Aot Beefs Up Security At Suvarnabhumi Airport

[Chris Bussell]

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.

I have flown into Bangkok airport appx 10 times every year since 1972, never lost any baggage.

I agree I have flown in both airports a number of times and made lots of perchases in duty free with out any problems. Having said that I always ask the assistant for the goods they are always very helpful and I never handle untill the goods are in the see through bag and payed for. If you use touts expect to be riped off? I always book the taxi before I fly. If delayed I ask the airline to telephone ahead and let the girlfriend know.

Every one is very helpful and I always look forward to traveling and being in Thailand.

[martinhuahin]

It's interesting that they are proposing to pass the costs on to King Power Duty Free.

Perhaps in light of recent reports on the BBC, more un-witting tourists will be arrested for "shoplifting" and fined to pay these added security costs.

The irony of this is quite incredible!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8154497.stm

-- BBC 20/07/2009

[neverdie]

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 ! ! !

A classic post, you say you have no room for your 17inch laptop with your carry on luggage, so you can be done with it by checking it in....too right you can be done with it,well and truely. <deleted> are you carrying onto the plane. I always manage to get on with my laptop and camera and my travel documents, wallets etc etc in one bag.

Are you one of those people trying to board the plane with a rolled up carpet or something, or is ur hand luggage full of dirty socks?

[thairay]

as i read it the company who has three instances of theft involving their employees will have the company contract cancelled..not a man can steal three times before being fired..

[Robbie3622]

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!

So true, so true... This is the unfortunate reality. As a friend once said, Thailand is a country full of con men.

if you think it is so bad why do you go there, just stay away and you will not get the pox, robbed, stabbed or shot, o and you can get all this in ENGLAND

[jamesjdaly]

Funny how all the Thailand defenders are newbies!! Give it a few years and your posts will be here too!!

By the way, get in some waiing practice, learn basic Thai phrases, hang out with Thai cops drinking all night and only eat the spiciest food you can get.

[Thailand]

AoT beefs up security at Suvarnabhumi

Baggage staff coming under closer scrutiny

The AoT board yesterday also approved a management plan to collect an extra 989 million baht in rent from the King Power group, which runs duty free shops at the airport. AoT demanded the extra rent after Suvarnabhumi airport found King Power's duty free outlets took up more retail space than stated in its contract with AoT.

-- Bangkok Post 2009-07-31

No doubt the extra space incorporates the lines that must not be crossed otherwise Tony and his compatriots will exact a fine.

Or perhaps the extra 989 million is to compensate aforementioned for loss of income following recent adverse publicity for their "business".

Personally never lost anything from luggage but then I leave nothing of value in it.

Edited July 31, 2009 by Thailand

[dubstar]

We always wonder why when we go to tland we always come home with more things missing then travels elsewhere, remarkably so. Now we know. Cheers.

Unfair. I have travelled in and out of Thailand many times and never had a thing missing.

[neverdie]

as i read it the company who has three instances of theft involving their employees will have the company contract cancelled..not a man can steal three times before being fired..

CONGRADULATIONS.....You are the 100th poster to clarify this in the last 130 posts. OMFG!

[Robbie3622]

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!!??

READ IT AGAIN THAT IS NOT WHAT IT SAYS

[dubstar]

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.

Hear hear.

[glegolo]

134 posts for this news.... this is really a big thing in our lifes. And "neverdie", sorry, you only had 1 post added to

your total number!!!

Lets go outside a while now guys..... there is a world outside!!

Glegolo

+++

[othmannorhisham]

Let's be clear that theft is not a problem limited to Thailand. In all major airports from the US to Australia and from Hong Kong to Europe people get robbed. It is good that the Thai authorities have recognized the problem and seem to work on it. All these negative comments make Suvanabhumi look bad. All frequent travellers know that on all airports worldwide the same problems exists. You get robbed by illegal taxi drivers anywhere, drugs are smuggled by crooked cleaners (who seem to make too little money anyhow, anywhere, luggage get stolen, valuables disappear and scams are in progress. Customs and immigration officers are bought in each and every country too. But as the Germans like to say: By uns zum hause is alles viel besser, which is obviously nonsense.

It would be a good thing to recognize that the airports in the countries where we come from are often less customer friendly and that authorities are surely often rude. I dare to say that Suvanbhumi is much better than stated in this for

I totally agree. Coming from LCCT Sepang in Malaysia, no problem at all.

[Jeii3000]

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!!??

Read it again, it says A firm whose staff steal from passengers' bags more than three times will have its contract terminated, Mr

Piyaphan said

LOL !!! Read guys...

[MUYTHAI]

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!!??

Can you people read and comprehend or am I missing something? The firm (company) will have its contract terminated when there are three different cases/instances of company staff (presumably three different people on three different occasions) stealing from baggage. Staff (employee) will be fired after one occurence of stealing... not three.

The OP states:

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.

[donmark]

1. 
   

   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.

   If you follow/search some of the posts here, you'll discover that this happens on a fairly regular basis. I've taken the advice of some of the posters and now secure my luggage not with locks, but with coloured cable ties. Seems to work just fine...no more broken locks, for a start.

   But agreed about the touts in the lobby, too

Baggage wrap...200bhatt. Baggage strap....£1.50. Just two precautions travellers should take for any trip anywhere. My baggage has been ripped and rifled at Heathrow (1997) locks broken at Budapest (2003) lost at Charles De Gaulle, Paris (2006) and never recovered. Despite all of the above I have never assumed that Brits. Hungarians or French people are all thieves, conmen and robbers. If the whiners who are constantly spouting off on these forums don't like Thialand why dont they move on?

[wichianburi1]

Wait, a thief gets two free passes before they are fired on the third botched attempt to rip us off?!? What kinda crazy rule is that out. This is not baseball, it's crime. We always wonder why when we go to tland we always come home with more things missing then travels elsewhere, remarkably so. Now we know. Cheers.

If you read the post carefully you will realize that it is not the thief who gets two free passes before he's fired but the company which employs such morons.

Regards.

[mango66]

They should look more in the case of duty free King Power !

Why complte area must be rented to 1 company only ?

Quiet clear ! No competition !

Free prices for Kings Power !

Does any one know who of Thai figures are behind that company ?

Some one told me, I should read the name carefully,

and i would know it ?

Dont leave your money in the duty free !

than it couldnt be stolen !

regards to LOS

franz

[ballbreaker]

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!!??

Yes, I missed that initially. I wonder how many times someone has actually stolen something before they get caught 3 times. What a joke.

Try reading it again. The thief will be fired right away and the contracting company will lose their contract after 3 theft incidents by their employees.

[OldenAtwoody]

AoT beefs up security at Suvarnabhumi

Baggage staff coming under closer scrutiny

BANGKOK: -- Airports of Thailand Plc is stepping up security to curb thefts from passenger baggage at Suvarnabhumi airport.

AoT chairman Piyaphan Champasut said the board had expressed concern at a meeting yesterday about reports of thefts in the airport's luggage handling system.

Several passengers have complained that valuables packed inside their bags had disappeared. They discovered the thefts when they collected their baggage from carousels at the airport.

Mr Piyaphan said AoT management had proposed to the board ways to curb luggage theft.

Stricter security measures would be imposed on staff in the airport's luggage sorting area.

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

A special task unit would also be set up to inspect the luggage handling process.

In addition, AoT plans to add 320 surveillance cameras to the airport's luggage handling area.

Luggage handlers must wear uniforms without pockets, and will be required to wear luminous vests with a tag clearly stating their name and unit at all times.

AoT also plans to make lockers available for luggage handlers to store their belongings.

The handlers will be searched when they enter and leave the luggage handling area.

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.

If luggage theft occurred, it was contracted staff who were responsible.

But the AoT had to shoulder the cost of stepping up security at the airport to tackle the problem.

AoT management has proposed that private firms pay a share of the airport's additional security costs, he said.

The AoT board yesterday also approved a management plan to collect an extra 989 million baht in rent from the King Power group, which runs duty free shops at the airport. AoT demanded the extra rent after Suvarnabhumi airport found King Power's duty free outlets took up more retail space than stated in its contract with AoT.

-- Bangkok Post 2009-07-31

The AOT "discovered" that KingPower was getting nearly a billion baht of free retail space?

SOMEBODY knew.

Wonder how much that was worth under the table.

[jamesjdaly]

If the whiners who are constantly spouting off on these forums don't like Thialand why dont they move on?

Yahooooooooooooooo! Another newbie who loves Thailand!! See my post above.

PS. Try a spelling check.

[ThaiFelix]

as i read it the company who has three instances of theft involving their employees will have the company contract cancelled..not a man can steal three times before being fired..

CONGRADULATIONS.....You are the 100th poster to clarify this in the last 130 posts. OMFG!

Ohhhh..I get it now. If 165 luggage handlers steal more than three items each then the contractor gets fired at and KP have to pay a billion baht fine but only three times.

Attention moderators! I think you need a new subforum with a title like err 'Reading English for Dummies'.

But on a serious note there could be another side to this. Luggage handlers could be putting stuff into your bags without you knowing. There are baggage handlers doing time in Australia who have admitted being part of a nationwide ring that smuggles drugs in passengers bags accross Australia. There is a famous case of a young girl who was caught in Bali with a large stash of weed unhidden in the top of her surf bag. Story goes that handlers put it in her bag in Perth? and were meant to intercept it and remove it in the east (where it is a lot more expensive) but a security crackdown prevented the handlers there from getting to the bag before it left for Bali. Possibly the same thing happens here with Ya baa etc. Just a thought.

[TAWP]

I would love it if someone put a huge siren-solution into a bad that started blaring as soon as someone cracked the lock and opened the bag.

[caf]

Let's be clear that theft is not a problem limited to Thailand. In all major airports from the US to Australia and from Hong Kong to Europe people get robbed. It is good that the Thai authorities have recognized the problem and seem to work on it. All these negative comments make Suvanabhumi look bad. All frequent travellers know that on all airports worldwide the same problems exists. You get robbed by illegal taxi drivers anywhere, drugs are smuggled by crooked cleaners (who seem to make too little money anyhow, anywhere, luggage get stolen, valuables disappear and scams are in progress. Customs and immigration officers are bought in each and every country too. But as the Germans like to say: By uns zum hause is alles viel besser, which is obviously nonsense.

It would be a good thing to recognize that the airports in the countries where we come from are often less customer friendly and that authorities are surely often rude. I dare to say that Suvanbhumi is much better than stated in this for

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thefts occur in all airports. Correct

But this and associated threads are about Thai airports and Suvarnabhumi in particular. Have you not been following the last few weeks news?

Have you not been following the lastv few years news re KP Swampy and Tea Money

[SiriusBlack1]

Think one of us should tell these clowns that in a proper country, you don't have crackdowns, you just have *laws*, which are applied and complied with consistently?

/You tell 'em

//No, you tell 'em

/No not me, you tell 'em...

[zzaa09]

I would love it if someone put a huge siren-solution into a bad that started blaring as soon as someone cracked the lock and opened the bag.

Oh sure....that would go over real well with established convention. Not.

[fxe1200]

I would love it if someone put a huge siren-solution into a bad that started blaring as soon as someone cracked the lock and opened the bag.

Not a good idea, just imagine the unbearable noise at the airport!

[Berndcnx]

@ neverdie

... first read and then answer ! ! !

A classic post, you say you have no room for your 17inch laptop with your carry on luggage, so you can be done with it by checking it in....too right you can be done with it,well and truely. <deleted> are you carrying onto the plane. I always manage to get on with my laptop and camera and my travel documents, wallets etc etc in one bag.

Are you one of those people trying to board the plane with a rolled up carpet or something, or is ur hand luggage full of dirty socks?

... no ! ! , I didn´t say, I carry ........ .. and sure, everybody, who flies has to carry his traveldocuments. If not he will not be able to enter the gate, right ? !

... and it isn´t your business, what I carry in my handback ! ! ! !

More important is my idea, what can happen, if somebody puts something in my bag ! ... Where is the security in this case ? We must pass several scanners to be sure that we are "clean"

.... but what is happening with our luggage in the "underground" of Suvanabhumi ????

[thaimate]

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.

actually it is a problem,twice on returning from Britain my bags have been gone through and stuff stolen ,last time my bag arrived on the carousell open with belongings spilling out.

[donmark]

If the whiners who are constantly spouting off on these forums don't like Thialand why dont they move on?

Yahooooooooooooooo! Another newbie who loves Thailand!! See my post above.

PS. Try a spelling check.

I may be a newbie here but I can assure you that I am no stranger to Thailand. I would venture that I have more experience of the country than you having lived in Chiang Mai and Karon(when Karon was not the developed tourist centre that it is now. I suppose the fact that you are a long time member of these forums entitles you to ridicule anyone who has recently joined. My question is relevant. If you don't like it why don;t you push off!!

Thanks for correcting the typo!