How Thai Smile ruined my holiday

[jameson]

I travelled nearly 10 000 kms from Cape Town, South Africa, to Chiang Mai, Thailand, mainly to buy some carved wax temple candles. 

 

I was delighted to find the candles in a monk supply shop and bought four of them. Each measured around 60cm in length and came in their own cardboard box.

 

When I checked in for my Thai Smile connecting flight to Bangkok  I was told at Chiang Mai airport that candles could not be checked in. Previously, I had Googled the transportation of candles by air and understood that wax candles could be transported. It was only "gel candles" that are forbidden. 

 

I read Thai Smile’s terms and conditions of carriage of goods before the flight and did not see any reference to  candles being excluded from checked baggage.

I have now also checked IATA's website and there is no reference to candles not being transported by air. 

 

I tried shipping the candles via a shipping company at the airport --- but being a Saturday --- they could not manage the paper work (at least, that is what I think they said).

 

Finally, and in desperation --- and now about to miss my flight to Bangkok --- I reached my driver in Chiang Mai and he now has my precious candles.

 

When I checked in for my Singapore Airways flight in Bangkok they told me that they would have happily carried the candles. I now have an email from Singapore Airlines confirming that wax candles CAN be transported by air.

 

I have exchanged several frustrating emails with Thai Smile and the best they can do for me (without admitting liability or apologising) is to ship the candles to me — at my expense. I think that is unfair. 

 

Thai Smile told me in one of their emails that the airline “has considered your candle as hidden dangerous goods which may not be obvious to passengers and crew and which may be inadvertently contained in baggage.” The truth of the matter is that the candles were in their branded cardboard boxes when I tried to check them in. The boxes even had a drawing of a candle on the outside. Thai Smile knew they were candles in the box because I told them so at the airport! And, later I even sent the airline photos of the candles as they were presented at the check-in counter. 

 

After my failure to get a satisfactory response from Thai Smile I wrote to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT),  which acknowledged my email,  and the Thai consumer board, which did not.

 

I am hoping that one of your many readers can advise me on the way forward. It is possible that I or a friend might one day return to Chiang Mai and retrieve the candles. But what if I/we run into the same issue again?

 

Thank you

[onthesoi]

While the Thai Smile small print doesn't mentioned them specifically, I think candles might qualify as a flammable item.

 

Might be easiest to just post them back home.

[A1Str8]

I don't understand what's the issue. First, a word of advice. Next time contact the department in question instead of just looking up information. Then again, when you flew with the other airline, you should have checked with them if they allow you to carry your precious candles it would have not been a surprise that they would have happily obliged. 

Different airlines have different policies. As for Thai Smile, those are their strict policies and keep contacting them won't change anything. Leave them alone, lesson learned. Focus on the candles. If you are not in Thailand anymore, contact the driver who has them and tell him to mail the candles to where you are and pay him and for the package. That's it. 

[kannot]

you need to understand that the airline can do ANYTHING they want regarding what you can and cannot carry

My example, Birmingham UK  carry  on bags 50 metres of electric  cable  fully allowable............arrive Dubai cable confiscated in transit to Bangkok, makes no sense whatsoever, they fear I may garot the cabin crew or tie them up yet with the same airline on the same journey from Birmingham ( Emirates) I could have easily done that??

Cannot take metal knives onto the planes but when served  food get????????????? metal knives to eat it with???????????? at least in Business class.

Edited December 27, 2016 by kannot

[kannot]

33 minutes ago, onthesoi said:

While the Thai Smile small print doesn't mentioned them specifically, I think candles might qualify as a flammable item.

 

Might be easiest to just post them back home.

so  would a  pack of  500 a4 sheets  of  paper  but  bet  u  can  carry  those

[onthesoi]

30 minutes ago, kannot said:

so  would a  pack of  500 a4 sheets  of  paper  but  bet  u  can  carry  those

 

Candle wax is more flammable...it will facilitate setting fire to materials that generally don't want to burn, ...paper on the other hand not so much.

 

If I wanted to set fire to an aeroplane( as a passenger ) I know which of the two I would choose.

Edited December 27, 2016 by onthesoi

[sotonowl]

1 hour ago, kannot said:

you need to understand that the airline can do ANYTHING they want regarding what you can and cannot carry

My example, Birmingham UK  carry  on bags 50 metres of electric  cable  fully allowable............arrive Dubai cable confiscated in transit to Bangkok, makes no sense whatsoever, they fear I may garot the cabin crew or tie them up yet with the same airline on the same journey from Birmingham ( Emirates) I could have easily done that??

Cannot take metal knives onto the planes but when served  food get????????????? metal knives to eat it with???????????? at least in Business class.

So pleased the cable got detected in Dubai. Fair play to them.

 

[mogandave]

Why didn't you take a different airline to BKK or even use your driver?

[kannot]

2 hours ago, sotonowl said:

So pleased the cable got detected in Dubai. Fair play to them.

 

Pleased?? At  Birmingham  my bags (Hand  Luggage) were checked by scanners and opened , they saw the cable physically, I asked if it was ok, they said YES.

I specifically checked with them..............Dubai not allowed, they need to standardise what is and isnt allowable worldwide

 

[daveAustin]

Strange. Never had an issue with Thai Smile. Wax can obviously perpetuate any fire, but could also be a case of face, with the person on the counter who refused not wanting to back down. If it wasn't listed as a restricted item in their literature, you should probably not have said anything or just posted them from the off... or, better still, ordered online and have them delivered to save an expensive trip over here. All the best.

[daveAustin]

1 hour ago, kannot said:

Pleased?? At  Birmingham  my bags (Hand  Luggage) were checked by scanners and opened , they saw the cable physically, I asked if it was ok, they said YES.

I specifically checked with them..............Dubai not allowed, they need to standardise what is and isnt allowable worldwide

 

Ignore the troll. I will only ever go through Dubai again as a last resort or if Emirates give me a free ticket. Yuck.

[JHolmesJr]

Bet they had their best thai smile on when they refused your candles passage.

[chiang mai]

I think Thai Smile is a good airline but they can't hold a candle to Air Asia.

[Ron19]

Hope you had your coat on when you posted this.

Sent from my iris 755 using Tapatalk

[Amphur2000]

you need to understand that the airline can do ANYTHING they want regarding what you can and cannot carry
My example, Birmingham UK  carry  on bags 50 metres of electric  cable  fully allowable............arrive Dubai cable confiscated in transit to Bangkok, makes no sense whatsoever, they fear I may garot the cabin crew or tie them up yet with the same airline on the same journey from Birmingham ( Emirates) I could have easily done that??
Cannot take metal knives onto the planes but when served  food get????????????? metal knives to eat it with???????????? at least in Business class.

Yes also highlighting you can't take Razors through but when you board they give you a vanity pack containing...... A Razor


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Kwasaki]

10 hours ago, jameson said:

I am hoping that one of your many readers can advise me on the way forward. It is possible that I or a friend might one day return to Chiang Mai and retrieve the candles. But what if I/we run into the same issue again?

 

 

[kannot]

2 hours ago, Amphur2000 said:

 

Yes also highlighting you can't take Razors through but when you board they give you a vanity pack containing...... A Razor


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

yep madness

[mogandave]

You can take most razors

[nottocus]

So your whole holiday was ruined by a few candles. Imagine how you would feel if something important was lost.

[KittenKong]

Good luck trying to get a Thai company to acknowledge that they got something wrong and to carry the cost. They hardly ever do that sort of thing (Google "saving face").

[chiang mai]

Thai Smile, they get on my wick sometimes.

[mogandave]

I have had any number of Thai companies admit mistakes and make them right.

 

I have also had Thai companies make right what I was not happy about, even though they made no mistake. 

 

What I hate is people whining when they are expected to follow the rule of law.

[chiang mai]

3 hours ago, mogandave said:

I have had any number of Thai companies admit mistakes and make them right.

 

I have also had Thai companies make right what I was not happy about, even though they made no mistake. 

 

What I hate is people whining when they are expected to follow the rule of law.

 

Amen!

[MJCM]

Pleased?? At  Birmingham  my bags (Hand  Luggage) were checked by scanners and opened , they saw the cable physically, I asked if it was ok, they said YES.
I specifically checked with them..............Dubai not allowed, they need to standardise what is and isnt allowable worldwide
 

Agree 100%. Flew back Sunday from Singapore to DMK.

In Singapore carry on bag had 2 bottles of water (forgot them) went through scanner and was allowed to go through. In DMK (boarding flight to go home) we had to dispose of both bottles before going through.

[Gumballl]

9 minutes ago, MJCM said:

 

Agree 100%. Flew back Sunday from Singapore to DMK.

In Singapore carry on bag had 2 bottles of water (forgot them) went through scanner and was allowed to go through. In DMK (boarding flight to go home) we had to dispose of both bottles before going through.

 

 

Yep, it seems that the folks in Singapore have lax security.  Imagine if the next guy had 2 bottles full of petrol.

[MJCM]

 

Yep, it seems that the folks in Singapore have lax security.  Imagine if the next guy had 2 bottles full of petrol.

IMO Singapore has good security, but I have to agree with your last remark about the petrol, but what I found strange is that different airports have different rules. For example one airport have to take off belt before going through scanner next airport don't need too. Same with the water bottles.

[sotonowl]

19 hours ago, kannot said:

Pleased?? At  Birmingham  my bags (Hand  Luggage) were checked by scanners and opened , they saw the cable physically, I asked if it was ok, they said YES.

I specifically checked with them..............Dubai not allowed, they need to standardise what is and isnt allowable worldwide

 

Why?

[Saastrajaa]

Ah, Thailand...the only country I've found (there may be others) where, at airport security check, they insist you remove your laptop from the TSA-approved laptop bag specifically constructed and intended so you don't need to remove the laptop (you only have to unzip the outside so the part of the bag containing it can lay flat and separate).

[mogandave]

I don't think the TSA has anything to do with airports outside the US

[Savilesghost]

4 hours ago, Saastrajaa said:

Ah, Thailand...the only country I've found (there may be others) where, at airport security check, they insist you remove your laptop from the TSA-approved laptop bag specifically constructed and intended so you don't need to remove the laptop (you only have to unzip the outside so the part of the bag containing it can lay flat and separate).

The TSA has no jurisdiction in Thailand (or any other places in the world outside the US, for that matter) unless there they invaded Thailand without telling anyone