Missing plane highlights Phuket's stolen passport trade

[paulchiangmai]

_{Interesting questions would be what visas for Thailand did these two passports that were stolen have???}

_{Have they been used to do frrequent border runs to keep them up to date as one was stolen over 2 years ago, or did the person leaving Tailand turn up at the airport and pay a 2 year overstay without the validity of the passport even being checked???}

_{In theory the Thai Immigration system should have a very good idea of the movement, or not of these passports since their theft.}

I'd be grilling the legitimate owners over this. Don't leave town.

It will be interesting. I don't think you can enter Malaysia on 2 passports( leave a country on one and change to another when entering ) so they would want to have seen the entry stamp into Malaysia in the passport. Means it should have to have been used legitimately to exit Thailand.

Every year I depart Thailand on an Australian passport and enter Malaysia on a UK passport, I then depart Malaysia on the UK passport and enter Australia on the Australian passport. On the return I again enter and depart Malaysia on the UK one and enter Thailand on the Australian one with my visa in it. Reason is so as I do not fill up my Australian passport with visa stamps.

[insolentminx]

Over stayers are not a problem to anyone , in case you hadn't realised it is a money maker for immigration that they welcome. If they didn't like it there would be more severe fines, but there are not cos they want the revenue.

I don't like grasses, and one who would grass someone for an overstay is pretty low in my book. ...........

Good for you - nevertheless, I am still going to turn them in to the proper authorities - since most of the rest of us end up suffering the consequences.

What consequences are you suffering personally?

None as of yet......but I am sure many of us will (as a result of this Malaysian Air missing flight)

[impulse]

While the thought of 2 guys on the flight with stolen passports is disturbing, it's not very useful information unless we know how many stolen passports are typically used to board flights here in Asia.

Which, of course, we'll probably never know.

The 2 guys whose passports were reported stolen may be in the clear, or they may not. Given the big difference between the market price of a valid Euro passport, and the replacement cost at the embassy, I'm sure they will be grilled about how they actually lost their passports. (For example, if a guy was out of money in Phuket one day, then had $500-1000 in his account the next....it probably wouldn't be that obvious, but who knows) Not sure I'd want to be in their shoes even if the passports were actually stolen. I suspect they're in for a few uncomfortable days- or at least they should be.

[insolentminx]

While the thought of 2 guys on the flight with stolen passports is disturbing, it's not very useful information unless we know how many stolen passports are typically used to board flights here in Asia.

Which, of course, we'll probably never know.

The 2 guys whose passports were reported stolen may be in the clear, or they may not. Given the big difference between the market price of a valid Euro passport, and the replacement cost at the embassy, I'm sure they will be grilled about how they actually lost their passports. (For example, if a guy was out of money in Phuket one day, then had $500-1000 in his account the next....it probably wouldn't be that obvious, but who knows) Not sure I'd want to be in their shoes even if the passports were actually stolen. I suspect they're in for a few uncomfortable days- or at least they should be.

Yep, definitely these 2 guys should (probably will be) be facing extereme scrutiny now from the various 3-letter agencies now involved in solving this mystery.

[larsjohnsson]

I'm from Sweden. And there are big money in selling your passport. At home I have been reading articles in the papers. And seeing the news on tv about a lot of people that have "lost" their passport 20-30 times every year.

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[a99az]

Apparently the two men who acquired the passports booked their flights together so it would appear to be an organised operation in Thailand.

Regarding the flight latest reports say that five people who checked in did not board the aircraft and their luggage was later removed.

Just how lucky can you be? Buy a lottery ticket quick.

[Thai at Heart]

While the thought of 2 guys on the flight with stolen passports is disturbing, it's not very useful information unless we know how many stolen passports are typically used to board flights here in Asia.

Which, of course, we'll probably never know.

The 2 guys whose passports were reported stolen may be in the clear, or they may not. Given the big difference between the market price of a valid Euro passport, and the replacement cost at the embassy, I'm sure they will be grilled about how they actually lost their passports. (For example, if a guy was out of money in Phuket one day, then had $500-1000 in his account the next....it probably wouldn't be that obvious, but who knows) Not sure I'd want to be in their shoes even if the passports were actually stolen. I suspect they're in for a few uncomfortable days- or at least they should be.

One non-EU country has got so sick of young travellers from there magically losing their passports whilst on their gap year jaunts that they will only issue an emergency passport doc valid to return home. No jaunting around the world and funding it by selling your passport anymore.

[JulesMad]

When is the last time any good news at all came out of Thailand?

Shouldn't that be:

"When is the last time any good news at all came out of Thailand Phuket?"

[Fat Haggis]

I apologize for being sucked in by the troll and derailing the topic.

Lets wait and see what development happen and the FAA and Malaysian authorities can find out what happened to this aircraft and all the passengers and crew who are missing, presummed dead.

[DLP]

...

On an earlier trip to Phuket in August last year Mr Maraldi had his passport stolen from a car rental agency.

...

It would be interesting to know the name of this car rental agency that asks its customers to leave the passports with them and then has the passports stolen from them. I have a feeling that the FBI will be looking into this. How many passports were stolen? Did passport theft from that agency happen often? Is there any record of other passports stolen from this agency having subsequently been used for travel? Etc.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I have always been under the impression that you should never leave your passport with car hire companies ect.

Only leave photo copy of passport. In Thailand it is a offence not to have your passport with you at all times.

[Blackmirage2013]

...

On an earlier trip to Phuket in August last year Mr Maraldi had his passport stolen from a car rental agency.

...

It would be interesting to know the name of this car rental agency that asks its customers to leave the passports with them and then has the passports stolen from them. I have a feeling that the FBI will be looking into this. How many passports were stolen? Did passport theft from that agency happen often? Is there any record of other passports stolen from this agency having subsequently been used for travel? Etc.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I have always been under the impression that you should never leave your passport with car hire companies ect.

Only leave photo copy of passport. In Thailand it is a offence not to have your passport with you at all times.

So that means 90% of the foreigners are breaking the law I guess...

[lungbing]

A common misconception, but it not an offence.

[Blackmirage2013]

They are now saying the plane might have disintegrated in mid-air? Are they just saying that because they don't have a clue?! How do they know? They have found nothing...

[Mosha]

I hope those of you that leave your passport at "ride" rentals have taken note that it really is daft practice.

Aren't passports the property of the relevant government? I'm sure the small print in my passport has property of.... in the small print. I'm sure they would be unimpressed at me handing their property over for "safe" keeping for something as trivial as hiring a vehicle.

[PlastikbinLina]

"Hundreds of passports are lost or stolen on Phuket each year, raising fears they could fall into the hands of criminal or terrorist networks."

Thousands of passports are lost or stolen all over the world each year.

Why single out Phuket?

Where there is concentration of tourists, crime and thieving is very common.

Stop, bashing Pucket.

What you say is right, "thousands of PP's are lost or stolen...."The law concerning rental shops for cars and bikes needs to be tightened or changed in Thailand of course but honest farangs are only too willing to hand over their PP in order to get on with their holiday even though it is not legal to give a PP to any third party and never has been. But it happens of course and will continue to happen as long as there is no law enforcement. And why single out Phuket? I think that it's been proven the two tickets to China from Malaysia were bought in Phuket. More interesting news to come I'm sure.

[impulse]

I apologize for being sucked in by the troll and derailing the topic.

Lets wait and see what development happen and the FAA and Malaysian authorities can find out what happened to this aircraft and all the passengers and crew who are missing, presummed dead.

Happens to the best of 'em. And the worst of us, too. Shake it off. No biggee.

[Fat Haggis]

 

They are now saying the plane might have disintegrated in mid-air? Are they just saying that because they don't have a clue?! How do they know? They have found nothing...

 

It's becasue they've not found anything they're speculating that it disintegrated at 35,000, that's almost 6 miles high, given the forward velocity of the aircraft, if the aircraft came apart the dispersal area of debris will be huge, the fact that no large pieces of the aircraft have been recovered also is indicative of a catastrophic incident that would casue the aircraft to dissapear into very small pieces.

[metisdead]

A number of posts bickering about over stays and other off topic nonsense have been removed as well as the replies.

[larsjohnsson]

...

On an earlier trip to Phuket in August last year Mr Maraldi had his passport stolen from a car rental agency.

...

It would be interesting to know the name of this car rental agency that asks its customers to leave the passports with them and then has the passports stolen from them. I have a feeling that the FBI will be looking into this. How many passports were stolen? Did passport theft from that agency happen often? Is there any record of other passports stolen from this agency having subsequently been used for travel? Etc.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I have always been under the impression that you should never leave your passport with car hire companies ect.

Only leave photo copy of passport. In Thailand it is a offence not to have your passport with you at all times.

No serious car hire company, hotel and so on never take and keep your passport. Everyone that I have been to just look at the passport and then make a copy. After that they give back the passport

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[antimedia]

"Hundreds of passports are lost or stolen on Phuket each year, raising fears they could fall into the hands of criminal or terrorist networks."

Thousands of passports are lost or stolen all over the world each year.

Why single out Phuket?

Where there is concentration of tourists, crime and thieving is very common.

Stop, bashing Pucket.

Because it is a thriving den of iniquity

[maderaroja]

If Malaysian Airline does not check the validity of passports on an international flight, I would suggest that everyone stop using that airline.

[Trickcyclist]

...

On an earlier trip to Phuket in August last year Mr Maraldi had his passport stolen from a car rental agency.

...

It would be interesting to know the name of this car rental agency that asks its customers to leave the passports with them and then has the passports stolen from them. I have a feeling that the FBI will be looking into this. How many passports were stolen? Did passport theft from that agency happen often? Is there any record of other passports stolen from this agency having subsequently been used for travel? Etc.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Don't leave or show your passport to ANYBODY and that goes for the alleged Falang busybodies that hang around the Visa office in Phuket.

[mojorison]

While the thought of 2 guys on the flight with stolen passports is disturbing, it's not very useful information unless we know how many stolen passports are typically used to board flights here in Asia.

Which, of course, we'll probably never know.

The 2 guys whose passports were reported stolen may be in the clear, or they may not. Given the big difference between the market price of a valid Euro passport, and the replacement cost at the embassy, I'm sure they will be grilled about how they actually lost their passports. (For example, if a guy was out of money in Phuket one day, then had $500-1000 in his account the next....it probably wouldn't be that obvious, but who knows) Not sure I'd want to be in their shoes even if the passports were actually stolen. I suspect they're in for a few uncomfortable days- or at least they should be.

I'm guessing that it is an anomaly. I doubt that many people sitting on planes are using dodgy papers. Let's say one in a million... (Heathrow handles over a million international passengers weekly mind you.) Is it a lot, or is it a little?... I don't know. If you're on that plane, then it matters I suppose.

[wwest5829]

I'm surprised there isn't an international system for national authorities to inform airlines about stolen passports and prevent people using them from buying tickets.

From what I am reading, the passports were listed in the Interpol database as having been stolen. The airlines are not cross referencing all passenger passports before boarding. I am incensed at being put through U.S. Airport security but with this type of international non cross referencing I have to agree there is a reason.

[evadgib]

...

On an earlier trip to Phuket in August last year Mr Maraldi had his passport stolen from a car rental agency.

...

It would be interesting to know the name of this car rental agency that asks its customers to leave the passports with them and then has the passports stolen from them. I have a feeling that the FBI will be looking into this. How many passports were stolen? Did passport theft from that agency happen often? Is there any record of other passports stolen from this agency having subsequently been used for travel? Etc.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Don't leave or show your passport to ANYBODY and that goes for the alleged Falang busybodies that hang around the Visa office in Phuket.

Cloning is far more beneficial to wrongdoers than using a stolen ppt.

[Gweiloman]

If Malaysian Airline does not check the validity of passports on an international flight, I would suggest that everyone stop using that airline.

According to Interpol, there are over a billion trips being made annually where passports are not being checked against the Interpol database. Will you be so kind as to give a list on the airlines that checks the validity of passports?

Thanks.

[Thai at Heart]

If Malaysian Airline does not check the validity of passports on an international flight, I would suggest that everyone stop using that airline.

According to Interpol, there are over a billion trips being made annually where passports are not being checked against the Interpol database. Will you be so kind as to give a list on the airlines that checks the validity of passports?

Thanks.

Which makes the whole point of passport control and anti terrorism virtually useless. If you can't rwferce a passport electronically, there is no way to rely on visual manual checking to get a high level of success.

Corruption alone means that someone with a will, will always find a way onto a plane. They might as well bij immigration checking.

[StealthEnergiser]

Thailand grapples with 'massive' fake passport racket

Larry Cunningham, who recently retired as Australia's honorary consul in Phuket, said a huge problem was tourists leaving passports as a deposit when renting jet-skis or motorbikes.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/10/us-malaysia-airlines-thailand-passports-idUSBREA290KD20140310

Interesting that the jet ski scams are mentioned , there was info of an iranian ( i think) a few years go working with the scammers and police on pattaya beach he was in the headlines a few time ( think pattaya one news)

i remember it was extortion related. , he continued working with the scammers even after the headlines makes me think how many passports may have been kept in pattaya also when tourist would not pay fees. (interesting the australian honorary consul mentions the jet ski and motorbike scams in the article.

Edited March 10, 2014 by StealthEnergiser

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

This detail from CNN as of Monday:

What we know: The tickets for the two people using the stolen Italian and Austrian passports were both bought Thursday in Thailand, according to ticketing records. Both tickets were one-way and had itineraries continuing on from Beijing to Amsterdam. One ticket's final destination was Frankfurt, the other's Copenhagen. The original owners of the passports were not on the missing plane, authorities say. Both had their passports stolen in Thailand -- the Austrian's was taken last year; the Italian's in 2012.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/10/world/asia/malaysia-airlines-knowns-unknowns/index.html?hpt=bosread

[oldsailor35]

"Hundreds of passports are lost or stolen on Phuket each year, raising fears they could fall into the hands of criminal or terrorist networks."

Thousands of passports are lost or stolen all over the world each year.

Why single out Phuket?

Where there is concentration of tourists, crime and thieving is very common.

Stop, bashing Pucket.

The passports were stolen in Phuket !

The tickets were sold in Phuket !

And Phuket has got a terrible record for scams, thefts and corruption!

Duhhhh !