Monitoring bands to keep scammers out of Suvarnabhumi Airport

[webfact]

Monitoring bands to keep scammers out of airport
The Nation


A foreign technician shows how the electronic monitoring system can be used at a press conference at Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday.

BANGKOK: -- An electronic monitoring system is being used for the first time at an airport in Thailand in a move to keep unauthorised tour guides and taxi drivers out of Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

The bands could also be applied to scammers and thieves convicted of preying on tourists, or to people restricted from entering the premises for other reasons, Awirut Charnchaikittikorn, the chief judge of Samut Prakan Court, told the press yesterday.

The airport comes under Samut Prakan's jurisdiction.

The use of electronic bands is also an option for petty offenders though the Corrections Department will continue using the rehabilitation method for now, the judge said. The band is currently being used with 49 offenders, seven of whom are on probation, while 28 are serving suspended sentences and 14 are follow drug rehabilitation programmes.

No details were provided about who would be kept out of the airport using these monitoring bands.

Last year, 11,584 complaints were lodged by tourists, which saw 1,397 suspects arrested.

Last month, however, only 107 arrests were made - a drastic drop that has been put down to the use of the electronic monitoring bands.


-- The Nation 2014-03-29

[JoeThePoster]

Save a lot of money if they tag only those who are allowed to enter the airports.

[Yunla]

Thank goodness they gave us that close-up photo of the sock.

If they hadn't done that I wouldn't have understood the security tagging system at all.

The message to criminals is clear ; the gloves have come off and now the airport authorities will sock it to you.

[focus27]

So... last year saw 1397 arrests.

Last month saw 107 arrests = 107x12 = 1284; a drop of 113 annualized.

However, if 'last month' was February, then we have 107x365/28 = 1394 annualized - exactly the same!!! lmfao

[focus27]

Save a lot of money if they tag only those who are allowed to enter the airports.

Will that include every passenger?

[Misterwhisper]

Not completely familiar with that sort of device (mind you, I was never ordered to wear one!), but couldn't a culprit just take it off before entering the airport? Or is the ankle belt locked in some way and the device would transmit a warning signal if the wearer would try to remove it with force? What's the consequence if one does remove it? Will there be a hefty fine?

[andygunther]

Save a lot of money if they tag only those who are allowed to enter the airports.

Bad idea, I'm not willing to wear such a thing

[andygunther]

Not completely familiar with that sort of device (mind you, I was never ordered to wear one!), but couldn't a culprit just take it off before entering the airport? Or is the ankle belt locked in some way and the device would transmit a warning signal if the wearer would try to remove it with force? What's the consequence if one does remove it? Will there be a hefty fine?

Yes 200 bht

[Misterwhisper]

Not completely familiar with that sort of device (mind you, I was never ordered to wear one!), but couldn't a culprit just take it off before entering the airport? Or is the ankle band locked in some way and the device would transmit a warning signal if the wearer would try to remove it with force? What's the consequence if one does remove it? Will there be a hefty fine? What if the battery runs out? What if a wearer is entering the airport nevertheless? Will they just be shown the door or will there be a hefty fine on top of that? Does the airport have enough staff to chase after monitoring device wearers who constantly defy their ban from the promises and return over and over again? How many times does a wearer have to be caught and escorted off the premises before they are finally arrested for good and sent to court?

Questions over questions.

[ezzra]

This idea is as futile as they come, it's akin to fitting bolting horses with tracking devices,

AFTER they have bolted... this devise suppose to keep the subject IN, not OUT...

[boomerangutang]

Not completely familiar with that sort of device (mind you, I was never ordered to wear one!), but couldn't a culprit just take it off before entering the airport? Or is the ankle belt locked in some way and the device would transmit a warning signal if the wearer would try to remove it with force? What's the consequence if one does remove it? Will there be a hefty fine?

Of course, the anklet will be taken off - easy as pie. Consequences? Nada. This is Thailand. A country where anything goes. Law enforcement is totally subjective.

[brianP]

For the repeat offender, it is effective. And those bastards have been busy long enough.

[alfalfa19]

Not completely familiar with that sort of device (mind you, I was never ordered to wear one!), but couldn't a culprit just take it off before entering the airport? Or is the ankle belt locked in some way and the device would transmit a warning signal if the wearer would try to remove it with force? What's the consequence if one does remove it? Will there be a hefty fine?

Speaking from experience in my misspent youth, if the device is removed, it immediately triggers an alarm, and the offender will soon be arrested. It is locked, yes, and if the person wearing it goes outside certain boundaries, an alarm is also set off. There are no batteries for the offender to replace, at least it's not his job. My experience was over a quarter century ago, and I'm sure the technology has vastly improved since then.

[JulesMad]

So the powers that be get scammers WITHOUT monitoring device. Should not be too hard

[stickylies]

A foreign technician shows how the electronic monitoring system can be used at a press conference

please wake me up when the system WILL be used at the airport....

[hanno]

Out of curiosity: what are the scams at the airport? Serious question as I have never had anything happen apart from taxi drivers not wanting to turn on the meter.

[BudRight]

We can see the bottom of that guy's foot. Isn't that rude or something?

[klauskunkel]

Not completely familiar with that sort of device (mind you, I was never ordered to wear one!), but couldn't a culprit just take it off before entering the airport? Or is the ankle band locked in some way and the device would transmit a warning signal if the wearer would try to remove it with force? What's the consequence if one does remove it? Will there be a hefty fine? What if the battery runs out? What if a wearer is entering the airport nevertheless? Will they just be shown the door or will there be a hefty fine on top of that? Does the airport have enough staff to chase after monitoring device wearers who constantly defy their ban from the promises and return over and over again? How many times does a wearer have to be caught and escorted off the premises before they are finally arrested for good and sent to court?

Questions over questions.

and another one - can you take a shower with it?

[mrtoad]

Does this mean that all of The BIB will be issued with one?

[impulse]

Tomorrow's headline:

"Foreigner deported for demonstrating security devices without a proper work permit- his WP did not specify the site of the press conference."

Edited March 29, 2014 by impulse

[Rooney860]

Pull the other one!!!!!

[mrtoad]

I remember when they bought these into the UK many years ago, and they were contracted out to private companies. There was one case, where the technician put the tag on a blokes false leg (he obviously didn't check), so the scally was going out and committing more crime, but his tag was showing that he was tucked up in his house.

[ginjag]

Save a lot of money if they tag only those who are allowed to enter the airports.

Will that include every passenger?

Impossible according to TATs figures.

[ginjag]

We can see the bottom of that guy's foot. Isn't that rude or something?

Only when they want it to be--if they are in a bad mood it is bad manners, when in a good mood they hit each other on the head.

[allan michaud]

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It will be used for "scammer and thieves." This will mean that 95% of Thais will be wearing them when dealing with foreigners.

I just spilled my coffee after reading your post alt=biggrin.png width=20 height=20> Seriously though, the scams that happen to farangs at the thai airports are very concerning and a huge black mark for thailand. The airport is the last place anyone travelling from abroad wants to be concerned about especially after a long flight.

How about doing this at Aranyapathet too... oh sorry the scammers are officials or officials family members.

My edit... I should say this is regarding the que scam, where people are being allowed to make money off tourists being held up in huge ques waiting to get through the Thai border. The officials are clearly involved as this is happening under their noses and in a restricted area so there is no excuse.

Edited March 29, 2014 by allan michaud

[larsjohnsson]

Save a lot of money if they tag only those who are allowed to enter the airports.

Will that include every passenger?

Every person is allowed to enter the airport. You don't have to be a passenger

[bkkjames]

So how does it work - wake up take a shower - put on my collar and head to work?

Now and again I don't mind to kick a football but will this affect my performance. If I wear it to the mall will I set off all the store alarms?

Will the additional weight make me walk differently? What if I have a pacemaker? Will it affect my wifi?

At the airport, will they now introduce a pant-leg check to see if I am wearing mine or not?

Does it come in other colours?

[jacko45k]

You guys have led sheltered lives.

These things get put on and cannot be easily removed.

You don't put them on and off when you shower like a cheap watch!

They were supposed to be clamping all the cars that parked illegally, didn't see that happening, so perhaps all the redundant clamps can be somehow fixed to touts legs!

[rotary]

A tattoo on their forehead would be better an excellent indication to possible victims they are dealing with scammers

Edited March 29, 2014 by rotary

[worgeordie]

Another Thai idea that will not work,always choose the harder

way to solve problems, How much are they paying for these

devices ?, not as expensive as the bomb scanners I hope !.

Why not just have police ,security guards on the doors,the

villains should not be hard to spot, arrest them and take them

straight to the court they have opened at the airport, give them

stiff fines (not 200 bht), do it again, do time, the authorities do not

seem to realize the arrivals hall is the first impression people get

of Thailand and to be hassled ragged is not a nice experience,

never mind the good chance of been ripped off.

regards Worgeordie