Japanese tourist reports large amount of cash ‘stolen’ from Bangkok bound flight
Thaivisa Reporters


Would you leave your holiday money in your loaded baggage? He did.

BANGKOK:-- A young Japanese tourist had a terrible start to his holiday in Thailand on Wednesday evening, after he found that all his money had been stolen from his bag en route from Japan, reports Thaivisa News.

The man said the money was inside his main bag loaded on the plane.

Twenty one year old Suzuki Kenta reported to Suvarnabhumi police on arrival that when he checked his large suitcase at the carousel he found that his wallet and cash of 80,000 yen (24,000 baht) had been stolen.

Speaking through a Thai relative helping to translate the hapless Suzuki told Sithipong Panthaisong investigating: "myself and two friends left from Okinawa airport and went via Hong Kong changing onto Hong Kong airlines. I hid my money in my bag as I didn't want to risk losing it by carrying it on my person."

On opening his bag in Bangkok he saw that the wallet had gone and the bag was zipped up. No mention was made of a lock.

Authorities filed a report and promised to pursue the matter with the baggage team that were on duty in Bangkok but due to the fact that the young man's journey had involved a connection it would prove difficult if not impossible to ascertain where the money was lifted.

-- 2016-03-17

Many people do stupid things when they travel, taking chances for nothing and ignoring the facts that

luggage goes thru X-ray machines in every airport and security personal are there to monitor every bag

for bombs weapons and drugs, so when they see the embedded metal strips of the banknotes they know

what it is and go for it,

Headline states as of millions are stolen.

How large is 24,000 ?

Our German friend used to earns more than that in Thailand with and investment of Starbucks paper cup.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/902837-most-hated-german-in-thailand-with-big-foot-returns-to-begging-in-hong-kong/#entry10527811

Idiot, you never put cash in checked luggage. How could you get a more secure area than airside when travelling

Sounds like an insurance job, but think he will get no luck from insurers

Edited March 17, 201610 yr by prestburypark

"I hid my money in my bag as I didn't want to risk losing it by carrying it on my person."

Seriously... we are talking about 24k here... please!

This would be a good lesson for a young man

If you are stupid enough to put anything of value in your luggage and not carry it on you or in your carry-on bag then you can only blame yourself if it's lost! It's the same as sending money in an envelope thru the mail as the chance of just that envelope getting lost is a thousand times higher than for an envelope without money...

24,000B, just here for the weekend then

Give the guy a break: probably his first trip by himself, comes from a place where people tend not to steal, silly maybe but who hasn't been at various times.

Now the young man will probably have to use his debit card in Thai ATMs and get ripped off again with Bt200 fees.

That was 8 billiets of 10.000 yen...Why not keep that in your pocket/wallet? And even no lock on the suitcase?

Strange story.....Japanese are too smart for things like this.

"I hid my money in my bag as I didn't want to risk losing it by carrying it on my person."

Seriously... we are talking about 24k here... please!

Yes..ok.....a young tourist....not experienced in worldy travel.....to him, Thb 24000 is a lot of money......to have his bag raided is criminal.....!

Many people do stupid things when they travel, taking chances for nothing and ignoring the facts that

luggage goes thru X-ray machines in every airport and security personal are there to monitor every bag

for bombs weapons and drugs, so when they see the embedded metal strips of the banknotes they know

what it is and go for it,

So you know that security staff are responsible for this alleged theft but the police don't?

You also generalise that all airport security staff are thieves, "so when they see the embedded metal strips of the banknotes they know what it is and go for it,"

Give the guy a break: probably his first trip by himself, comes from a place where people tend not to steal, silly maybe but who hasn't been at various times.

You're right but let the holier-than-thous waste their breath mouthing off about him as usual, he won't be reading any of it.

I got all panicky once when I got asked to put my laptop case on the shelf thing above my head during just the take-off of a plane as it had my passport in it.

If you could find a middle ground between me and this Japanese guy then you'd be perfect.

That's a lot of ladyboy bar fines. That will take some of the steam out of his soi 4 vacation.

....can do no right in the face of the hell-bent....

...pickpocket....slash and grab....drug and rob......

...for crying out loud...he put it in his suitcase.....

...it's his fault he was robbed....???

Japan is pretty much theft free culture, but jeez.....

"The school of life has a high tuition, but some fools will learn in no other" -Ben Franklin

Latest scam stealing from overhead bin

While people sleep. Money and phone

with Me in my seat or at my feet!!

So many freaken scams these days, we

All must protect ourselves.

Latest scam stealing from overhead bin

While people sleep. Money and phone

with Me in my seat or at my feet!!

So many freaken scams these days, we

All must protect ourselves.

24k is a lot of money to a lot of people. Why the snobbish, "chump change" attitude?

After the Japanese earthquake tsunami and nuclear meltdown it was reported from the devastated residential areas that residents sifting thru the ruble would find family home safes and report and turn them in. Many Japanese keep such in their homes.

Curious about this story though is where did the flight originate and who were the screeners. I doubt Thai nationals are working in Japan as security screeners

Living there for three years, I had occasion to lose my iPhone in a taxi. It was returned to my workplace security. Another time I dropped my keys in the lobby of my apt building. Someone found them and put up a note on the bulletin board. Another time a pair of gloves got dropped on a sidewalk. Retracing my route I found them put up on a ledge near where I had lost them. These occurances happened in their 3rd largest city. One could drop ones wallet and it would be left alone.

When any cashier hands you your change they count it out with the flair and proficiency of a Vegas card dealer. NEVER any trouble with taxi guys. And tipping doesent exsist.

My apt building required code or key entry and then again each apt had security alarm on all doors and windows. The keys and door locks were of extremely high quality, and security design. Sometimes in the evenings, community patrols would drive through the neighborhood warning to lock ones doors and be safe against criminals. One could however be out anytime day or night without fear and wasn't unusual to see youngsters, seniors and women out and about at late hours in otherwise deserted streets. Very safe place.

Headline states as of millions are stolen.

How large is 24,000 ?

Our German friend used to earns more than that in Thailand with and investment of Starbucks paper cup.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/902837-most-hated-german-in-thailand-with-big-foot-returns-to-begging-in-hong-kong/#entry10527811

true.......... but our german friend 'him hansum man vely vely'

24,000B, just here for the weekend then

this buys me a month of oldskool thai bliss but then my barfines are zero, paid-for happy endings are zero, parasites-wives are zero, kids are zero... and i don't feel the urge to eat Swiss fondue when it's 35° out there

Prize Dimwit ! Most Jap's are intelligent but this one is obviously a runt.

I got all panicky once when I got asked to put my laptop case on the shelf thing above my head during just the take-off of a plane as it had my passport in it.

If you could find a middle ground between me and this Japanese guy then you'd be perfect.

There have now been at least 6 different reports of Chinese man stealing from bags in the overhead bin while the owner sleeps. Sleep with one eye open or hug your important bits while you sleep.......

On a bus out of BKK my wallet fell on the floor while I was sleeping. Young Thai in seat behind me woke me up and handed me my wallet.

A quick look around showed that near everyone else was also asleep.

I don't judge by generalizations.

I did it once many years ago when travelling to Thailand. I had been in New York and foolishly left a wad of US dollars in my trouser pocket and then packed it in the case. Needless to say the case arrived on the carousal in Bangkok with a broken lock and the money missing. I reported it and was told (with a shrug of the shoulders) that if I put money in my checked in luggage it would be taken by the baggage handlers. Never done it again!

Lots of "blame the victim" in this thread.

There are a couple videos like this on YouTube:

It only takes a skilled, experienced thief seconds to open any zippered bag in seconds, locked or not.

Also, it has become my habit of putting carryon luggage in the bin across the aisle from my seat. You have a better chance of keeping an eye on your bag than if it's directly over you, especially from a non-aisle seat.

Japanese are generally speaking very honest, and do not steal, so he is typically a little naive compared to the average Thaivisa commentator who while propping up a bar only come in contact with a narrow class of Thai that they mistake for being average Thais.