Cosmetics seized from travelers at Thai airport checkpoints turn up in online sale

[masuk]

What happens to the booze? (Rhetorical question). For YEARS I have observed DOZENS and DOZENS of passengers having their booze conficated at the pre-gate screening point, most commonly on flights to Australia. In some cases they had bought the bottles in other Thai airports while in transit to BKK but in others, until quite recently, at BKK itself.

Apparently not told at the point of purchase that there are restrictions on this and they risk confiscation. Very good business arrangement for the duty free monopoly ( in addition to the fact that the booze for sale is usually retail plus 20% rather than duty free).

Happened to me at KUL airport, in transit. Had an unopened bottle of Drambui ($40.00) taken from me. I bought this at Duty Free in Australia, and carefully packed in my carry-on bag, but security wouldn't let me take it on to Chiang Mai.

I had a few words to say to the woman, all dressed up in head dress, and told her straight that she was probably going to take it home. She told me Muslims don't drink alcohol. Look up, there goes another pig!!

[Roomuck]

I think everyone is pointing the blame at the wrong people,

These rules were brought in after the 9-11 attacks.

Then the farangs made these rules.

I am pretty sure that Osama Bin Laden wasn't a Thai.

Before he organized these attacks there was no such rule. He ruined it for everyone. But he copped his right whack.

It is better for the environment not to waste these products that end up being sold at a discount. The rules are the rules, I have lost sunblock, etc as often I travel with carry on only to avoid waiting for baggage. I know the rules, it doesn't bother me the slightest, and as others have said, other countries also do it. Who cares? How petty.

[rak sa_ngop]

What happens to the booze? (Rhetorical question). For YEARS I have observed DOZENS and DOZENS of passengers having their booze conficated at the pre-gate screening point, most commonly on flights to Australia. In some cases they had bought the bottles in other Thai airports while in transit to BKK but in others, until quite recently, at BKK itself.

Apparently not told at the point of purchase that there are restrictions on this and they risk confiscation. Very good business arrangement for the duty free monopoly ( in addition to the fact that the booze for sale is usually retail plus 20% rather than duty free).

Happened to me at KUL airport, in transit. Had an unopened bottle of Drambui ($40.00) taken from me. I bought this at Duty Free in Australia, and carefully packed in my carry-on bag, but security wouldn't let me take it on to Chiang Mai.

I had a few words to say to the woman, all dressed up in head dress, and told her straight that she was probably going to take it home. She told me Muslims don't drink alcohol. Look up, there goes another pig!!

Was this recently?

Last year I travelled from Darwin, transit in KUL to Bangkok with a bottle of Kraken Rum. I had no problems.

[richard_smith237]

I'm not so sure what the big deal is here...

I know the rules before I travel, If I'm daft enough to carry something in my hand luggage which according to the regulations should be confiscated then its my own fault...

If I something has been confiscated it seems a huge waste to see it thrown away, I'd rather see it sold, but herein lies the issue...

In selling the item someone is profiting, which I’m sure is the main issue here. However, if profits from the sales of confiscated items were donated to a charity then I for one would feel quite happy about the consequences of my failure to pay attention to what I’ve packed in my hand luggage.

----

A number of years back I made a last minute decision to hand carry my small bag instead of checking it in. It was only once I arrived at the security check point I realized my mistake.

I had a bottle of L’Occitane shower gel (about 800 baht). Of course I was a little annoyed at having it confiscated, but that annoyance was more at myself for making the mistake…

As the Girl at security was about to throw it in the bin my natural reaction was to say “No !!... don’t throw it away, its expensive, keep it, give it to your Boy friend”…

Now, of course she probably didn’t keep it and probably couldn’t.. but I didn’t want it to go to waste and the Security were doing nothing other than their job….

So… I see nothing wrong with an online shop – But I see something wrong in anything other than the profits going to a Charity.

Edited February 18, 2016 by richard_smith237

[richard_smith237]

Gosh - this comes as a real surprise!

Do you suppose that there could be similar operations flogging pen knives, nail files and scissors?

There is sure to be a racket going on with the alcohol and liquid cosmetics that are confiscated by Thai security doing bag checks at boarding gates for planes bound for Australia. The Australian Government claims that these "risky " duty free carry on products are OK on planes leaving Australia because their Duty Free shops are, to quote, "STERILE". I have that in writing from the Australian Government. So effectively Australia is saying that Duty Free shops at Suvarnabhumi Airport are not "STERILE" and therefore their products are not OK for taking on board any aircraft leaving Thailand en-route to Australia. I wonder if the Thai Government or AOT is aware their duty free shops at International airports are classified as "UN-STERILE" by Australian authorities. Therefore after having my bottle of whisky confiscated at the boarding gate my tip is DO NOT purchase duty free liquids of any kind to take on board departures to Australia ex Thai airports. It will be taken from you as you board the aircraft and will most likely end up on the black market and a nice little earner for some staff.

But this 'sterile' arguement is fundamentally flawed.... You are allowed to take a bottle of Whiskey in your checked in luggage...

[pomchop]

Many airports use a TSA-provided contractor who collects the “stuff” and disposes of it….. quite literally, throws it away. Or, as some airports do, we donate items to approved, non-profit organizations in accordance w/GSA regulations.

We have heard of local schools receiving the scissors. We have heard of local police departments training with the mace. Some VA hospitals sell some of the items to help make ends meet. Some non-profits, including several state surplus property divisions, sell the material on the auction web site eBay, and put the profits in THEIR coffers. TSA does not sell or profit in any way from the selling of this voluntarily abandoned property.

[masuk]

What happens to the booze? (Rhetorical question). For YEARS I have observed DOZENS and DOZENS of passengers having their booze conficated at the pre-gate screening point, most commonly on flights to Australia. In some cases they had bought the bottles in other Thai airports while in transit to BKK but in others, until quite recently, at BKK itself.

Apparently not told at the point of purchase that there are restrictions on this and they risk confiscation. Very good business arrangement for the duty free monopoly ( in addition to the fact that the booze for sale is usually retail plus 20% rather than duty free).

Happened to me at KUL airport, in transit. Had an unopened bottle of Drambui ($40.00) taken from me. I bought this at Duty Free in Australia, and carefully packed in my carry-on bag, but security wouldn't let me take it on to Chiang Mai.

I had a few words to say to the woman, all dressed up in head dress, and told her straight that she was probably going to take it home. She told me Muslims don't drink alcohol. Look up, there goes another pig!!

Was this recently?

Last year I travelled from Darwin, transit in KUL to Bangkok with a bottle of Kraken Rum. I had no problems.

My Drambui was taken 12 months ago. Australian Security had no problem with this, but Malay Security insisted that everything be in a sealed plastic 'Duty Free' bag. Yes, maybe deemed 'non-sterile'.

Normally this trip is 'Fly Through' with Air Asia, but this time they decided we should all stay overnight and so it was Immigration and Customs out and again "IN" next morning. As it was Ramadan, maybe staff were feeling less than happy not having eaten all day.

[khundon]

Got enough cosmetics and creams, but We need a new ironing board, do they have one?

.

[Bantex]

I arrived at swampy off an international flight with two bottles of spirits, both were sealed duty free bags, I was carrying one bag and the other was in my rucksack for ease of carriage. I was stopped at customs and the Thai official insisted I handed over one bottle. I pointed to a sign (in Thai & English) which stated that excess duty free could be brought into Thailand on completion of the relevant paperwork and payment of the duty and I insisted that he complete the paperwork and issue a receipt for any payment. He asked me to open my suitcase before he hid the excess bottle inside and indicated for me to be quiet about what he had done. It was obvious that he was not getting the bottle to take home and couldn't be bother doing any paperwork.

[HerbalEd]

Supposedly, all those confiscated liquids are suspected explosives, right?

[dcnx]

I suspected they did this. Rarely do I have to dispose of something but when I do I empty the container into the bin for this very reason.

[mikiea]

ehhh... the high quality make up used

to conceal open sores in aids people , that is also resold ?

[dageurreotype]

Anytime I've been told to dispose of any item at an airport checkpoint in Thailand I've made it a point to empty all the contents in the bin before disposing of the packaging all the while smiling at the lady standing by the bin.

Not sure why you would be so smug. It would show greater smarts to follow the simple guidelines on what can and cannot be taken hand luggage.

I only take hand luggage. Ever. Anywhere and everywhere. So must buy new at every destination, many of which don't have the items I need. And all because of the good ol' US's new/old bogeyman

BTW, I once carried a sheet of tiffany glass from Australia to Thailand. When boarding, I was told I must have it kept up front in the captain's cabin whilst travelling, in case I tried to slit someone's throat with delicate Tiffany glass Another crew member laughed and pointed out the irony of bottle after bottle of duty free being allowed in the passenger's hand luggage. So not so fast with the 'smug' comment, eh?

[Ricardo]

So how can one order one's desired Duty-Free product, and do they do malt-whisky, too ?