New strict baggage screening at Don Mueang called off after long delays

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Should be scanning some thai officials for some common sense

Brain-scanning would be a good idea.

[Alwyn]

Don't get it. Before you can enter Phuket airport everything gets scanned. Why is this such a problem in the capital? Drama queens

yes it does, but why?

errrr.. something to do with security maybe? are you serious?

[Katipo]

If you're going to implement a policy, implement foresight and take the time to do it right. Otherwise, Thailand.

[cumgranosalum]

A classic example of some Nabob emerging from the toilet with a "new idea", implementing it without any reseach or advice and no input from his/her subordinates because the overriding culture forbids it.......this in a nutshell is how Thailand is run.

At least this time someone had the common sense to reverse the decision.....rather than some absurd "kreng jai" solution that normally follows

[NovaBlue05]

Should be scanning some thai officials for some common sense

In that case, they will probably going to need to do a rectal scan......

[BudRight]

Don't get it. Before you can enter Phuket airport everything gets scanned. Why is this such a problem in the capital? Drama queens

yes it does, but why?

errrr.. something to do with security maybe? are you serious?

Yeah, maybe he's seriously questioning why pre-scan before the real scan. Isn't that like admitting the real scan might not work? It's security theatre.

[NovaBlue05]

Good news for terrorist, didn't know my life is worth zero baht here.

Really?....You didn't know that?

[luk AJ]

Don't get it. Before you can enter Phuket airport everything gets scanned. Why is this such a problem in the capital? Drama queens

yes it does, but why?

errrr.. something to do with security maybe? are you serious?

if you ever travelled through Phuket or Don Mueang airport, you know that after the scanners at the entrance, your carry-on is scanned again when entering the gates area right. Did you notice the bins with knifes and scissors and bottles at this check point? Should the entrance scanners be effective, these items wouldn't make it to the second scanner right? The check in lugage normally ( hopefully) get scanned on the conveyer after check in.

[steveyinasia]

Should be scanning some thai officials for some common sense

No need to scan, the is historic evidence that common sense never existed and is not a threat.

[chrisinth]

"It asked for cooperation from passengers in not opening X-rayed baggage, otherwise the baggage would have to be rescanned."

The above line from the OP is directed at what? Just check-in baggage or carry-on as well? If they were sealing carry-on, then that really was defeating purpose.

In the departure check-in, you have to remove notebooks, tablets, etc from your baggage and put them through the x-ray separately, meaning you would have to break the seal anyway, if this is applicable to carry-on.

Even if you didn't have electronic gear in your baggage, would that have meant you couldn't open your carry-on until arrival at your destination?

Or would it be sealed forever..............................

[abitmiffed]

DON MUEANG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

New strict baggage screening called off after long delays

The Nation

Long queues form at airline check-in counters inside Don Mueang International Airport yesterday due to stricter security measures that drew many complaints.

BANGKOK: -- AIRPORTS OF Thailand yesterday hastily called off its strict screening measures at Don Mueang International Airport, which it had just imposed on Friday, after they caused mayhem, with passengers languishing behind long queues and many almost missing their flights.

The revised rules required not only checked-in luggage but also carry-ons to be X-rayed before entering the departure area.

The aim was to prevent "unlawful interference action that may cause the delay of process" and to comply with the International Civil Aviation Organisation's demand for Thailand to tighten up safety regulations or face bans on international flights.

Before, only loaded luggage was required to pass pre-check-in screening while carry-ons were scanned after passengers got their boarding passes.

The new rule was posted without prior notice on AOT's website on Friday, along with an apology for "any inconvenience that may occur", and was immediate implemented.

The airlines operating there complained that they did not have enough time to inform their passengers.

Some passengers did not know about the new rule and put only their check-in luggage on the conveyor belt, so they had to walk back and pass their carry-on bags through the screening machine. This slowed down the process, as there were only a limited number of X-ray machines.

AOT's statement issued yesterday after an urgent meeting said the new procedures had caused passenger inconvenience and congestion.

It said it would assign more staff to inspect passengers' luggage. It asked for cooperation from passengers in not opening X-rayed baggage, otherwise the baggage would have to be rescanned.

It also emphasised that airline staff had to be strict in checking luggage to make sure that all pieces are X-rayed before loading into aircraft.

Earlier, the airlines, including Nok Air, Thai Lion Air and AirAsia, used Facebook to recommend that passengers arrive at the airport at least two or three hours prior to boarding time.

Worante Laprabang, a passenger, posted on Thai Smile's Facebook page: "I've been there today, and the queue was very long."

Two Nok Scoot passengers offered words of advice.

"For departure, it is crucial to spare some time. The arrival side has only one scanning machine, making the crowd extremely dense," Koomtinee Boonprasert said.

"Spare some time, now the checking process for luggage is very slow." Kakkanang Supasiripenpong said.

Before the rules were revoked, Charoen Wangananont, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, urged AOT to end the congestion at Don Mueang as soon as possible in order to reduce passengers' worries and prevent any possibility of them not catching their flights.

AOT should have realised that such problems could occur, since passenger traffic has been surging for months, he said.

"Scanning luggage is not the big problem. The problem is due to the poor management of AOT. It should have prepared more measures to deal with this overload, but it didn't," he said.

AOT should learn from the Don Mueang case and be aware of similar problems that could arise at other airports such as Phuket and Chiang Mai, he said.

However, once the renovation of the second terminal at Don Mueang is completed and it is open for service, the congestion problem should ease, he said.

Pramookpisitt Achariyachai, president of Kata Group Resorts in Phuket, said all airports in the country should improve passenger facilitation and management, especially during the peak season, to avoid chaos.

Congestion always happens at Phuket International Airport in the high season.

However, this should not be problem any longer when the new terminal opens.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/New-strict-baggage-screening-called-off-after-long-30264856.html

-- The Nation 2015-07-21

Lmao what a joke. Can't organize a pssup in a brewery, everything half cocked and on whyms and prayers..... Another epic FAIL.

[Alwyn]

Don't get it. Before you can enter Phuket airport everything gets scanned. Why is this such a problem in the capital? Drama queens

yes it does, but why?

errrr.. something to do with security maybe? are you serious?

if you ever travelled through Phuket or Don Mueang airport, you know that after the scanners at the entrance, your carry-on is scanned again when entering the gates area right. Did you notice the bins with knifes and scissors and bottles at this check point? Should the entrance scanners be effective, these items wouldn't make it to the second scanner right? The check in lugage normally ( hopefully) get scanned on the conveyer after check in.

well I first moved to Thailand (Phuket) in 2001and in those days (up until recently) it was the 3-month border bounce, so yeah, I've passed through the airports a few times. To be honest, I never noticed bins full of knives etc (except more recently, bottles ot water) but I'm happy to take your word on it. Things, what else might have passed through into the airport if the perimeter security wasn't in place?

[jacko45k]

"For departure, it is crucial to spare some time. The arrival side has only one scanning machine, making the crowd extremely dense," Koomtinee Boonprasert said."

I think the authorities are the dense ones.

Well they need to buy some more scanning machines, it can be very lucrative if I recall correctly.

[Alwyn]

Don't get it. Before you can enter Phuket airport everything gets scanned. Why is this such a problem in the capital? Drama queens

yes it does, but why?

errrr.. something to do with security maybe? are you serious?

Yeah, maybe he's seriously questioning why pre-scan before the real scan. Isn't that like admitting the real scan might not work? It's security theatre.

Personally I think the more layers of security the better

[bamnutsak]

Waiting for "blame" to be assigned to the U.S. (pesky FAA) or the U.N. (bad ICAO).

[blazes]

Maybe the long queues, delays etc were caused by all the VIPs being made to go through the normal security checks.

VIPs don't go through Don Muang....

[BudRight]

Personally I think the more layers of security the better

I suspect you've haven't thought about this very much. There's no reason to think such layers make anyone safer, but plenty of evidence to support the conclusion that they do nothing at all but inconvenience people.

Edited July 21, 2015 by BudRight

[NongKhaiKid]

Maybe the long queues, delays etc were caused by all the VIPs being made to go through the normal security checks.

VIPs don't go through Don Muang....

Well there's VIPs and VIPs and they do for domestic flights.

Edited July 21, 2015 by NongKhaiKid

[dluek]

I don't really get it. Carry-on bags are always X-rayed at the main security checkpoint that all must pass through before entering departure gates -- it's not like they're letting passengers walk on to planes without their stuff being checked at all. I always figured that the initial X-ray machines near the front doors for checked luggage was just an extra precaution, but why is that even necessary if all bags are being X-rayed after they're checked in and before they get placed on flight? In the US these initial X-ray machines at the entrances to airports don't exist. If they're not needed there, then why does Thailand need them? Because they don't trust the people/machines that are employed at the main checkpoints?

[Alwyn]

Personally I think the more layers of security the better

I suspect you've haven't thought about this very much. There's no reason to think such layers make anyone safer, but plenty of evidence to support the conclusion that they do nothing at all but inconvenience people.

Interesting comment as I work in security, I'd be interested to learn about this evidence that is plentiful and support this conclusion.

[RIJoe]

Didn't even last as long as the helmet law.

[Ocicat]

Why is it that at one airport in Thailand they make you remove your belt and not at another? At one airport you have to remove your shoes but not at another. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to their modus operandi. They tell me to put my cellphone in the basket as well as laptop. I carry 3 cellphones (2 are out of country phones) and have no laptop but rather an I-pad. I put 1 cellphone in the baskets and say no the question of laptop, do not mention I-pad and proceed on through the check point unchallenged. Do they really know what they are looking for? Do they need a sign saying "gun" or "bomb" here?, and then pursue the matter further. I guess if you pay minimum wage you get minimum for it. Oh well.

[frimu]

If I depart from Zurich airport in Switzerland nothing is scanned before check-in.

The travel bag will be scanned after check-in before it is dispatched to the plane.

All the rest will be scanned at the security check before boarding.

So why is this ok in Europe, but not ok in Thailand? Don't get it.

[mojorison]

They do things here without thinking. Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.

^^ This. +1

[mojorison]

If I depart from Zurich airport in Switzerland nothing is scanned before check-in.

The travel bag will be scanned after check-in before it is dispatched to the plane.

All the rest will be scanned at the security check before boarding.

So why is this ok in Europe, but not ok in Thailand? Don't get it.

Same in Oz. It's all done behind closed doors, where they can rip it to shreds if they want. And rightly so.

[bamnutsak]

Didn't even last as long as the helmet law.

But longer than the "Motorcycle Taxi Vest Color" (orange to green to orange in a day as the Regime was focused on this urgent issue) "change".

[geriatrickid]

They have not removed the security check before boarding.

Anyway, why is this a problem? We have to do this at Phuket airport and it doesn't seem to cause any extra delays.

Try flying at peak hours or in high season. It can take 30 minutes just to get in the door @HKT. Then it's a mess in the terminal.

The problem at DMK was not enough scanners and pax who are mentally challenged. (Many of whom are the farang junketeers.)

I still can't believe the idiots who try to take restricted items through. Next time you are at HKT departures have a look at the bins filled with the liquids and the knives etc.

EDITED:

I just checked to see if I had a picture from HKT and here it is. Look at what the mostly farang passengers try to bring through.

Edited July 21, 2015 by geriatrickid

[zaphod reborn]

The x-ray scanning of carry-on bags was the typical lone-wolf Thai bureaucratic creation of a rule which never was meant to exist. Carry-on bags are already subjected to x-ray scanning when you pass through the security check. Prior to check-in, there is an x-ray scanner which was designed to screen checked-in baggage.

No airport that I have ever flown through has subjected carry-on bags to 2 screening checks. I usually fly without checked-in bags, and would hate to have to wait in the long queue for x-ray screening before the queue at the check-in counter. AirAsia at DMG totally understaffs their check-in counters, and the queues are already long without having to stand in another queue to wait for them to scan your carry-ons, which they have to do at the security checkpoint anyway.

[SunsetT]

They do things here without thinking. Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.

'They' cannot 'think' because the 'piss poor' Thai education system does not teach anyone how to think..........Their neural pathways never get opened so how can they think?

[klauskunkel]

Isn't an x-ray scanning system of carry-ons one of the first thing you plan when you open an airport?

the planning stage was removed because it caused delays in opening the airport