Two tourists were held by an airport gang until they paid up £8,000

[Serendipity2]

KhwaamLap,

I suspect the 'team' employs the first person to distract anyone looking as they will focus on his odd conduct while the other is the actual thief who steals the goods. Like a good magician - we focus on one hand which is moving or showing us something while he's hiding something with the other which we are not focused on.

Thanks for the tip about bagging extra items - I never even thought about that angle. I rarely buy much and I do t ry to watch them - but anyone of us can be distracted momentarily - especially if they are a team. Someone bumps you from behind and the clerk puts an extra item in your bag while you're turned. Or they 'accidentally' spill something on you and then make a big scene helping you clean up. Pretty scary! Especially at the airport where you have a plane to catch, have little time and you're in a foreign country.

Note to self - buy nothing but food at the airport! And keep ALL your possessions very near you all the time. And never talk to strangers - unless they're really cute!

[KhwaamLap]

Originally Posted by Serendipity2

KhwaamLap,

I suspect the 'team' employs the first person to distract anyone looking as they will focus on his odd conduct while the other is the actual thief who steals the goods. Like a good magician - we focus on one hand which is moving or showing us something while he's hiding something with the other which we are not focused on.

Thanks for the tip about bagging extra items - I never even thought about that angle. I rarely buy much and I do t ry to watch them - but anyone of us can be distracted momentarily - especially if they are a team. Someone bumps you from behind and the clerk puts an extra item in your bag while you're turned. Or they 'accidentally' spill something on you and then make a big scene helping you clean up. Pretty scary! Especially at the airport where you have a plane to catch, have little time and you're in a foreign country.

Note to self - buy nothing but food at the airport! And keep ALL your possessions very near you all the time. And never talk to strangers - unless they're really cute!

Note to self: Walk straight through duty free - do not stop,do not pass go and do not collect $200 - take food with you (its cheaper and better outside the airport anyway as is all the duty free good they sell - rip off prices). Stay well clear, don't even browse.

[Serendipity2]

Originally Posted by KhwaamLap

Note to self: Walk straight through duty free - do not stop,do not pass go and do not collect $200 - take food with you (its cheaper and better outside the airport anyway as is all the duty free good they sell - rip off prices). Stay well clear, don't even browse.

KhwaamLap,

Sage advice! I agree regarding the food being cheaper outside but occasionally our flight is delayed so we end up 'grazing' at a local food vendor and paying more than we should. Aside from a very occasional newspaper I rarely buy anything at the duty free stores. The merchandise is overpriced and I'm cheap! Occasionally, if I've some "excess" money I didn't get exchanged I'll splurge on something like macadamia nuts but if Duty Free relied on me they'd have been out of business decades ago. I use to kill time browsing the book and magazine section but now that you've alerted me to the possibility of someone slipping something into my bag I'll be refraining from that as well. An ounce of prevention IS worth [far more than] a pound of cure. :/

[frogblogger]

More on this - the "zig-zag" scam - from the BBC today...

Terrible publicity for Thailand, but it never seems to bother them too much.

The final paragraph:

'Typical' scam

The BBC has spoken to Tony and the regional police commander, Colonel Teeradej Phanuphan.

They both say Tony was merely helping the couple with translation, and raising bail to keep them out of prison.

Tony says about half the £7,500 was for bail, while the rest were "fees" for the bail, for his work, and for a lawyer he says he consulted on their behalf.

In theory, he says, they could try to get the bail portion refunded.

Colonel Teeradej says he will investigate any possible irregularities in their treatment. But he said any arrangement between the couple and Tony was a private affair, which did not involve the police.

Letters of complaint to the papers here in Thailand make it clear that passengers are regularly detained at the airport for alleged shoplifting, and then made to pay middlemen to win their freedom.

The Danish Embassy says one of its nationals was recently subjected to a very similar scam, and earlier this month an Irish scientist managed to flee Thailand with her husband and one year-old son after being arrested at the airport and accused of stealing an eyeliner worth around £17.

Tony told the BBC that so far this year he has "helped" about 150 foreigners in trouble with the police. He says sometimes he does it for no charge.

The British Embassy has also warned passengers at Bangkok Airport to take care not to move items around in the duty free shopping area before paying for them, as this could result in arrest and imprisonment.

No. 1 in today's "most read stories" on the BBC website front page. What a great advertisement for Thailand

I suppose the Thais might do something about their deteriorating reputation one day ...

[KhwaamLap]

Originally Posted by frogblogger

More on this - the "zig-zag" scam - from the BBC today...

Terrible publicity for Thailand, but it never seems to bother them too much.

The final paragraph:



No. 1 in today's "most read stories" on the BBC website front page. What a great advertisement for Thailand

I suppose the Thais might do something about their deteriorating reputation one day ...

A bloody good start would have been to go ahead with their plans to make a Thai FBI-like police service dealing with anti-graft and paid/educated well enough to keep the bribery culture at bay (at least to some degree). Attach a wing to the tourist police to target tourist crime - especially institutional graft and authority member (like police, judiciary and civil servants) cons that make for big news at home and makes Thailand look like a banana republic.

The problem is, they ignore such problems and - as recently proved in the press here - put redically declining tourist numbers down to Swine Flu and not publicity over ongoing factional fighting (and military firing live rounds in the streets of the capital), terroism in the south, almost continual stories of tourists being ripped off (often by authority figures), tourists being murdered (and sometimes culrpits being police officers), exchange rate crises (over inflated Baht?) and so on. This undermines almost any good work the TAT do - nothing makes news in the West like bad news.

I wish the TAT would get more teeth and apply presure to sibling departments and get some crackdowns that really do count - some are easier than others to sort out, and security in the airports and transparant legal preceeding for those arrested has to be the easiest cherry for them to pick right now. Take it away from the police and put an airport service in that is better paid and highly transparant - then we will start to take Thailand's commitment to protect its visitors its is trying so hard to attract (and keep) seriously - otherwise it will go the same way as the expat community is going and international investment too - to cheaper, friendlier and possibly safer neighbours. Wake up Thailand before you loose it all.

[frogblogger]

From today's Bangkok Post Maybe someone up there is listening to the international media...

A major crackdown on illegal taxis and unlicensed guides will be conducted at Suvarnabhumi airport starting July 28, according to a notice put up by the Airports of Thailand Plc in the airport on Wednesday.

The crackdown will be jointly carried out by AoT, which is the airport operator.

It is enlisting the Land Transport Department and Special Operations Division, provincial police from Samut Prakan and tourist police to help.

The move came after Transport Minister Sohpon Zarum made an inspection trip to the airport and ordered the AoT to step up measures to prevent extortion gangs preying on foreign air passengers.

Mr Sohpon managed to avoid any comment on worldwide reports of an organised gang operating from duty-free shops, whose members have reportedly cheated tens of thousands of baht from foreign tourists.

The reports claim that the gangs, apparently operating in collusion with shop employees and rogue policemen, intimidate and browbeat accused foreign shoplifters and thieves into paying large "fines" in order to escape lengthy incarceration and trial and return to their own countries.

At least one European country has warned its citizens not to shop in the duty-free area of Suvarnabhumi at all, and the alleged cheating has been featured in reports by the BBC, among others.

The duty-free scams are in addition to the longtime Bangkok airport problems of so-called "black-licence taxis" which have no authorisation to carry passengers, and airport touts who try to steer naive arriving tourists to unwanted hotels and shady businesses.

[mikecwm]

To present all the evidence - here is a link to a copy of the CCT inside Kingpower when the British couple were there.

King Power International Co., Ltd.

Closely watching the video shows Stephen Ingram and Xi Lin in the store.
At one point Xi Lin can be seen to pick up a wallet, put it back down, then pick up another. She walks around the display, puts that one down on a shelf, then almost straight away, picks it up again, puts it in her handbag and walks quickly out of the store.

To infer that any of the store staff were involved is ludicrous.
Read the information that also comes with the video and it is clear that they were doing their job by reporting the theft to the police.
Now what happens after that is most likely the police looking for a large handout.
I have watched this video several times - sure looks like shop-lifting to me.

[frogblogger]

Mike - a few points.

The 'zig-zag' scam is a known operation at the airport, and the Danish Embassy for example is actually advising its nationals to avoid the duty-free shops at the airport like the plague.

A web search reveals a number of similar complaints following the same format of intimidation - alleged theft, followed by demands for exhorbitant amounts of money - refusal to pay being met by threats of long jail sentences.

Whether or not something is being taken is not the central issue. It's the attempted scam that takes places under either scenario - actual theft, or false accusation. Big money is going straight into the hands of those involved in the scam, it's not an official fine.

Finally, in the wallet theft case you refer to, the alleged item was nowhere to be found when the supposed offenders were arrested after leaving the store, as the police themselves have admitted. Rather strange, don't you think?

[frogblogger]

Crackdown fails to stop airport gangs
ILLEGAL OPERATORS DEFY AUTHORITIES

BANGKOK: -- Despite the government's recent campaign to keep the international gateway to Thailand clear of thugs and cheats, it seems to be business as usual for illegal taxi operators and tour guides at Suvarnabhumi airport.

The Airports of Thailand (AoT) Plc recently reported to the cabinet that more than 600 people had been caught at the airport in the past two months for various offences.

In the past two months, 395 unlicensed taxi drivers and 210 illegal tour guides who exploited travellers at Suvarnabhumi airport have been arrested after a campaign was launched to crack down on crime at the airport, the AoT reported to cabinet last week.

However, airport authorities with a trained eye still see unauthorised taxi operators and tour guides preying on victims, but claim they get intimidated when they approach these people, who then claim they have connections in high places.

"Often these people claim they know AoT executives to scare away authorities and keep their businesses going. Some just say bluntly that they need money to pass on to their bosses, which is understood to mean AoT executives," said one inside source.

The source added that there are more than 20 powerful groups operating in the airport which come under the command of major gangs - Kamnan Samruay, Boonruang Srisang, Sak Pakphanang and Pirap.

The Kamnan Samruay camp used to operate at Don Mueang airport, where they provided underground foreign exchange services.

At the new airport, the gang has extended its business to cover ticketing and illegal taxi and tour guide services. It also collects "protection fees" from smaller gangs.

The Boonruang Srisang gang also runs an illegal taxi and tour guide service network. It has a small number of members and is independent.

The Sak Pakphanang gang is a break-away from the Boonruang Srisang gang, while the Pirap group is believed to have strong connections as its leader has the same last name as an AoT executive.

There are also two prominent groups known as the Pattaya Mafia gang and the Phuyai Daeng gang. The Pattaya Mafia gang, whose leaders are known as Steve and Montri and who are neatly dressed and can easily pass as passengers, is stationed on the fourth floor of the passenger terminal. The Phuyai Daeng gang, with good connections with influential figures in Samut Prakan, works more like a lobbyist for fraudsters who want to gain entry to the airport.

According to the source, unauthorised tour guides are engaged in various scams ranging from providing transportation and accommodation to selling air tickets. "Some even 'steal' the tourists from the TAT [Tourism Authority of Thailand] information counter. They feed the tourists information and then press on with hard sales," said the source.

The illegal tour guides hang around the arrivals hall and approach foreign passengers. They introduce themselves as airport workers and lead tourists to illegal taxi queues when a deal is made."They are scattered on every floor in the terminal and stay among passengers and officials. It is hard to pick them out from the crowd because they are well dressed," the source said, adding the gangs have carved the airport into zones.

AoT president Serirat Prasutanond conceded that there are some criminal gangs operating in the airport, but said the AoT has stepped up efforts to crack down on unlicensed taxi drivers and tour guides.

One measure has been to transfer some officials who were thought to be involved with the gangs. A reshuffle of officials will be made this month, he said. Mr Serirat said the AoT will spend 15 million baht starting on Oct 1 to try and end the illegal operations.

from the Bangkok Post, September 6th.

Amazing Thailand...

[Serendipity2]

Originally Posted by frogblogger

from the Bangkok Post, September 6th.

Amazing Thailand...

I believe the criminal operations at the airport are 'tolerated' by the government which, like its American counterpart, is riddled with criminals in high places. It's about money and power. Sure, a few arrests will be made and some strongly worded statements released to the media to counter the fears of the traveling public but, in the end, nothing changes. Thailand's government has major problems, a poorly paid public sector and lacks the will to make any changes. Easier [and more profitable] to go with the flow. Best advice - like frogblogger mentioned - stay away from duty free, use legit taxis from the queue and hope you're not a target. Every one us us IS a potential target and if your number comes up you'll need $$$ to 'cure' the problem. Be very wary and very careful in Thailand - and the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar!

Serendipity2