Left Luggage Rip Off

[Pepe']

I got to the airport quite early as a neighbor offered a lift from Samut Sakorn where I was visiting family.

I wanted to tour the whole facility and get a 2 hour massge before my flight. I had two large suitcases and my laptop.

It was 100 baht per bag to store temporarily.

When I got back to the states I found that my new Nokia phone in the box was gone. Fortunately I kept the laptop with me.

I've never had anything taken out of luggage flying since 1971.

My guess is it was taken at the "left luggage" room at the airport...

[rogerdee123]

>>>> I've never had anything taken out of luggage flying since 1971.

Yes ... similar experience ...

My daughter came to visit us at Christmas and her transit time was too short and her luggage didn't make the connection and was kept at Suphanabhumi for 24 hours. When the luggage arrived the lock was broken and all her christmas gifts (to my wife and I) had been unwrapped and a few things were missing. Nothing really valuable was lost. But it is really a bad feeling. My daughter grew up in Thailand and this really shattered her perceptions.

Some may ask .. how do we know it happened in Suphanabhumi? I don't want to get into the details but we know.

[Simmo]

Are you guys talking about the Chub security luggage room next to the Tourist Police station above arrivals?

. I just left 3 bags there this morning ... doh..

[brahmburgers]

sorry to hear about that Pepe. Yet another cut against the new airport - the airport that may yet die a death of 1,000 cuts. Airport managers can keep repeating 'mai pen rai' until they're blue in the face, but the tide is turning in favor of re-opening and retro-fitting Don Muang.

By the way, plans for the new airport were gaining momentum (over the decades) as tourist visitor numbers were increasing. The top tamales at the helm were probably counting the beans of the best months within the best years of increased tourism - and using those tallies to predict phonomenal increases future projections. The grim reality is tourists numbers for Thailand are flattening out - and it's not surprising when one figures in all the stupid policies of the Thaksin administration. Some that come to mind:

A. early closing for bars outside of mafia controlled urban sections.

B. premature opening of, and corruption, and inept management of the new airport

C. two tiered pricing for parks based on race - ten to twenty times the regular admission fee if a person has hairy arms or a pointy nose

D. draconian visa rules that turn away good people, and allow degenerates to slip between the cracks.

E. farang murderers who, when found guilty, are given harsh sentences that quietly get commuted downward when no one is looking.

[londonthai]

pepe - try to claim it from your airline. If you bought your mobile by credit card it's covered for 30 days against theft

[h90]

sorry to hear about that Pepe. Yet another cut against the new airport - the airport that may yet die a death of 1,000 cuts. Airport managers can keep repeating 'mai pen rai' until they're blue in the face, but the tide is turning in favor of re-opening and retro-fitting Don Muang.

By the way, plans for the new airport were gaining momentum (over the decades) as tourist visitor numbers were increasing. The top tamales at the helm were probably counting the beans of the best months within the best years of increased tourism - and using those tallies to predict phonomenal increases future projections. The grim reality is tourists numbers for Thailand are flattening out - and it's not surprising when one figures in all the stupid policies of the Thaksin administration. Some that come to mind:

A. early closing for bars outside of mafia controlled urban sections.

B. premature opening of, and corruption, and inept management of the new airport

C. two tiered pricing for parks based on race - ten to twenty times the regular admission fee if a person has hairy arms or a pointy nose

D. draconian visa rules that turn away good people, and allow degenerates to slip between the cracks.

E. farang murderers who, when found guilty, are given harsh sentences that quietly get commuted downward when no one is looking.

you can enlarge that list till the server memory is full.

Just what comes in my mind:

F. kicking foreign english theacher who worked too cheap

G. Breakdown on foreign Dive Instructors

H. Harsh checks on imported ciggies

I. Trying everything to move the stream of tourists to the north, even european tourists already know about cool weather.

J. Making the duty free the perfect rip off.

and and and and.....

[britmaveric]

Never leave anything of value in your suitcases....biggest mistake a traveler can make.

[Farma]

It may not have been the left luggage room. There was report on Thai TV a few weeks back that said they were having trouble with gangs on the air side stealing from luggage at the new airport.

[guardian]

It may not have been the left luggage room. There was report on Thai TV a few weeks back that said they were having trouble with gangs on the air side stealing from luggage at the new airport.

This report, did it say whether the stealing concern luggages on arrivals or departures?

[Farma]

guardian from the thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...91840&st=15

QUOTE(Farma @ 2006-11-10 11:03:01)

Thai TV channel 5 had a report on the new airport last night. They were interviewing an official of some sort.

I didn’t fully understand what was being said but the wife translated they were having big problems with theft from baggage due to criminal activity.

I thought this was strange as I haven’t seen problems with theft mentioned on the forum.

Has anyone had problems?

QUOTE(libya 115 @ 2006-11-10 23:45:00)

Funny you should say that; but in 20 years of overseas travel my combination lock on my suitcase (I always set 000) was tampered with upon arrival at the new airport. Of course it could have been tampered with anywhere en-route, but I was surprised.

Also I heard a story in a bar (maybe not true); that a recent arrival had had pieces of clothing??? missing from an otherwise normal looking suitcase.

[guardian]

guardian from the thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...91840&st=15

Thanks for the link, Farma. Now, I wonder if anyone else has info about when the thefts take place. I'm traveling tomorrow and do not have any hand-carry baggage, only one huge check-in type. I'll have to put valuables in a temporary hand-carry bag if there is a problem in departures too.

[Pepe']

pepe - try to claim it from your airline. If you bought your mobile by credit card it's covered for 30 days against theft

Good idea I'll give it a try.

Thanks

[lomatopo]

When I got back to the states I found that my new Nokia phone in the box was gone. Fortunately I kept the laptop with me.

My guess is it was taken at the "left luggage" room at the airport...

Random thougths/comments...

Never, ever pack anything of value in checked luggage. This is doubly true post 9/11.

Is it possible that you forgot to pack the phone?

Your checked bags were obviously handled at a number of stations, minimally at at least one domestic U.S. location in addition to the luggage room and baggage handling at BKK. Can you share your itinerary? I'd suspect a U.S. location based on all the first-hand reports of pilferage there.

[Mighty Mouse]

Do the Thai authorities X-ray these bags before storing them?

If they do, the unscrupulous worker would only target those bags that contain something of value.

What concerns me is that one poster in this thread stated that the lock on his bag was forced open.

I use a hardshell Samsonite bag that comes with a combination lock. That lock can be opened with force, perhaps just a screwdriver.

Perhaps I should now consider wrapping a chain and padlock around the case when travelling into Thailand.

[taxexile]

i always use a length of duct or parcel tape around the case , with flight details written with a felt tip pen on the bit of tape that covers the locking area .

if the case is opened , the tape will be broken i can report it right away.

its no guarantee , but should make a thief think again and move on to choose someone elses bag.

[cdnvic]

i always use a length of duct or parcel tape around the case , with flight details written with a felt tip pen on the bit of tape that covers the locking area .

if the case is opened , the tape will be broken i can report it right away.

its no guarantee , but should make a thief think again and move on to choose someone elses bag.

Zap strap the zippers shut, using coloured ones that bagage handlers wouldn't have handy helps. extras can easily be carried to replace ones broken while opening the luggege for inspection.

The left luggage staff at Don Muang actually warned me that if I left booze or cigs in my bag that they might go missing.

[Pepe']

When I got back to the states I found that my new Nokia phone in the box was gone. Fortunately I kept the laptop with me.

My guess is it was taken at the "left luggage" room at the airport...

Random thougths/comments...

Never, ever pack anything of value in checked luggage. This is doubly true post 9/11.

Is it possible that you forgot to pack the phone?

Your checked bags were obviously handled at a number of stations, minimally at at least one domestic U.S. location in addition to the luggage room and baggage handling at BKK. Can you share your itinerary? I'd suspect a U.S. location based on all the first-hand reports of pilferage there.

I clearlt remember packing it in the original plastic shopping bag from the mall. Like I sai I just guess it was taken there, no way to know for sure.

[Shrubbery]

quote]

Zap strap the zippers shut, using coloured ones that bagage handlers wouldn't have handy helps. extras can easily be carried to replace ones broken while opening the luggege for inspection.

Cable Ties and similar are only effective as long as the zip can't be moved. Otherwise it is easy to use a blade to part the zip and then run the zipper back over the opened zip.

I have seen this done by a baggage handler at Gatwick.

[Donnyboy]

Sorry about your loss.

I have never had a problem with my hardcase Samsonite suitcase, bought many years ago and more expensive than the standard fare, but worth it. Never had a theft.It doesnt have any zips, just hardwaring plastic clips with combo lock and also keylocks. It helps too being a hardcase- have you ever seen the luggage handlers load the bags onto the conveyors etc?

[Flow]

It may not have been the left luggage room. There was report on Thai TV a few weeks back that said they were having trouble with gangs on the air side stealing from luggage at the new airport.

Interesting... now I know what happened to my Sony Digital Camera battery charger!!!

[Mighty Mouse]

It helps too being a hardcase- have you ever seen the luggage handlers load the bags onto the conveyors etc?

Yes, and I have also seen them unloading luggage from the planes by dropping the bags from the hatch door of the plane down onto the tarmac. Quite a considerable drop.

[Fielder]

Some airports in Australia supply a service, for a fee, where your bags a completely wrapped and sealed in plastic. Could be an idea in Thailand for some enterprising types.

[casamarina]

They already have the plastic wrapping for luggage at the new airport. From what I understand its free.

I had a weird experience at the new airport when I arrive from England on new years eve.

I bought my ticket to Trat and because I had to wait 4 hours, I put my bag in the left luggage.

I then went outside to have a smoke and read the paper, later to the toilet. Then as I was walking around the airport I suddenly realised that both my airline ticket and ticket for left luggage were no longer in my back pocket. I rushed down to the toilet to look for them, thinking that I may have dropped them. I asked the cleaning staff and they said they had not seen my tickets. As I was heading up the escalator to the ticket desk I was approached by a Thai man who gave me his business card and told me I could buy another plane ticket from his shop. I quickly went to the ticket office and it was no problem to reprint the ticket at no cost. Then to the left luggage where I explained I lost my ticket and was able to get my bag back by showing my passport.

I'm still not sure if this was an attempted scam or was just an accident. I was very tired from the journey from England.

I was quite impressed by the new airport although I could no longer buy lambert and butler at the duty free shop when I arrived.

[Jamie]

I thought that you can't lock your luggage due to inspections? When I come there I'd like to be able to "secure" my luggage, but they don't allow this at least in the States.

[Gumballl]

I thought that you can't lock your luggage due to inspections? When I come there I'd like to be able to "secure" my luggage, but they don't allow this at least in the States.

In the US they do allow you to lock your luggage. You can purchase a TSA-certified lock at most department stores, and secure your suitcase with this lock. I have a cheapo lock; after the TSA agent hauls my inspected luggage to the check-in counter (after the xray stuff is done), I ask him/her to lock my suitcase. I hand over the lock and they cheerfully comply.

If you lock your luggage with a non-TSA-certified lock prior to the xray scan, and TSA has a need to open your luggage, they will, which may result in the damage to your lock. Otherwise they will merely "pick it", and then relock it when their inspection is complete. This has happened to me in the past. Nothing was missing from my luggage, and a note was inserted into the luggage by the TSA to indicate what they had done.

[jbowman1993]

Sorry about your loss.

I have never had a problem with my hardcase Samsonite suitcase, bought many years ago and more expensive than the standard fare, but worth it. Never had a theft.It doesnt have any zips, just hardwaring plastic clips with combo lock and also keylocks. It helps too being a hardcase- have you ever seen the luggage handlers load the bags onto the conveyors etc?

His grandmother didn't die here.... He was stupid and left a valuable piece of electronics in his suitcase. Lesson learned, move on

[Robski]

Do they have the individual lockers at the airport? the ones where you stash your bag, lock it up, get a ticket and pay when you come back.

If so what is the maximum length of time it can be used?

I want to stash some items, have a bit of a tour perhaps for a couple of weeks and come back to the airport before flying out.

I certainly don't want to leave it in a luggage office.

Is there any other options?

Thanks.

[Muppetbkk]

If you stored the baggage with the Chubb Left luggage at the airport you will have signed a declaration that you have no mobile phones, laptops, jewelry, cash etc in your bag!!!

So...???

[Rinrada]

Wots Luggage? ....holdall and tesco bag.......

[wpcoe]

I thought that you can't lock your luggage due to inspections? When I come there I'd like to be able to "secure" my luggage, but they don't allow this at least in the States.

In the US they do allow you to lock your luggage. You can purchase a TSA-certified lock at most department stores, and secure your suitcase with this lock. I have a cheapo lock; after the TSA agent hauls my inspected luggage to the check-in counter (after the xray stuff is done), I ask him/her to lock my suitcase. I hand over the lock and they cheerfully comply.

If you lock your luggage with a non-TSA-certified lock prior to the xray scan, and TSA has a need to open your luggage, they will, which may result in the damage to your lock. Otherwise they will merely "pick it", and then relock it when their inspection is complete. This has happened to me in the past. Nothing was missing from my luggage, and a note was inserted into the luggage by the TSA to indicate what they had done.

I departed Chicago O'Hare last Saturday on UA (ORD-NRT-BKK) and asked the check-in CSR if I could lock my suitcase. She pointed to the TSA screening machines behind the check-in counters and told me to wait by the machines and tell the TSA folks I wanted to lock my suitcase. I was sternly advised by those TSA folks to stand away from the machine, but they gladly put the lock on the suitcase for me.

Last time I departed BKK, I had my digital camera stolen from a checked (unlocked) suitcase. It was a small Sony (DSC-T1) and I kept it wrapped in a yellow terrycloth wrist band, at the very bottom of the bag. When I got to Japan (it was just a one-segment BKK-NRT trip) and opened my suitcase, I almost didn't notice they had gone through my bag ... nothing was disturbed. Only when I saw the empty yellow wristband did I realize my camera was gone. They knew EXACTLY where it was, so it seems like whoever was watching the X-ray/screening machine in BKK was involved. <sigh....>