Stinky Bus - New Venue For Thai Thieves

[brahmburgers]

I just got an email from a v. pissed off farang who had 8,000 baht and other valuable stolen. Here's excerpts from his note to me (he's not an adept writer):

"On the way from Chaing Mai to Bangkok (nearly to BKK) the bus was hit by thieves, lots of people lost money. Here is the story . Right as we pulled into a rest stop, a terrible smell came on the bus, everyone ran off the bus, I saw people spreading things around in the toilet [the thieves?]

We all get off the bus, walk around etc. notice nothing, then get on bus, but feel drugged and tired out. The bus lets us off at station, then rushes away and we all are missing money and bags.

A professional job. They also took all records of us being on the bus. I feel those a**holes drugged us so we exited and left our luggage on the bus and could not think - and while we were off the bus stole as much as they could, I'm sure It was a Thai gang.

[leisurely]

How was this bus full of individuals drugged? Something in the air could have caused severe reactions or even death. Remember the school siege somewhere in Russia when the goodies pumped some sort of tranquiliser into the school to sedate the baddies? As far as I can remember several innocent people were killed.............................

[Farma]

Years ago it was not uncommon for stories like this to be heard happening on overnight buses.

I believe in those days the free drinks were spiked with some form of mild sleeping agent. Once the passengers dozed off, someone would sift through passenger’s luggage taking out what they wanted and leave it looking undisturbed.

On the Phuket to Bkk runs the police would stop the buses as they left the island, video the passengers and remove suspect passengers at checkpoints further up the road.

[chingching]

I just got an email from a v. pissed off farang who had 8,000 baht and other valuable stolen. Here's excerpts from his note to me (he's not an adept writer):

"On the way from Chaing Mai to Bangkok (nearly to BKK) the bus was hit by thieves, lots of people lost money. Here is the story . Right as we pulled into a rest stop, a terrible smell came on the bus, everyone ran off the bus, I saw people spreading things around in the toilet [the thieves?]

We all get off the bus, walk around etc. notice nothing, then get on bus, but feel drugged and tired out. The bus lets us off at station, then rushes away and we all are missing money and bags.

A professional job. They also took all records of us being on the bus. I feel those a**holes drugged us so we exited and left our luggage on the bus and could not think - and while we were off the bus stole as much as they could, I'm sure It was a Thai gang.

How could he see anyone spreading stuff around in the toilet. (the bus toilet, I presume?) He'd have to be at the very back of the bus and standing on top of them.

If everyone felt drugged and sleepy, wouldn't this affect the driver also?

How does he know they took records of them being on bus? What difference would that make? Doesn't he have ticket receipt, and even if he did, what would he hope it would show, is the bus company denying that anything happened.?

[guardian]

I believe in those days the free drinks were spiked with some form of mild sleeping agent. Once the passengers dozed off, someone would sift through passenger’s luggage taking out what they wanted and leave it looking undisturbed.

Also, not each and every passenger would drink these free drinks. So all passengers dozed off same time?

[Farma]

True, I’ve never been robbed on a bus but was videoed plenty of times. Some of my Thai family members have been robbed in this way and always reminded me not to take the drinks offered on the buses.

[brahmburgers]

I don't have an tel# for the pissed off farang, but I emailed him with some questions (no response from him yet):

A. Did the thieves take luggage from the luggage compartment, or from the inside of the bus - or both?

B. Did the driver drop everyone off to get another bus - or did you take the same bus all the way to BKK?

brahmburgers continues: The thieves could have conspired with the driver to do the following:

set something in the bathroom that would emit an evil odor, plus intoxicate the passenger. The driver then stops, and herds all the off loading (and intoxicated) passengers to a shelter alongside. Concurrently a pick-up pulls alongside the other side of the bus, off-loads all the baggage. To cover his tracks, the driver could then resume the trip, but stop soon thereafter to switch buses. The guy who reported the incident to me, said the driver took off in a big hurry after off-loading everyone.

Thai people are notorious for not wanting to rock the boat (not complain), plus, from the sounds of it, everyone was drowsy and dough-headed. After all, this is the land of 'bus drivers running off in to the rice fields, never to be heard of again' when there's a traffic accident.

What can those of us, who ride buses, do as protection? We can

A. sit near the front of the bus.

B. don't accept drinks on-board (other than water, they're all laden with sugar anyway)

C. If an extreme incident happens, watch your carry-on possessions, and watch the luggage bay doors.

D. learn to speak Thai fluently so you can do the type of detective work that Thai police are inept at doing. (#D is a jest).

E. take a rabbits foot along. or better yet, keep a gas mask handy (and a stout knife).

[londonthai]

brahmburgers, how that it always happens to the others and never to us?

why those spraing the gas/substance in the toilet were not affected?

why they were not stopped in the toilet when they were doing it?

how many people can fit inside the bus toilet (as we all know they are microscopic - and you are talking about several people there)?

how is possible that the pick-up car was not spotted by some 50 passengers walking around their own bus and how it was possible that nobody seen them offloading the luggage?

how it can happen that people carry money in the main luggage or even in their hand luggage and not in their pockets & money belts?

how it can happen that nobody picked up their shoulder bags/hand luggages - which is an authomatic behaviour in any emergency? Everybody had plenty of time to grab their belongings as off loading all passengers might take several minutes and people were not suffocating but just feeling drawsy.

from whom and why the robbers were able to take the list and why the list was made in the first place (nobody ever makes a list of passengers unless it's an organised group by the travel agent or package tourists - but they travell by the private busses booked only for them)?

how only after many minutes/hours the passengers spot that their hand luggages are gone?

why the passengers did not spot that their main luggage is missing when they were changing busses (everybody has to take it from the bus with them and wait for the new bus to arrive)?

it was rather marsians than thai gang

[lomatopo]

I'm sure It was a Thai gang.

How could he tell?

Sounds like this guy might have drugged himself?

[brahmburgers]

it only takes one person five seconds to go in to a bus bathroom and set off a stink bomb.

brahmburgers, how that it always happens to the others and never to us?

why those spraing the gas/substance in the toilet were not affected?

why they were not stopped in the toilet when they were doing it?

how many people can fit inside the bus toilet (as we all know they are microscopic - and you are talking about several people there)?

how is possible that the pick-up car was not spotted by some 50 passengers walking around their own bus and how it was possible that nobody seen them offloading the luggage?

how it can happen that people carry money in the main luggage or even in their hand luggage and not in their pockets & money belts?

how it can happen that nobody picked up their shoulder bags/hand luggages - which is an authomatic behaviour in any emergency? Everybody had plenty of time to grab their belongings as off loading all passengers might take several minutes and people were not suffocating but just feeling drawsy.

from whom and why the robbers were able to take the list and why the list was made in the first place (nobody ever makes a list of passengers unless it's an organised group by the travel agent or package tourists - but they travell by the private busses booked only for them)?

how only after many minutes/hours the passengers spot that their hand luggages are gone?

why the passengers did not spot that their main luggage is missing when they were changing busses (everybody has to take it from the bus with them and wait for the new bus to arrive)?

it was rather marsians than thai gang

it only takes one person five seconds to go in to a bus bathroom and set off a stink bomb.

As I've been saying all along, I posted this with 2nd-hand info, - tho the starting message is a direct quote from the farang's email to me. The fact remains that many if not most of the passengers got robbed - is 'LondonThai' doubting that? If if were not a Thai gang, what is LondonThai suggesting, it was a farang gang? A group of Swedish nuns?

LondonThai asks a lot of specific questions that A. I don't know and B. some of which only the thieves would know. The fact remains that a bus load of bus passengers were forced to evacuate a stinky bus which fumes made everyone drowsy. When the passengers came to, they were missing valuables. It's a serious crime. and if LondonThai or anyone else wants to predicate its truth on the answering of myriad little details, then that's his business. I for one want to warn passengers on buses in Thailand that this type of thing happens and to do all possible to avert becoming a victim. If Thai law enforcement did its job, there would be a serious investigation. But alas, they're too busy stopping pretty college girls on motorbikes for helmet violations - (most other helmetless drivers ride right on by).

[meadish_sweetball]

For this information to be of value, it would be good if you could provide details of

a.) the name of the bus company

b.) from where in Chiang Mai did the bus leave

c.) where did the person sending you the complaint buy his ticket

d.) did everyone on the bus get their tickets from the same place

e.) where in Bangkok did the bus let them off

[londonthai]

a stink bomb doesn't make you drowsy to forget about your valuables and money (even if you don't have them in your pockets).

you even don't put the date, nationality of the tourist (farang is too generous) or even his name. Who is this farang and why did he write to you?

if it really happen it would be the next day on a local, national and international papers and television and the tourist police trying the best to show that they do exists and do some job.

I have seen many 'reports' like this over the years, always an email from somobody to whom it happen - they all were made up

[jdinasia]

yet another Urban Legend ........

[Gary A]

I think this is a follow up to the missing kidney stories or just someone who got off the bus and left his valuables behind.

[dantilley]

if it really happen it would be the next day on a local, national and international papers and television and the tourist police trying the best to show that they do exists and do some job.

No it wouldn't, and bus robberies happen fairly regularly, especially on that Chiang Mai - Bangkok route.

Thanks brahmburgers for warning the rest of us of this new tactic these thieves are using.

[lomatopo]

...and bus robberies happen fairly regularly, especially on that Chiang Mai - Bangkok route.

I think that you are saying that bus robberies happen "fairly regularly", countrywide, and perhaps even more frequently on the Chiang Mai - Bangkok route? Can you define "fairly regularly"? I think that a casual observer might infer once or twice a week as "fairly regularly"?

Can you support your statement with any details? First-hand experiences? Documentation in the press?

[dantilley]

...and bus robberies happen fairly regularly, especially on that Chiang Mai - Bangkok route.

I think that you are saying that bus robberies happen "fairly regularly", countrywide, and perhaps even more frequently on the Chiang Mai - Bangkok route? Can you define "fairly regularly"? I think that a casual observer might infer once or twice a week as "fairly regularly"?

Can you support your statement with any details? First-hand experiences? Documentation in the press?

No first hand experience, but I've met a few people who it's happened to. I've no idea how regularly it happens, just that it happens from time to time rather than this being the only time it's happened, or only once or twice ever, or whatever.

Documentation in the press? Nope, none that I can put my hands on right now but there may be plenty of examples out there that a web search would unearth. I don't really have the time or inclination to look myself, though...

[lomatopo]

No first hand experience, but I've met a few people who it's happened to. I've no idea how regularly it happens, just that it happens from time to time rather than this being the only time it's happened, or only once or twice ever, or whatever.

Documentation in the press? Nope, none that I can put my hands on right now but there may be plenty of examples out there that a web search would unearth. I don't really have the time or inclination to look myself, though...

OK, I sort of suspected that you were just throwing out a grossly exaggerated statement for effect. Thanks for confirming that you have absolutely no knowledge of bus robberies, "fairly regular", or otherwise.

[brahmburgers]

As mentioned in my first 2 postings, I don't have succint details about the incident. I wish I did. Even the victims don't have all the facts. When you get robbed, do you have all the pertinent info? Of couse not. The vicitm was an American named Sparky. There is no reason for him to write a contrived email to me that fabricates a whole story in detail about everyone on the same bus experiencing the same nauseous/drowsy symptoms - and everyone (or nearly everyone) having things stolen - and the bus driver driving away immediately after the last passenger disembarked.

Some wonder why we haven't read about this in the papers. It's obvious that such incidents are bad press for Thailand as a whole. Plus, Thai people who get ripped off are generally not likely to make a police report (takes 3 to 4 hours, is embarassing, and accomplishes nothing) and even if police got wind of it, do you expect they would go running to report it to the press corps? Of course not, particularly because it makes their law enforcement and detective work look bad - and there's already plenty of that going on.

Overall, incidents like this hurt Thailand's image (to tourists) and make Thailand less desirable a vacation destination - so obviously Tourism Authority wouldn't want stories like this to surface if it can be avoided.

Case in point: Did you read in the newspaper about the two young Saudis in Phuket who were beaten and cut with knives by a group of beserk Katoys recently? No you didn't, because that's yet another of the many bizarre stories that Thai authorities don't want to get aired - because it's anathema for tourism. By the way, the cops hauled in the katoys, with blood on their clothes, but let the scum go because the Saudis were too shaken by the ordeal and left the country the next day - without filing charges. Probably thought it would take a long time to prosecute (likely) and the katoys would attack them again in revenge (also likely) ...sorry for getting off-topic, but it's for the sake of making a point about stiffling bad press that hurts tourism.

[meadish_sweetball]

Surely "Sparky" would know from where in Chiang Mai he bought the ticket and embarked the bus though?

I dont necessarily doubt the story, but without any more facts than this it looks a bit thin.

[dantilley]

No first hand experience, but I've met a few people who it's happened to. I've no idea how regularly it happens, just that it happens from time to time rather than this being the only time it's happened, or only once or twice ever, or whatever.

Documentation in the press? Nope, none that I can put my hands on right now but there may be plenty of examples out there that a web search would unearth. I don't really have the time or inclination to look myself, though...

OK, I sort of suspected that you were just throwing out a grossly exaggerated statement for effect. Thanks for confirming that you have absolutely no knowledge of bus robberies, "fairly regular", or otherwise.

No problem - glad it's cleared up.

[m02]

We had our team house in Pua (Nan Province) robbed twice; once while I was gone and once while I was there, but each time there were at least four or six team members in the upstairs bedrooms. The police caught the gang a couple months later and showed us the strange chemicals they had used to keep us asleep. There were three different colors, but each had that strange look solid sodium has to it. The cops said the gang would wait until they figured everyone was home and in bed and then put these chemical around the house and light them. The smoke would infilitrate the house and keep us asleep. We never heard a thing and didn't wake up with head aches or anything. The thieves never entered the bedrooms and the cops said if somehow we ever interrupted them then we should just stand aside and the thieves would leave, but that if we got aggressive then they would get violent. They hit our house and four others at the same time. They kept the neighborhood dogs quiet by giving them, several days in advance, food laced with something that affected their vocal cords.

The only thing I know about bus robberies is individuals giving riders a micky fin; never heard about a wholesale drugging but I wouldn't put it past some to try it; after all TIT.

[brahmburgers]

Would like to know what to give dogs to stop them from barking (half kidding).

We had our team house in Pua (Nan Province) robbed twice; once while I was gone and once while I was there, but each time there were at least four or six team members in the upstairs bedrooms. The police caught the gang a couple months later and showed us the strange chemicals they had used to keep us asleep. There were three different colors, but each had that strange look solid sodium has to it. The cops said the gang would wait until they figured everyone was home and in bed and then put these chemical around the house and light them. The smoke would infilitrate the house and keep us asleep. We never heard a thing and didn't wake up with head aches or anything. The thieves never entered the bedrooms and the cops said if somehow we ever interrupted them then we should just stand aside and the thieves would leave, but that if we got aggressive then they would get violent. They hit our house and four others at the same time. They kept the neighborhood dogs quiet by giving them, several days in advance, food laced with something that affected their vocal cords.

The only thing I know about bus robberies is individuals giving riders a micky fin; never heard about a wholesale drugging but I wouldn't put it past some to try it; after all TIT.

Thanks, m02 for shedding some light on the haze of conjecture that's been swirling around this issue. Anyone with chimical know-how could perhaps shed some more light on sodium or whatever other chemicals can be used by thieves. Perhaps the people who sell such chemicals can be forbidden from selling them to unauthorized people - they sound like very specialized chemicals that you everyday Thai guy would not be buying - unless he were up to no good. After all, there are restrictions on specialized chemicals used to make illegal drugs.

Also, what type of precautions can the average homeowner take to assuage such a demonic strategy (or gassing a family in order to rob them)? Kids in particular might risk being killed. There are stories in Japan of men who take a girl home and put her out with formaldihyde (saturated gauze over her mouth) and sometimes the girl dies - because the toxicity in the blood fatally poisons the liver..... yuk.

Let's not just be victims - let's fight back against thieving scum !!!

[m02]

Would like to know what to give dogs to stop them from barking (half kidding).

So would I. This seems to be traditional knowledge that has been lost by the modern generation. I've asked a few people around Chiangmai about it but they don't have a clue. My wife has a feeling that it might have to do with shredding up Teak leaves, which supposedly have an abrasive quality, which when mixed with food would actually mechanically injure the vocal cords. I'm not that up on dog anatomy to know if food actually passes through their vocal cords, off hand I wouldn't think so. But in fact the effect on the dogs seems permanent, which would seem to imply a mechanical cause.

Thanks, m02 for shedding some light on the haze of conjecture that's been swirling around this issue. Anyone with chimical know-how could perhaps shed some more light on sodium or whatever other chemicals can be used by thieves.

The head of the police department there was quite knowledgeable of the chemicals used, and when he showed them to us also related that these gangs were a type of sub-cultural group from Central Thailand. They would spend months off in the outlying provinces committing robberies and then take their loot back to their home area. It apparently was true because the gang was caught several months after our first robbery and the police recovered everything that had been taken - even some items we didn't realize were missing.

Perhaps someone with friends or relatives on rural police departments might do some digging and see if this type of activity is still in existence, see if they can identify the chemical used, and also find out what the anti-dog barking method is - I'd actually pay some hard cash to find that out...