How is BKK these days? Have they cleaned up the touts/customs/shoplifting problems yet ?

No its downright dangerous still and I wouldnt advise anyone flying in through Swampy. Better take the train.

Sod that! I don't know where you are coming in from but if I were you I would walk in through Burma (Myanmar) and swim over the river rather than enter through swampy!

Sorry I was not being serious. It's an airport, if you want to come to Thailand then use the airport, the scams etc are few and far between when you consider how many passengers travel through there every day. You have significantly more chance of being run over by a pickup once you have negotiated the airport than actually having any problems at the airport.

I never fully understood why the AOT felt the need to advertise so much, "flying somewhere? come to the airport!".

I also like the big billboards advertising certain hospitals "heart attack? come to xxx hospital"

I don't know much about much but if I were having a heart attack I would probably think about going to a hospital, ANY HOSPITAL, and when I want to fly somewhere I generally go to the airport, the reason for this is that it is normally quite difficult to take a flight from places other than the airport.

I'm on my way to the airport this morning.

Lucky I brought a belt with some gold sovereigns sewn inside to avoid any unfortunate mishaps.