BKK Airport Apologizes for Searching Muslim Cleric's Turban

[Lite Beer]

BKK Airport Apologizes for Searching Muslim Cleric's Turban

By Khaosod Eng.

BANGKOK — Thailand's airport director has formally apologized for subjecting the spiritual leader of Thai Muslims to a security search that involved inspecting his turban with a metal detector.

In a photo taken by a bystander on 28 May, staff at Suvarnabhumi Airport can be seen using metal detector to scan the turban of Aziz Phitakkumpon, the Sheikh-ul Islam of Thailand. Aziz was sitting on a wheelchair at the time.

The photo quickly went viral on social media, with several Muslim news agencies picking up the story and alleging that the airport staff used their hands to search Aziz's turban. Many commentators viewed the search as excessive and offensive.

Nitinai Sirismatthakarn, president of Thailand’s airport agency, met with Aziz at his office in Bangkok yesterday to deliver an apology in person.

Speaking to Nitinai and reporters, Aziz said he was not angry and understood that the staff had to perform their duty. He explained that the photo was taken by an anonymous bystander, and that the Sheikh-ul Islam Office was not involved with the buzz on social media in any way.

Read More: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1433508956

-- Khaosod English 2015-06-05

[baboon]

Apologise? Why? They have no problem whatsoever taking my stuff to bits. Why should the religious have any kind of immunity from this kind of treatment?

Edited June 6, 2015 by baboon

[lee b]

They have every right too, its security after all

[green job]

They could hide anything under it. I would of made him take it off. Years ago I had a support for a broken leg, they made me remove it. So I see no problem in removing the fabric on his head.

[o2eZy]

wouldn't trust these muslim leaders and clerics as far as I could kick them .....would be a different story if something happened and this leader was to blame ....they have lost trust with most non muslim people......

[wow64]

Now he knows where to put the bomb next time...

Sent from my c64

[noitom]

At least he didn't slap the security guy in the face like that Thai airport exec that walked through the metal detector and got called out by the diligent security guard. What ever happened to that Thai airport guy that i the slapping? Was he stripped of his position and terminated? What ever happened to that break down in Thai security at the airport? This is the same Thai airport that was rendered closed by a Thai yellow shirt mob. The Thai militray stood aside for this airport shutdown and breach of international security.

[Araiwa]

Of course the security staff have to scan the man's turban as well. Apologize for what? Unbelievable.

[robblok]

Apologise? Why? They have no problem whatsoever taking my stuff to bits. Why should the religious have any kind of immunity from this kind of treatment?

Religious people be they Christian / Muslim / Jew / Buddhist / Hindu always think they are special and all believe their god is right and they all love to clamp down on others rights.

Religion truly one of the most destructive forces there is. Put too many of any religion in a place and they will for the others who are not of their religion to follow their rules. Stupid Christians in Holland against the former drug policies, Buddhists in Thailand forcing everyone not to drink on their religious days. Muslims chopping off heads if you don't believe as they do.

When will those religious people learn that there should not be any force in religion.. guess never.

Edited June 6, 2015 by robblok

[baboon]

Apologise? Why? They have no problem whatsoever taking my stuff to bits. Why should the religious have any kind of immunity from this kind of treatment?

Religious people be they Christian / Muslim / Jew / Buddhist / Hindu always think they are special and all believe their god is right and they all love to clamp down on others rights.

Religion truly one of the most destructive forces there is. Put too many of any religion in a place and they will for the others who are not of their religion to follow their rules. Stupid Christians in Holland against the former drug policies, Buddhists in Thailand forcing everyone not to drink on their religious days. Muslims chopping off heads if you don't believe as they do.

When will those religious people learn that there should not be any force in religion.. guess never.

Indeed, security is so tight, fussy and irritating to pass through mainly because of religion...

[Lukecan]

Taking off your turban in a place where the opposite sex can see you is against the Quran.

She should of been searched in a private room by a female officer.

[Bluespunk]

“In the end we shall have had enough of cynicism, skepticism and humbug, and we shall want to live more musically.”
― Vincent van Gogh

Edited June 6, 2015 by Bluespunk

[sweatalot]

why appologize?

air traffic is not getting safer if some people are exempt from searching

[robblok]

Apologise? Why? They have no problem whatsoever taking my stuff to bits. Why should the religious have any kind of immunity from this kind of treatment?

Religious people be they Christian / Muslim / Jew / Buddhist / Hindu always think they are special and all believe their god is right and they all love to clamp down on others rights.

Religion truly one of the most destructive forces there is. Put too many of any religion in a place and they will for the others who are not of their religion to follow their rules. Stupid Christians in Holland against the former drug policies, Buddhists in Thailand forcing everyone not to drink on their religious days. Muslims chopping off heads if you don't believe as they do.

When will those religious people learn that there should not be any force in religion.. guess never.

Indeed, security is so tight, fussy and irritating to pass through mainly because of religion...

I don't care what the reason is.. but like so many I have to get into a body scanner at times. Why should people be excluded from security. Sure a guy in a wheelchair is harmless but it does not mean he can't smuggle anything int he country.

There was a surge in OAP's smuggling drugs because they were not checked well before. Just check everyone and be done with it.

[sweatalot]

Taking off your turban in a place where the opposite sex can see you is against the Quran.

She should of been searched in a private room by a female officer.

if air travelling procedures are against the qran - let them take the bus

Edited June 6, 2015 by sweatalot

[Bluespunk]

Apologise? Why? They have no problem whatsoever taking my stuff to bits. Why should the religious have any kind of immunity from this kind of treatment?

I'm guessing the man at the centre of this story agrees with you as he said he had no problem with being scanned.

"Speaking to Nitinai and reporters, Aziz said he was not angry and understood that the staff had to perform their duty."

Edited June 6, 2015 by Bluespunk

[baboon]

Taking off your turban in a place where the opposite sex can see you is against the Quran.

She should of been searched in a private room by a female officer.

Err, "she" is in fact 'he'...

[Lukecan]

Taking off your turban in a place where the opposite sex can see you is against the Quran.

She should of been searched in a private room by a female officer.

if air travelling procedures are against the qran - let them take the bus

I've never heard of anyone hiding an explosive under a turban. Plus if I wanted to hijack a plane I'd get dressed up as a jew or something, being muslim attracts too much unwarranted attention.

[geriatrickid]

Taking off your turban in a place where the opposite sex can see you is against the Quran.

She should of been searched in a private room by a female officer.

What? Slightly confused I suppose.

Don't you mean a hijab or niqab? This was a male and there is no religious edict that requires a muslim male to keep his chapeau.

I do however note the double standard. I have seen the security personnel check Sikhs' turbans. I know that El Al security requires holy rollers to take off their hats and they don't have a problem wanding over their heads.

[Pimay1]

Instead of cowing down like a bunch of spineless <deleted>, they should have informed this guy and his assistant everyone has to follow the same security procedures barring none.

[Lukecan]

Taking off your turban in a place where the opposite sex can see you is against the Quran.

She should of been searched in a private room by a female officer.

What? Slightly confused I suppose.

Don't you mean a hijab or niqab? This was a male and there is no religious edict that requires a muslim male to keep his chapeau.

I do however note the double standard. I have seen the security personnel check Sikhs' turbans. I know that El Al security requires holy rollers to take off their hats and they don't have a problem wanding over their heads.

I thought it was a female, because males don't have to wear at turban. Just realized its a male after looking at the name.

[Tchooptip]

Apologise? Why? They have no problem whatsoever taking my stuff to bits. Why should the religious have any kind of immunity from this kind of treatment?

Religious people be they Christian / Muslim / Jew / Buddhist / Hindu always think they are special and all believe their god is right and they all love to clamp down on others rights.

Religion truly one of the most destructive forces there is. Put too many of any religion in a place and they will for the others who are not of their religion to follow their rules. Stupid Christians in Holland against the former drug policies, Buddhists in Thailand forcing everyone not to drink on their religious days. Muslims chopping off heads if you don't believe as they do.

When will those religious people learn that there should not be any force in religion.. guess never.

Buddhist in Thailand never forced anyone not to drink, they do no sell on religious days, yeees ! But its totally different.

So, sorry but the sentence "forcing anyone not to drink" is simply ridiculous

[green job]

Taking off your turban in a place where the opposite sex can see you is against the Quran.

She should of been searched in a private room by a female officer.

if air travelling procedures are against the qran - let them take the bus

I've never heard of anyone hiding an explosive under a turban. Plus if I wanted to hijack a plane I'd get dressed up as a jew or something, being muslim attracts too much unwarranted attention.

Well there are a lot of bomb heads around. Lets face it you could hide almost anything under one. Gun- explosives - drugs- whisky-cigars. last nights washing up.

This is not supposed to be insulting but fact.

[geriatrickid]

I've never heard of anyone hiding an explosive under a turban. Plus if I wanted to hijack a plane I'd get dressed up as a jew or something, being muslim attracts too much unwarranted attention.

It's been done. Usually they prefer suicide vests. They have also used developmentally challenged kids, people wearing casts, allegedly pregnant women, men posing as women wearing a burka. The examples I have given are all based upon bombers who have attacked mosques and markets in Iraq and Pakistan. When it comes to attacks on western targets we have seen, underwear bombs, shoe bombs, bombs concealed in portable electronics, bombs in children's toys, bombs sewn into people's guts, and poisonous substances placed in clothing.

What exactly does getting dressed up as a jew entail? None of the jews I know has a jew uniform, Do you mean a holy roller? If so, they get searched just like everyone else and they don't complain. In fact, despite the very intrusive searches of some religious people such as Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhists, members of the Christian clergy and, ultra orthodox jews, they never complain. Only muslims seem to complain.

[Bellacissa]

He doesn't seem to have had a problem with it. I think this is just people with no dog in the hunt trying to stir things up for the sake of stirring things up. I had my bra inspected when I set off something in the body scanner in Amsterdam. I wasn't offended. They're just doing their job and I'm happy for any extra security measures they have.

My husband got a good laugh out of seeing me with my arms outstretched and some lady running her hands all around my bra. We have a running joke about my "dangerous boobs" now.

Edited June 6, 2015 by Bellacissa

[Tchooptip]

Apologise? Why? They have no problem whatsoever taking my stuff to bits. Why should the religious have any kind of immunity from this kind of treatment?

I'm guessing the man at the centre of this story agrees with you as he said he had no problem with being scanned.

"Speaking to Nitinai and reporters, Aziz said he was not angry and understood that the staff had to perform their duty."

"...However, Prasan Sricharoen, an assistant to Aziz, told reporters that he personally felt offended by the incident."

So please do not tell us that Muslims are not easily offended, it is their very first characteristic.

[Bluespunk]

Apologise? Why? They have no problem whatsoever taking my stuff to bits. Why should the religious have any kind of immunity from this kind of treatment?

I'm guessing the man at the centre of this story agrees with you as he said he had no problem with being scanned.

"Speaking to Nitinai and reporters, Aziz said he was not angry and understood that the staff had to perform their duty."

"...However, Prasan Sricharoen, an assistant to Aziz, told reporters that he personally felt offended by the incident."

So please do not tell us that Muslims are not easily offended, it is their very first characteristic.

I repeat:

"Speaking to Nitinai and reporters, Aziz said he was not angry and understood that the staff had to perform their duty."

What the assistant feels about seeing his boss searched in this manner for the fifth time in as many weeks is neither here nor there.

And even he then said it wasn't worth the fuss being made.

Edited June 6, 2015 by Bluespunk

[green job]

I've never heard of anyone hiding an explosive under a turban. Plus if I wanted to hijack a plane I'd get dressed up as a jew or something, being muslim attracts too much unwarranted attention.

It's been done. Usually they prefer suicide vests. They have also used developmentally challenged kids, people wearing casts, allegedly pregnant women, men posing as women wearing a burka. The examples I have given are all based upon bombers who have attacked mosques and markets in Iraq and Pakistan. When it comes to attacks on western targets we have seen, underwear bombs, shoe bombs, bombs concealed in portable electronics, bombs in children's toys, bombs sewn into people's guts, and poisonous substances placed in clothing.

What exactly does getting dressed up as a jew entail? None of the jews I know has a jew uniform, Do you mean a holy roller? If so, they get searched just like everyone else and they don't complain. In fact, despite the very intrusive searches of some religious people such as Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhists, members of the Christian clergy and, ultra orthodox jews, they never complain. Only muslims seem to complain.

Non of the Jews I know have a Jew uniform.... CLASSIC love it

[Strangebrew]

Well speaking as a former security screener that was employed at SFO right after 911 I don't care who you are who you know or think you know if you walk through the metal detector alarm or no alarm and get sent to secondary screening you ass is getting screened. Hell I even screened a Thai diplomat He was raising hell with a screener yelling and threatening in Thai till I walked over and calmly spoke to him in Thai explaining the rules. Boy did he shut up quick I just said your choice Jail or flight and if you were the president of the United States and came through and alarmed the metal Your getting screened. The big TSA boss was present when I told him the rules Yes he filed a complaint but it never went beyond that. His ass got screened Plain and simple. It was his watch that set off the alarm which he was told to remove. But he did get his butt reamed by I take was someone higher than him for creating a scene. Oh watch got removed and sent through xray too. So when I travel I always remove every bit of metal take off my shoes and if directed let them do there thing. I even screened Bob Dole who was a senator at the time he hip metal implant hip replacement I think. Of course I think when I screened this major from USMC escorting several Chinese generals and had to do the whole pat down thing on all of them was the strangest but this one general whom I guess was the highest ranking went first he stood just behind me with the major and ordered the others through And I did them one by one then when done General spoke in perfect english and said Thank you.

[Strangebrew]

But in hind sight Swampy screeners scare the hell out of me totally lacking in the way in which they screen people.