Aot Beefs Up Security At Suvarnabhumi Airport

[stub]

What about; they will be fired, taken to court, sentenced and the contracted company that hired them will face legal consequences.

Its not a companys fault if an employee choose to steal.

Thailand sure has strange ways of dealing with its problem inhabitants.. Maybe there is no need to go through the legal system as they only stole form farang..

It is now. Now the companies accepting these contracts will need to improve employee screening, supervise and monitor. No more just hiring staff willing to take the risk and kickback to the company, getting the profits and being untouchable because 'we aren't responsible'. It would be wonderful if this sort of thinking spread to other areas where corruption has become endemic so the people paid to turn a blind eye become responsible for their actions and inactions.

Would you continue hiring a catering company whose cooks kept giving your customers food poisoning? Would you take a catering company to court whose business practices made food poisoning more likely to occur?

[JRinger]

another crackdown .. i think government have nothing else to do i reckon !

The Thaksin government was the government of hubs...every day it was announced that Thailand will be the hub of something.....

this will be the government of crackdowns....

...actually, when Thaksin was at the helm, there was a crackdown on public toilets.

[Beacher]

"The number of inspectors in the area would be boosted and an additional 165"

The only thing I see happening because of this is that theft will increase. There will now be 165 more people with their hands out ready for their portion of the booty.

Oh come on and stop being ridculous. Take the time to reread the quote:

The number of inspectors in the area would be boosted and an additional 165 surveillance cameras would be installed.

That's 165 more cameras, not 165 more people.

-Spode

Ya I guess I didn't read that correctly.

So, I wonder how many more inspectors will have their hands out waiting for their share.

BTW, What does ridculous mean? There's a word "ridiculous" in the English language, but surely you couldn't mean that. AH

Edited July 31, 2009 by Beacher

[namboy1]

Ive read all the previous posts which follow varying themes of it allways happens here and basically a Nation of thieves and corrupt officials, it then rolls on to the them and us broadsiding posters (ie if you dont like it stay out cos, we are all guests here).

But the point is thus, it is wrong cos we are all guests here nothing more (from expats to holiday makers) makes no diffierence, if you are here for 2 weeks or 20 years. Something has to be done its not about look at another nation and compare, its about look at where we are and how much value we lose in the eyes of others.

So i say its a good start, may not last but thats not the point. Real change only happens if you start to realise that you lose more in the longrun and when others move on and over you to other destinations.

Seems to be happening at the moment, when visitors are down and revenues are slipping. Bitter pill but all nations have to swallow it sometime eh!

Guys its NOT put up and shut up! Nothing is that simple. Thats my 2 baht anyway.

[hhiser]

another crackdown .. i think government have nothing else to do i reckon !

The Thaksin government was the government of hubs...every day it was announced that Thailand will be the hub of something.....

this will be the government of crackdowns....

Better that than being  the government of Crack or Crack Heads!

[manijohn]

You people have it all wrong. They are not baggage handlers they are baggage inspectors protecting Thailand from the possible importation of illegal contraband. If you want your confiscated items back just go to the same pawn shop you go to to buy back your Thai sweetheart's phone/gold you bought her from your last trip. Pay the fine there and all is well. LOS

[JRinger]

Ive read all the previous posts which follow varying themes of it allways happens here and basically a Nation of thieves and corrupt officials, it then rolls on to the them and us broadsiding posters (ie if you dont like it stay out cos, we are all guests here).

But the point is thus, it is wrong cos we are all guests here nothing more (from expats to holiday makers) makes no diffierence, if you are here for 2 weeks or 20 years. Something has to be done its not about look at another nation and compare, its about look at where we are and how much value we lose in the eyes of others.

So i say its a good start, may not last but thats not the point. Real change only happens if you start to realise that you lose more in the longrun and when others move on and over you to other destinations.

Seems to be happening at the moment, when visitors are down and revenues are slipping. Bitter pill but all nations have to swallow it sometime eh!

Guys its NOT put up and shut up! Nothing is that simple. Thats my 2 baht anyway.

You certainly said a mouthful ! Do you actually believe what you've said ? It's seems apparant that you haven't lived in Thailand long if at all. Perhaps spent most of your time around the tourist locations where even long time expats are treated as tourists.

I haven't been to Pattaya or any of the Islands for many years. 20 ago they weren't saturated with foreign investors, property developers, bar owners, restaurant entrepreneurs, etc., etc......away from all that is a different world where people do have respect for one another with little or no regards to color or creed....and anyway, no one said Thailand was paradise, only "amazing". ....oh, and one more thing....if you've come here to "change people" then best you get back on the boat. (that's if I read your post correctly, it was a bit confusing to be honest)

Edited July 31, 2009 by JRinger

[jitenshaman]

everybody needs his cut right, and they forgot the luggage thieves...

ur last surprise when you come home... if you did not end up in one of the other thai scemes to get rid of your useless baht's outside thailand...

so for tourists who plan to come here :

ripped on arrival

ripped with taxi fares

prepare to pay double in hotels, restaurants, shops ...

watch out for security that might accuse you with dropping a sigarette bud even you do not smoke ...

carefull when shopping in duty free, might end up in jail

what out of buying stuff or doing business with thais as you might fly out of a window (famous in pattaya)

watch out not to get robbed, shot, stabbed

watch out for ladyboys, aids, veneral deseases

etc...

CLASSIC POST.....So true. Thailand the land of lies and deception!

Must of what is being said here happens in the high tourist areas of phuket and Pattaya. Never hear of such problems in Chiangmai or the north of thailand. If you are going to hang around the sleaze dens then you have to expect all you get. People who go to such places are a magnet.

That's right, nothing ever happens in Chiang Mai outside of a few farangs being shot now and then.

[jonclark]

Stop whining or stay in your Falang country!

I log in to read the news, and maybe some more info about this, but all i see is whining...go home then if everything is that bad....or if you can't stick to topic, go post in SA instead.

Like most of you guys i choose to come here, why try to change this place then? Remember, you are all guests...

OK then apologists, why not take your "be happy to bend over and take it" approach through to its logical conclusion. Next time you get seriously ill, do nothing. People get sick and die all the time, it's the natural order of things. Why try to change it? Don't you dare whine about the need for more medical research or better hospitals ... and don't take your medicine. If you can't accept that then, well, you're not ready to be a human ... get outa here

The luggage theft issue in isolation is hardly life or death, but it is one visible facet of the obvious breakdown in law and order at Suv. airport, and clearly an element of the overall security issue. In this day and age who would amongst you would be so foolish as to suggest that airport security - which can affect ALL of us deeply - should be put to one side for some imagined fear of bruising Thai sensibilities. So save your "quite whining" signs for threads about how hot the food is here.

Well said - You are GUESTS - No i'm not; this is the home of me and my skinny white English arse. And being English I love to complain.

Another point to be made - if they're readily taking things out of bags - and presumably through a security checkpoint (no sniggering at the back) how easy would it be to put something IN your bags and then line the unsuspecting tourist up for a scam when they collect the bags from the carousel. Hmmm the mind boggles.

The KP scam been flagged up so no doubt they're looking for another scam to pull to make up for the money lost at KP.

[jeroentak]

Did anyone notice the comment lower in the Post article that the employee would get fired after he had stolen gear from bags 3 times!!??

The worker would be fired immediately. The contracting company after three times !!!!

It is normal that airports are contracting work out to other firms.

I checked in two bags at Suvarnabum last year. A nice bag witjh 33 kilo and small bag with 7 kilo.

The small bag made it to Europe and the big bag never made it to the airplane and disappeared.

[orosee]

I think we had enough clarifications of the "3 Strikes" misunderstanding by now - half this thread is composed of basically the same quote and reply

In addition to one statement I really liked - "read the lines, not between them" - I would add "check (to) the end of the thread before you reply, maybe someone else has already done your work

For those who read threads from the last post backwards, let me spoil the experience for you: "It's not the thief, it's the company that employs him/her!!!"

[Wolfie]

[leebeeUK]

'I'll take those bags for you, sir'... Edited July 31, 2009 by leebeeUK

[Berndcnx]

Are people really silly enuf to put their handy cams,the cameras, ipods, jewellery etc in the bag?

... is 150 % true. why peaple do that ??? But at least can be the reason, that they carry enough other stuff in their handbags and there is no place for a 17 " notebook. And why carry all that weight, if can get rid of it when you check in ?

At least I wonder more and more, that the "brandnew" airport gives thieves a chance to steel something from the bags. The bags have an ID, when you check in and they can be followed by scanners on their long way to the airplane. Why the software doesn´t make alarm, when this chain is broken and a bag suddenly disappears ??? Unbelievable, they plan 40 years and have these holes in their security. Think about the chance sombody has to put something in a bag, not only to steal ! ! ! !

... unbelievable ! ! !

[mgjackson69]

I am wondering what sort of things are getting stolen from the bags. Are people really silly enough to put valuables inside their checked baggage. I travel often out of Thailand and my bag has clothing in it, possibly a pair of shoes and towel or two. I would imagine that its not clothing that they are after.

Are people really silly enuf to put their handy cams,the cameras, ipods, jewellery etc in the bag? What do they carry onto the plane, invaluables?

Well, a co-worker had a nice pair of leather hiking shoes stolen out of his bag after check-in in Johannesburg...but at least the thief left his old shoes in return...a beat-up pair of brown wingtips with holes in the soles

[alstaxi]

3 strikes, 4 strikes, company, baggage guy,blah blah, Does anybody really think any thing different is going to come about from this? The 453rd crackdown , advertised, with start date and end date included in the announcement.

Airport crackdown is now being discussed , instead of h1n1, no tourists, restive south, pick a diversion.

LOC land of crackdowns.

[wackysleet]

Why don't you wait - wait until you've read the OP before you fire off your inaccurate Thai bashing post?

It says the thief gets fired when caught and then it says if it happens three times the employing company's contract gets terminated.

OK yes or not?

I've been through Swampy lots of times and I am stupid enough to put valuables in checked luggage and I've never had a problem. That's not to say there isn't one and the proposed measures sound good to me if implemented.

I wonder what the story is re baggage theft at Heathrow or JFK or wherever these days. Never happens I suppose.

Actually he wasn't the only one that misread the op, as I already posted that they made a mistake.

Some years ago Heathrow was nick named Thiefrow because of the amount of stealing that went on there but they did make an effort to clean up their act although it still goes on but at a much reduced rate.

[BSJ]

Thanks orosee, I was going to make a comment on that myself! Some people are in la la la land.

[joskydive]

Well, even though the AOT is still not accepting responsibility and blaming others, it's nice to know that they are attempting to do something about the situation.

As others have stated, it's not just about what has been stolen from luggage, it's what can be put inside the luggage aswell. I'm not just talking about drugs either. For that matter it could be a bomb next time. Who knows?

As for KP, it's nice to know that they are dealing with them at the same time.

[mgjackson69]

btw this is a huge problem at all major airports. so really until everyone fixes the problem its not a thai issue, its an airport issue worldwide

this a worldwide thing, its not only limited to thailand, as long as people work somewhere there are always going to be a rotten egg or two...

Yes - Chicago O'Hare used to be the worst...it you had more than an hour layover, it was almost certain that your luggage would be rifled. And if you had a long stay, such as weather delays? Now you have all those baggage handlers sitting around with nothing much to do...

In fact, O'Hare is the only place I have had anything stolen from my baggage.

[manjara]

Did anyone notice the comment lower in the Post article that the employee would get fired after he had stolen gear from bags 3 times!!??

Did anyone read the sentence correctly and realise that it was the company whose employees steal 3 times that would be fired!!!

sheeesh!

[AndyWeysham]

I've actually never heard that this is much of a problem. I'd much rather have them get rid of the touts in the lobby.

Agree with you, I've never had much problem either and I'd like to see the lobby cleaned up a bit. You don't see that at the Sing airport and their taxi system is so efficient. Singapore and Hong Kong airports should be model for all to copy.

[keyjor]

crazyswede, you have got it spot on.

If anybody does not want to loose stuff from their baggage. LOCK IT UP or take valuables as cabin luggage.

Good grief the mind boggles.

And STOP WHINING all the f***** time.

[reallyok]

I've actually never heard that this is much of a problem. I'd much rather have them get rid of the touts in the lobby.

Are you happy for the stealing from luggage to proceed ? as long as they get rid of touts.

Don't worry ! all thievers from baggage have been warned that they will be under extra surviellance, however they have not yet been given the "cut off date" of this surviellance. I expect that the new patrol officers will be clearly identified by a bright lime green uniform or something similiar.......lololol

Tiz only fair that they be informed seeing as how the illegal taxi operators were.

[john b good]

Why is this now news. It's been going on for years.

If there is a scam known to mankind Thai's have turned it into an art form

[tocliffy]

basically a big green light for all those who never even considered stealing from bags; 'well its ok to steal twice and get caught, after that i'll revert to honesty'

[Bearhawk07]

Did anyone notice the comment lower in the Post article that the employee would get fired after he had stolen gear from bags 3 times!!??

What they are trying to say is if three employees from the same agency get busted the agency will be fired.

[jamesjdaly]

With the thieves at London's Heathrow it's a wonder there is anything left at all the suitcases for the Thai baggage handlers to steal.

I'd much sooner trust the Heathrow staff than the Suwannapoom staff.

[mgjackson69]

basically a big green light for all those who never even considered stealing from bags; 'well its ok to steal twice and get caught, after that i'll revert to honesty'

This point has been made several times, but evidently not enough....

From the article:

:

:

AoT will act swiftly against staff caught stealing.

They will be fired and the contracted company that hired them will face legal consequences.

A firm whose staff steal from passengers' bags more than three times will have its contract terminated, Mr Piyaphan said.

:

:

I take this to read "An individual caught stealing will be fired. A company whose employees are caught stealing more than three times will have its contract terminated"

Evidently many here need to brush up on comprehension skills.

[neverdie]

basically a big green light for all those who never even considered stealing from bags; 'well its ok to steal twice and get caught, after that i'll revert to honesty'

YOU not READ the THREAD properly. You not read the 300 corrections already posted here to that exact issue. OMG

Edited July 31, 2009 by neverdie