them that I was broke, and was going home for good.

I can only imagine what others are going through, I was just glad I got off that "easy".

Better tell your story in detail: when, which flight you had, which shop you were in, what poduct you were holding etc.

It might help to solve this scam situation.

LaoPo

No problem, but maybe not much of help. This happened to me 4 months ago, in an area of many shops put together in a modern style.

Our flight was to Norway, I dont know if that had anything to do with us getting off the hook.

I believe it was located in level 4, and I think the shop was called "once upon a time" or "once in a lifetime", a shop for kid`s fashion.

Either way, I have stayed enough years in Thailand to understand where this was going, so the first I told them after pleading my innocense, was, "no have money".

[ekkamai]

As the economy tanks,

so does the 'Get away from the wife and party with young things money',

for the local guys, and they are searching for ways to re-up their lifestyle.

No consideration is felt for Farangs; they don't even know how to wai properly,

and don't know how to kow tow, and so seem haughty, and fakey hi-so,

but still touchable, and need bringing down a notch.

'If I can bring them down below me, and make some scratch in the process ,

I have a good story to tell the mia noi, before I bang her senseless and drive home.'

King Power has really dropped the ball here, regardless of if they

THINK they have addressed this issue properly... They haven't.

Stopping it from continuing would be properly handled.

Mr. K.P. is close to the top guys now, all he need do is have a quiet word,

and half that local police station are transfered to Suburban Chaing Rai,

and the security staff rotated to Doi Itanon to watch the crop researchers.

Clearly that word was not had.

I go through the airport 8-15 times a year at least.

I went through 3 times last week alone...

I very carefully walked dead center line between all King Power counters.

No chance I am even on their cameras near counters.

Tough luck, no business from me or my friends anymore,

I no longer trust KP staff enough to do business there.

Maybe KP has stopped worrying about the income from expats living here

but we go through the airport more than most tourists and King Power

by letting this slide as they have, are losing ALL their local trade....

Expats talk to other expats, and they ALL have friends flying in to visit.

Shop lifting is a big problem for sure. But extorting the ALLEGED culprits,

does NOT cure that one bit, it just RUINS Thailands rep another notch.

A good scare IN the Airport, a fast fine 5 times the cost of the item,

and kick them out, would suffice. IF caught WITH the item 20m

or more away, not two feet outside of a UN-DRAWN line.

It's not like this isn't INSIDE a secured airport they can be found.

(What is with this 'well stocked' cash machine IN THE POLICE STATION...???)

I hope the Danes also check Asian country's embassies too.

What expat would shop at KP anyway. All they sell is overpriced souvenirs etc.

And by the way - why just leave it to the Danes. After all there are only just over 5.000.000 inhabitants!

[turbog3]

A quick calculation of the sums mentioned in the article about the British couple:

The couple payed £ 7 500.

Tony had 'helped' 150 people so far this year.

Provided Tony manage to extract £ 7 500 from every person he 'helps', that gives us:

£ 7 500 * 150 victims = £ 1 125 000 - so far this year...

That means per year: £ 2 250 000.

That roughly translates to Baht 125 000 000.... 125 million Baht... That buys a lot of Tea!!!

Even when we take into account that Tony might exaggerate his number of victims and maybe not every victim pays as much, does anyone here think that Tony and the Police commander are the only people involved - or that this is likely to be stopped any time soon???

Score one for Team LOS

[balo]

Its a disgrace , I never shop taxfree anymore in Thailand.

And how difficult is it for someone to find Tony and his gang and arrest them.

[nakachalet]

to samjaidee living in vietnam

in reference to the video shown this evening by channel 5, the video narrator went on to say that the couple was arrested when they were in an eatery, sitting at different tables.

when the man saw the arrest of the lady, he walked away but was later arrested too. the shoplifted item (it looked like a dark wallet to me) was not found on the couple when searched. the missing item from the shop was later found in a trash can.

and in reference to the poll, just set up by thaitv--it needs to be much more specific for the poll to be meaningful. pls have someone from statistics 101 tries his/her hand on it.... lol (i like thaitv ok)

[faranginexile]

easy enough...

I will never buy anything or enter the duty free stores in the airport. I would gather that if you never enter the store you cant be accused of shoplifting.

Perhaps not a real solution to the problem, but it is certainly the one I will use.

Sadly, easier said than done. This report sent chills down my spine, as I recalled that, departing SVB/BKK just last week, one of my kids (2.5 year old daughter) wandered into a duty-free area (in many cases, there aren't real walls separating commercial from airport sections), picked up some merchandise to show it to me and, in so doing, crossed the imaginary line separating the shop from the airport itself. We walked her back to where it came from with no consequences, but after reading this, count ourselves lucky. You are right, though, that the duty free area is apparently to be avoided as a general rule.

[skippybangkok]

Well, I'm coming to Asia for 3 weeks...only 6 days of which I'll spend in LOS.

I'm off to Bali instead. The writings on the wall....

RAZZ

Kaboom

[Prajak]

Even when you shoplift you have rights. A lawyer, a fair trial, and no extorsion of money, and beeing locked in a filthy hotel room. That's called kidnapping. But there the guards and the police have their own ways. They maybe get a %, maybe so do the cashiers at KP shops. Give a large client a packet of cigarettes (has happened), "free for you", and let them burn in a cell. I do not believe KP is not involved. And the shareholders are.....

Now two EU countries have warned their citizens. It won't take long until all EU countries do the same to their citizens. And all EU travel agents will know too. So people from the EU will avoid the (expensive) KP shop.

Corruption is a part of Thai life. This is Thailand. But I will avoid KP. And tell everyone.

[ukrules]

Bullshit.

I was duped by this sad, sad story. I was so incensed that I went to KingPower's web site to write them a nasty note (http://www.kingpower.com/2009/index.php) when I see they are running the videos.

The Chinese broad STOLE the wallet and the Brit puffter helped her do it.

They ought to get jail time - they are screwing it up for the rest of us.

You are completely missing the point here.

The point is that it is completely unacceptable to extort large sums of money from people regardless of whether they have committed a petty crime or not.

King Power employees MUST know about this and be complicit in the extortion. There is likely a kick back to the manager of the store or this wouldn't happen.

If King Power claim this isn't the case then maybe they would like to explain why none of the shoplifters are prosecuted and the cases mysteriously dropped by the police despite the evidence. They publish this video evidence of the British guy yet took no action, this demonstrates that someone inside the company knows all about it, why else would they allow them to go free when they have the evidence to secure a conviction and compensation through the courts.

This story will help to destroy King Power, and rightly so.

[Gary A]

A thief is a thief and they should be punished, HOWEVER, extortion is extortion and that should result in extreme punishment. The corruption is getting worse and it goes from top to bottom. It appears that the powers that be have absolutely no shame and don't seem to care who knows or how much damage it does to the country.

[Richie1971]

A few months ago, I read the travel advice given by a few embassies. Most of this advice was about the same things you read in many travel books: never point with your feet, how to wai, do not touch the head etc.

I think the Danish embassy has done the right thing. More embassies should do so. The problem is that embassies are more interested in the economic relations of their country with Thailand than with the fate of their citizens staying here.

Nevertheless, what is on paper has to be recorded and is annoying to them.

Therefore it is not a bad idea if foreigners who stay here comment on the so called travel advice of their embassy. A good written comment about the real dangers facing tourists in Thailand might even get your national press. Do not exaggerate, stick to the facts. Do not let the paranoia of TV influence you. After all, would you rather stay in Chechnya?

Just found this on the Thailand Travel advice on www.fco.gov.uk

You should also be careful to observe demarcation lines between shops and stalls, particularly in market areas and at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Taking items from one shop’s area to another is likely to be treated by shop staff as suspected theft. You may be arrested by the police and asked to pay a substantial fine and/or face imprisonment.

[Mrjlh]

The video is pretty clear as to what happen! There's no deception here. It's posted on Youtube. Again people start bashing without knowing all the facts. Fairly standard on the board.

youtube.com/watch?v=RbEN13z9Be0

[samjaidee]

to samjaidee living in vietnam

in reference to the video shown this evening by channel 5, the video narrator went on to say that the couple was arrested when they were in an eatery, sitting at different tables.

when the man saw the arrest of the lady, he walked away but was later arrested too. the shoplifted item (it looked like a dark wallet to me) was not found on the couple when searched. the missing item from the shop was later found in a trash can.

and in reference to the poll, just set up by thaitv--it needs to be much more specific for the poll to be meaningful. pls have someone from statistics 101 tries his/her hand on it.... lol (i like thaitv ok)

I've amended my post having seen the video. There's not much doubt she stole it.

[Serpico]

to samjaidee living in vietnam

in reference to the video shown this evening by channel 5, the video narrator went on to say that the couple was arrested when they were in an eatery, sitting at different tables.

when the man saw the arrest of the lady, he walked away but was later arrested too. the shoplifted item (it looked like a dark wallet to me) was not found on the couple when searched. the missing item from the shop was later found in a trash can.

and in reference to the poll, just set up by thaitv--it needs to be much more specific for the poll to be meaningful. pls have someone from statistics 101 tries his/her hand on it.... lol (i like thaitv ok)

I've amended my post having seen the video. There's not much doubt she stole it.

I agree. And the cops exploit it. These people were terrorized by airport Police!

[ukrules]

The video is pretty clear as to what happen! There's no deception here. It's posted on Youtube. Again people start bashing without knowing all the facts. Fairly standard on the board.

youtube.com/watch?v=RbEN13z9Be0

You're right, it's crystal clear, I'll summarise it for you :

Hundreds of tourists have been accused of shoplifting (irrelevant if they did it or not), instead of being booked and charged with a minor offence something else happens.

Then they are kidnapped and falsely imprisoned in a hotel while the corrupt officials and a foreign outsider who masquerades as a negotiator attempt to extort as much money as they can from you with threats of further imprisonment if you don't comply. A payment is then made by the victim and then they are released.

It seems very clear to me.

[mrtoad]

The whole way it has been handled is a disgrace, and the fact that there appears to have been nothing done to deal with the blatant extortion only makes matters worse. The usual way of trying to shift blame rules here.

I don't believe for one moment that Sri Lankan Tony isn't "working" without tacit approval of his corrupt buddies.

[block2]

Coming here you get rippedoff and now even leaving. Amazing Thailand land of smiles. Ha Ha.Only when they have the chance to ripp you off.Green shirts here we come.

Green Shirts..I'm intrigued..tell me more!!

[Richie1971]

to samjaidee living in vietnam

in reference to the video shown this evening by channel 5, the video narrator went on to say that the couple was arrested when they were in an eatery, sitting at different tables.

when the man saw the arrest of the lady, he walked away but was later arrested too. the shoplifted item (it looked like a dark wallet to me) was not found on the couple when searched. the missing item from the shop was later found in a trash can.

and in reference to the poll, just set up by thaitv--it needs to be much more specific for the poll to be meaningful. pls have someone from statistics 101 tries his/her hand on it.... lol (i like thaitv ok)

I've amended my post having seen the video. There's not much doubt she stole it.

Is it the right video though? I've had a look at it and think the lady on the video is significantly slimmer than the photographs of the lady in the press. It may be my eyes though - If your reputation as a business might be tarnished would'nt you be tempted to make a reconstruction video? TIT after all

[jsdwd]

Undecided on whether the couple are guilty or not, but don't believe King Power (as in the company) to be a part of the subsequent extortion attempts by the police.

This year has given Abhisit plenty of reasons for complete police reform from the top down. As much as it's a daunting task it's starting to cost Thailand dearly.

This is hilarious. How do you think Abhisit got his job? The decades old entrenched interests of Bangkok (not even Thailand) are back at the controls. They stole the government right out from under the noses of the people. Declared themselves in charge (they certainly weren't elected), spit on the constitution and re-established the old power structure which means virtually all the illegal activity in Thailand is either under the control of the police or the army.

That acts of public extortion have become a commonplace right in the airport is a measure of how secure they feel.

You may not like Thaksin, but he's like a day at the beach compared to these thieves.

[yantzen]

I was in the hurry from International to Domestic. Just around the corner, early in the morning, the airport was nearly empty, two Thai in uniform ask me, seeing my yellow bag: You from Amsterdam and have whisky? With a big smile I told him, no, I don't drink, and goes my way!

[cracker1]

Wasn't King Power supposed to be kicked out in the first place ?

It seems like a couple of years ago that King Power were going to be taken to the Thai Courts because they (supposedly) may have bribed officials to give them the sole rights to trade at the new airport. They effectively gather money from EVERY retail outlet including Burger King, Coffee shops, gift shops, and liquor and tobacco outlets. They also blocked many emergency exits from the building that still remain BLOCKED

Not sure if you have ever tried to buy Thai cigarettes or Samsong at the airports but they are very hard to find and in the case of Sangsom that is about 210 TB at Tesco and 7/11 (duty paid) at King Power is near 280 TB duty free ! Shop any other place but give King Power a miss.

[Serpico]

Undecided on whether the couple are guilty or not, but don't believe King Power (as in the company) to be a part of the subsequent extortion attempts by the police.

This year has given Abhisit plenty of reasons for complete police reform from the top down. As much as it's a daunting task it's starting to cost Thailand dearly.

This is hilarious. How do you think Abhisit got his job? The decades old entrenched interests of Bangkok (not even Thailand) are back at the controls. They stole the government right out from under the noses of the people. Declared themselves in charge (they certainly weren't elected), spit on the constitution and re-established the old power structure which means virtually all the illegal activity in Thailand is either under the control of the police or the army.

That acts of public extortion have become a commonplace right in the airport is a measure of how secure they feel.

You may not like Thaksin, but he's like a day at the beach compared to these thieves.

They took 76 billion of his money too. ...Then the Army gave themselves an 81 billion increase.

It's been a mess since the coup.

[Serpico]

dbl post

Edited July 20, 2009 by Serpico

[smokie36]

Wasn't King Power supposed to be kicked out in the first place ?

It seems like a couple of years ago that King Power were going to be taken to the Thai Courts because they (supposedly) may have bribed officials to give them the sole rights to trade at the new airport. They effectively gather money from EVERY retail outlet including Burger King, Coffee shops, gift shops, and liquor and tobacco outlets. They also blocked many emergency exits from the building that still remain BLOCKED

Not sure if you have ever tried to buy Thai cigarettes or Samsong at the airports but they are very hard to find and in the case of Sangsom that is about 210 TB at Tesco and 7/11 (duty paid) at King Power is near 280 TB duty free ! Shop any other place but give King Power a miss.

Haha yes marlboro lights are 'temporarily unavailable' every time I pass through international departures. How strange?

Lucky I stock up at foodland anyway coz its cheaper!

[vahack]

Bullshit.

I was duped by this sad, sad story. I was so incensed that I went to KingPower's web site to write them a nasty note (http://www.kingpower.com/2009/index.php) when I see they are running the videos.

The Chinese broad STOLE the wallet and the Brit puffter helped her do it.

They ought to get jail time - they are screwing it up for the rest of us.

wow thanks for the link to the videos. very clear about the brit couple.

amazing that the bbc didnt watch that video.

i thought they had more ethics than the press in my homeland USA.