'Drugs planted on Australian couple' in Thailand

[Larry001]

Another example of Thailand going to the dregs. Was shocked yesterday when a Thai lady friend said to me that she sees Thailand being taken over by all their neighbouring countries because of the ever increasing violence and crime in this country. They will wake up when its too late. A huge noticeable difference over the past 5 years

[Thai at Heart]

More bad news for Thailand and it's tourism money maker.

I look forward to the TAT's spin on this one...

The gulity parties planting these drugs were not Thai, quite obviously its was the Burmese drug barons..

I bet TAT are sending the cleaners in as we speak. With 30K+ Aussie tourists arriving in Thailand every month that is a lot of baht. I will put down 10 bucks that a culprit/fall guy is arrested in the next 2 days. Anyone want to raise? TAT have to squash this news story sweeping across Australia.

The story was just on the Aussie news again and they also mentioned the scam involving the two Italian tourists last week, I'm guessing this story is going to get bigger in Australia.

Just a little step closer to chaos every day.

[pattayadingo]

The thing missing from this article is if the couple packed their own bags, when the locks were "locked", when they noticed the locks were missing, and if the couple were in possession of their luggage the whole time that the bags were locked. They obviously were not if the locks were cut, but establishing this would quickly narrow down the places and periods of time which the locks could have been cut and who would have been responsible.

If you located such items in your luggage at the airport and you declared it, would one still be charged with possession? My concern is that in the Kingdom there would be little consideration given to honest declaration, which I am sure has caused huge complications for some in the past who are forced to traffic drugs by international drug gangs but do not want to.

My initial thoughts too.

I pack my bags at home and add a small lock. From home to check-in the bags are never out of my sight so they cannot be tampered with.

With this couple, where were their bags allegedly tampered with?

Is this some story made up? Maybe there is some detail missing because you check your bags before you leave the hotel or wherever you are staying and before check-in at the airport.

Why did they miss their flight? You have ages after check-in to get the flight.

Sounds odd to me.

[TomTao]

Its a good thing they noticed the damage to thier luggage, if they hadn't then they could have become victims of extortion, or worse, found themselves residing at the Bangkok Hilton for a few years. This is the reason I pay a little extra and get my luggage wrapped at the airport.

 

I never understood the point of plastic wrapping your checked-in luggage.

In many countries Customs have the right to open you luggage in the back area after you've checked in at your point of departure, don't they ?

Plastic-wrapped, locked or not !!

I don't know about other countries, but in Australia the customs officers ask you to remove the plastic wrap in front of them, then if there is anything in your luggage you cannot blame them.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[webfact]

UPDATE:

Aussie couple in Bangkok bag-tamper drug scam scare

BANGKOK: -- A Melbourne couple say they were fortunate not to have fallen victim to tough Thai drug laws after marijuana was planted in their luggage.

About to check in for a flight from Phuket to Bangkok, the couple noticed their bags were overweight, but it wasn't until they realised that one of the bags was missing a lock that they thought something was strange.

We spent two days in Bangkok washing all our clothes and changing our suitcases just to make sure we didn't have any more marijuana on us.

"Georgia" told radio station 3AW on Monday that not only was the lock missing but part of her boyfriend's suitcase had been cut through.

They took their bags to a nearby hotel and, after a search, found marijuana in a small pocket of a bag inside Georgia's suitcase.

Full story: http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-incidents/aussie-couple-in-bangkok-bagtamper-drug-scam-scare-20130826-2skug.html

-- THE AGE 2013-08-26

[thaibeachlovers]

The link looks broken Webfact, page not found.

If there's any truth in this story that's both appalling and terrifying. That would be my ultimate travelers nightmare.

Incidentally I have noticed an increase in bags being tampered with. I went for four years without my bags being opened in transit and the last three trips have seen them opened. Customs are entitled to check the bags in transit, but I'd prefer if they put a sticker on the bag saying "Security checked and cleared in Glasgow/ Dubai / BKK" or whatever. I don't like the idea of nameless people rummaging around in my bags.

I had a soft bag cut open at SB on arrival some years back. So far as I can tell, nothing was taken ( no valuables in the bag ), but it raises the possibility that something could be planted with me being targeted at customs.

I advise anyone having had their bag opened prior to pick up to do a thorough check before transiting customs to ensure they aren't being fitted up.

[impulse]

Knowing absolutely nothing about either of these folks, I can't dismiss the possibility that he had some weed for personal use and did not want her to know.

Or she had some weed for her glaucoma and did not want him to know she was putting them both at risk of the Thai penalties for stupidity.

That makes as much sense as a random stranger planting a few grams of weed, for whatever purpose.

They were checking into their flight and decided to high tail it to a hotel instead? Just because their bag didn't look right? With today's airline penalties for changing flights?

If someone planted the weed, I suspect they wouldn't have made it out of the airport unmolested.

Edited August 26, 2013 by impulse

[Mario2008]

It was a domestic flight, thus no customs. Only the security checks with x-ray machines.

If only a few grams, it will have been planted for a bribe.

[tingtong]

the story is full of holes...

if i go from my hotel to airport to fly, there is little way someone will have chance to touch the bag before i check in.

not to mention to cut any locks, or such.

not to mention to be around to plant anything.

still, if i would find my bag tampered before check in, i wouldnt go to a local hotel to check in to check what happened, but check on the spot what is wrong.

could call the airport security or police, i dont see what it different from that calling police from the hotel.

there is no proof of anything here, just their words, so, i am a bit sceptic.

would bet these happen to be travellers in the younger age bracket, surprisingly...so, maybe just had a wild night party and forgot that they packed some for the afterparty too...and came late regret with the story to tell.

no one even saw there was a lock, really, <deleted>.

[webfact]

Phuket:

Australians dodge suspected dope scam

PHUKET: -- In a bizarre incident an Australian couple allege that their travel bags were opened and marijuana stashed inside one of them as a prelude to a scam intended to extract large amounts of money from them.

The couple, who have not been named, believe they were being set up for an arrest on drug smuggling charges when they went through Customs at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

They had been on holiday in Phuket and had reached Bangkok on their way home. In the capital they left their bags in the hotel’s storage space before going for a walk around Bangkok, “Gloria” explained to 3AW, a local radio station in their home town, Melbourne.

In Phuket they had noticed that their bags were overweight. In Bangkok, taking another look to see what they might jettison to get the weight down, they saw that one of Gloria’s bags had a lock missing, while her boyfriend’s bag had been cut through.

By now suspicious, they checked the bags thoroughly and found marijuana in a small pocket of a bag inside Georgia’s suitcase.

Gloria said they called the Australian embassy who advised them to throw the bags away and to change their travel plans.

Instead of getting on the plane as scheduled, she said, “We spent two days in Bangkok washing all our clothes and changing our suitcases just to make sure we didn’t have any more marijuana on us,” Georgia said.

She told 3AW that she suspects she and her boyfriend were intended to be victims of a scam to extract large amounts of money from them.

“I do think it’s about money more than anything else,” Georgia said.

“We’re just very lucky we didn’t board that flight because who knows what could have happened to us if we had?”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-australians-dodge-suspected-dope-scam-41561.php


-- Phuket News 2013-08-26

[impulse]

It was a domestic flight, thus no customs. Only the security checks with x-ray machines.

If only a few grams, it will have been planted for a bribe.

You forgot the dogs....

I had a laugh in China a few years back when my male puppy peed on my carry-on bag. I cleaned it the best I could, but you just can't get rid of it 100%, and that was a great carry-on- too good to toss.

Went through Beijing security on my way back from the USA and the drug dogs went berserk on my bag. They waved me through anyway- not even a second look..

[Songhua]

UPDATE:

Aussie couple in Bangkok bag-tamper drug scam scare

BANGKOK: -- A Melbourne couple say they were fortunate not to have fallen victim to tough Thai drug laws after marijuana was planted in their luggage.

About to check in for a flight from Phuket to Bangkok, the couple noticed their bags were overweight, but it wasn't until they realised that one of the bags was missing a lock that they thought something was strange.

We spent two days in Bangkok washing all our clothes and changing our suitcases just to make sure we didn't have any more marijuana on us.

"Georgia" told radio station 3AW on Monday that not only was the lock missing but part of her boyfriend's suitcase had been cut through.

They took their bags to a nearby hotel and, after a search, found marijuana in a small pocket of a bag inside Georgia's suitcase.

Full story: http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-incidents/aussie-couple-in-bangkok-bagtamper-drug-scam-scare-20130826-2skug.html

-- THE AGE 2013-08-26

I have no reason to doubt their story but here's what I don't understand:

They were checking in at HKT, thought something was amiss and quickly checked into a nearby hotel (near HKT airport?). They found a handful of weed, called the embassy and were told to get rid of it and their bags. They were still afraid of remaining traces being found .... but they waited until they got to BKK to change the cases and wash their clothes?

Did they take a bus to BKK instead of flying?

[chrisinth]

There is no evidence that the drugs were planted to demand a bribe from the victims. Using unsuspected travelers is a well known way to smuggle things. A scarry expeirence nonetheless, as the consequences for them when caught would have been very serious.

You think it was a gift?

It was a handful of weed. That is not someone trying to use someone's bag for smuggling.

Clearly not an attempt by a 3rd party to smuggle but to set them up. Interestingly, the Embassy basically told them to dump it, buy new suitcases and clean their clothes and content of the cases to prevent any detection by search dogs. Seems the Embassy figured not much chance of convincing the authorities it was just a plant.

Not really very good advice unless they plan to dump all their possessions as well. You can brush your clothes off but the residue will remain, and any 'sniffer' will detect it.

Unless of course the 'sniffer' is part of the GT200 family......................

[krisb]

What hotel did they stay in?

[chooka]

the story is full of holes...

if i go from my hotel to airport to fly, there is little way someone will have chance to touch the bag before i check in.

not to mention to cut any locks, or such.

not to mention to be around to plant anything.

still, if i would find my bag tampered before check in, i wouldnt go to a local hotel to check in to check what happened, but check on the spot what is wrong.

could call the airport security or police, i dont see what it different from that calling police from the hotel.

there is no proof of anything here, just their words, so, i am a bit sceptic.

would bet these happen to be travellers in the younger age bracket, surprisingly...so, maybe just had a wild night party and forgot that they packed some for the afterparty too...and came late regret with the story to tell.

no one even saw there was a lock, really, <deleted>.

Yep it was just a big plan by these two to bring down Thailand and their tourism industry. Drugs would never ever be planted on anyone especially a tourist and the BIB definitely wouldn't kidnap Italians and try to extort money from them on fake claims of credit card fraud.

These two should be totally ashamed of themselves, they should have waited at least until they were caught with the drugs before coming up with this bullshite story.

[Jdietz]

Lesson learnt: Do not be rude to hotel staff, it may backfire.

[terryp]

they were flying from BKK to HKT...cancelled flight checkin when they susspected something was wrong and checked into Novotel at Swampy to check the bags and found the Ganga

[chooka]

UPDATE:

Aussie couple in Bangkok bag-tamper drug scam scare

BANGKOK: -- A Melbourne couple say they were fortunate not to have fallen victim to tough Thai drug laws after marijuana was planted in their luggage.

About to check in for a flight from Phuket to Bangkok, the couple noticed their bags were overweight, but it wasn't until they realised that one of the bags was missing a lock that they thought something was strange.

We spent two days in Bangkok washing all our clothes and changing our suitcases just to make sure we didn't have any more marijuana on us.

"Georgia" told radio station 3AW on Monday that not only was the lock missing but part of her boyfriend's suitcase had been cut through.

They took their bags to a nearby hotel and, after a search, found marijuana in a small pocket of a bag inside Georgia's suitcase.

Full story: http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-incidents/aussie-couple-in-bangkok-bagtamper-drug-scam-scare-20130826-2skug.html

-- THE AGE 2013-08-26

I have no reason to doubt their story but here's what I don't understand:

They were checking in at HKT, thought something was amiss and quickly checked into a nearby hotel (near HKT airport?). They found a handful of weed, called the embassy and were told to get rid of it and their bags. They were still afraid of remaining traces being found .... but they waited until they got to BKK to change the cases and wash their clothes?

Did they take a bus to BKK instead of flying?

I you listen to the woman tell the story she says they were going to catch a flight from Bangkok to Phuket. They didn't leave Bangkok and were still there this morning when 3AW spoke to her on the phone. The woman sounds like a decent everyday aussie definitely not a bogan.

[NongKhaiKid]

There is no evidence that the drugs were planted to demand a bribe from the victims. Using unsuspected travelers is a well known way to smuggle things. A scarry expeirence nonetheless, as the consequences for them when caught would have been very serious.

You think it was a gift?

It was a handful of weed. That is not someone trying to use someone's bag for smuggling.

Clearly not an attempt by a 3rd party to smuggle but to set them up. Interestingly, the Embassy basically told them to dump it, buy new suitcases and clean their clothes and content of the cases to prevent any detection by search dogs. Seems the Embassy figured not much chance of convincing the authorities it was just a plant.

Who better than an Embassy to know what's going on and the advice to couple speaks volumes on how much trust and respect for Thai authorities and how they operate.

[Songhua]

Thanks terryp and chooka

[Thaddeus]

i wouldnt go to a local hotel to check in to check what happened, but check on the spot what is wrong.

could call the airport security or police, i dont see what it different from that calling police from the hotel.

If I found a suspicious substance in my luggage, the Thai Police or Thai Airport Security would be the last people I would call ..... heck, they wouldn't even be on the list.

[NongKhaiKid]

More bad news for Thailand and it's tourism money maker.

I look forward to the TAT's spin on this one...

It will be ignored anything negative usually is.

[Thai at Heart]

i wouldnt go to a local hotel to check in to check what happened, but check on the spot what is wrong.

could call the airport security or police, i dont see what it different from that calling police from the hotel.

If I found a suspicious substance in my luggage, the Thai Police or Thai Airport Security would be the last people I would call ..... heck, they wouldn't even be on the list.

Indeed that would represent the behaviour if a farang tingtong

[Kommiekat]

I had the same sinking feeling awhile back coming back from the US. Got back to BKK and found the lock on my suitcase missing. And the strap I had tucked inside was missing. Got home and found a note from Homeland Security saying they had cut open the lock (never mentioned the strap they kept for themselves) and it was my problem if anything was stolen or missing. And what if someone put something INSIDE, as happened to these people, well, that was my problem, too. Get to Asia and get the death penalty for "smuggling" drugs, all because Homeland Security makes your suitcase a target of opportunity by cutting off the locks.

Are they not responsible for any damage to your bags and articles within?

Once, the under wheel got ripped off. The airline was nice enough to repair, though it took a month to get it back.

At the least, I got that response from the Airline.

I once had something sent to me by mail when I was living in Japan.

Something broke inside during delivery. Post Office called me in to inspect it and asked if I needed compensation.

I said "No, no problems." At the least, I got that from the PO.

I always wondered about people who are pulled out of line for an inspection, especially the Oral cavity checks, and end up missing their flight and on top of that, found innocent.

Who pays for that?

So Gov can damage your property and cause you to miss your flight and have NO responsibility?

Sucks.

[Jasun]

Scary. Or maybe they just had a change of heart.

[Pui]

The link looks broken Webfact, page not found.

If there's any truth in this story that's both appalling and terrifying. That would be my ultimate travelers nightmare.

Incidentally I have noticed an increase in bags being tampered with. I went for four years without my bags being opened in transit and the last three trips have seen them opened. Customs are entitled to check the bags in transit, but I'd prefer if they put a sticker on the bag saying "Security checked and cleared in Glasgow/ Dubai / BKK" or whatever. I don't like the idea of nameless people rummaging around in my bags.

Link works for me.

Yes this has got to be the ultimate travellers nightmare. Just imagine for a second being pulled becuase someone in customs actually put stuff IN your luggage. My god, thats got to be the scariest thing in the world.

[TheGhostWithin]

Who pays for that?

I always wondered about people who are pulled out of line for an inspection, especially the Oral cavity checks, and end up missing their flight and on top of that, found innocent.

So Gov can damage your property and cause you to miss your flight and have NO responsibility?

Sucks.

The rules in SE Asia appear to be different. 3-4 years ago I took a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Penang (Malaysian domestic). Upon arrival I realized that my phone had been stolen from where it was resting between my legs, probably by the friendly man sitting beside me. I had in flight travel insurance, they refused to refund.

Upon picking up my bags, I noted that someone had cut a 30-40cm hole in the side of the bag with a knife or something similar.. I had travel insurance so thought I was set. I filed a claim after waiting in a long line for a long time.

A few days later, I got a call at 2am (yes, 2AM from the airline whose country I was in) to inform me that my insurance claim had been refused because I did not have a receipt for the luggage which was damaged, and that they did not insure items which were carried on-board on my personal during flight.

There are consumer rights, and then there are consumer rights in Asia. They are very different things I have discovered.

Edited August 26, 2013 by TheGhostWithin

[chooka]

These people didn't contact the media, they told their story to family back home who then contacted 3AW who in return contacted the woman at her hotel in BKK.

[aussieinthailand]

Yu'p that's making a hell of tourist straergy, plant drugs on tourists, bib extortion, hotel room theft, jet ski scam, atm scams, murdering taxi driver, and the beat goes on...

[draftvader]

When travelling overland around South America we used to strip our bags and ALL contents down to the individual pieces, photograph and then re-assemble. If we had to leave our bags between this process and crossing the border (i.e. to go out for dinner) then we'd cover our locks in sellotape, sign the seals and photograph them. On return we would check the photos against the bags. Seems overkill but we were individually searched 3 times in South America whilst all the locals stood by. Have to admit it just made the experience tedious, but not frightening.

Nowadays we are travelling as a family with "family" luggage. It does change your vulnerability levels from 2 * 30 something adults with backpacks.

All that said I have to say that I am SO unsurprised by this having lived in Bangkok for 5 years as a motorbike rider. Fines and extortion attempts for ill defined laws being flaunted by everybody around you finding you "chatting" with a pair of overbearing policeman in a quiet police box whilst the world looks on.....not too far a jump to believe this one is it.