Bangkok Robbery
Solution to robbery issues at Bangkok Airport found
News about tourists being arrested with money extortion at Bangkok International Airport earlier this year because of alleged stealing at Duty Free Shops has once again done considerable damage to the reputation of Thailand’s main international gateway.
The Danish Embassy in Thailand has already sent out a warning to travelers asking them to avoid buying goods at the airport, following the arrest of a Danish traveler for similar reasons. This has put cast over the credibility of the Thai airport.
New Airports of Thailand (AOT) president Serirat Prasutanond has been, however, quick to fix up the problem. After chasing away taxi touts and fake guides from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, AOT is now coming up with new rules in the case of foreign tourists being again arrested for alleged robbery in duty free shops. The announcement was done at a press conference during the last edition of IT&CMA in Bangkok.
From now, tourist police officers will be the only authorized to deal with alleged cases. Even better, questioning of passengers will be conducted in police premises located WITHIN the airport building and not outside as it has been the case.
Media around the world have been quick to lash out at the airport authority for its lack of intervention during the recent cases. However, more than the airport authority, questions should have been asked about the real role played by local police who seems to have turned robbery cases into extortion cases. Alleged thieves turned into victims as they were isolated and confined into hotel rooms outside the airport premises and asked to bail out up to 12,000 US$ to be discharged.
The new measure should now not only reassure foreign travelers using Bangkok airport but also restore the airport’s credibility and, hopefully, restore faith in the country's law enforcement officials.
Comments
As a follow-on to the above summary of King Power's role and situation at the Bangkok Airport, there is a lovely article in the Brunch section of today's Bangkok Post about King Power's recent 20th birthday bash.
The title chosen for the King Power bash, "Wonderous Power: The Blissful Journey" could not have been more appropriate as was the event's highlight, a 3D laser presentation titled: "The Voyage of Wonderous Power"........
Among the "guests showing respect" to King Power's Founder and CEO, Vichai Raksriaksorn, (Number 21 on the Thailand Richest List with estimated fortune of about 200 million USD) were:
Vice Prime Minster Suthep (the iron fist beneath Abhisit's velvet glove)
General Sonthi Boonyaratkalin. (the man led the coup which overthrew the elected government of Thaksin)
Prawit Wongsuwan, Minister of Defence (in charge of the Thai Military)
Sohpon Zarum, Minister of Transport (a "Friend of Newin")
General San Sarutanond, Thailand Police Chief
Dr. Thanong Bidaya, ex-Minister of Finance and ex-President Thai Military Bank
Srisakul Promphan, Mistress of Thailand Deputy Prime Minister Suthep (not his wife despite their acknowleged children and therefore not required, unlike Thaksin's wife, to have her assets and business interests included in Suthep's assets declarations)
Anuthin Charnweerakul, Deputy Minister of Public Health, a "Friend of Newin" who was instrumental in gettng Newin to put Abhisit in power, and son of Interior Minister Chaovarat Charnweerakul
Supornthip Chuangrungsee, Thailand's Queen of Public Relations
Nat Myria, Famous Thai Pop Star
Grace Mahadumrongkul, Famous Thai Actress
as well as the usual complement from Thailand's Hi-So and Zillionaire group...........
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http://www.bangkokpost.com/life/family/26256/a-king-size-celebration
A thief is a thief, it matters not if he wears the colors of authority.
As a former police officer that has traveled the world, I have seen it more often than I would have believed. Lots of people who don't have what they think they diserve believe that tourist are rich and think the tourist can afford it. Greed has no international boundries.
The big problem is that although the Thai government knew there were problems, the chose to do nothing until other governments started making waves that would impact on the tourism industry. I seriously doubt that the extortion will stop although it will be slowed by the increased exposure to the problem.
It is not politically correct but I believe that some countries have more theives and con artists than honest citizens. Thailand seems to be one of those. Until the Thai government takes a stand and insures honest police and takes agressive action against the bad ones, it will not change.
For now, I'll just stay away from Thailand. Maybe if enough of us do it, they will be forced to make the hard decision to enforce the laws fairly.
I'm not sure what planet the writer of this article is living on but the idea that "After chasing away taxi touts and fake guides from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, AOT" is now tackling the scams and extortion that are rife in the King Power Duty Free Shops are is total nonsense.
It is always important to remember when any Thai official spokesperson says something (including the present Prime Minister), there may be no connection whatsoever between what is being said and what is actually happening "on the ground".
One, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is still loaded with illegal taxi touts, limo touts and "Welcome to Thailand" tourist touts. They are divided up into various gangs and groups, each one connected with different officials in the AOT who take a percentage of the various touts' income streams via a "licensing/permission to operate in the airport" fee. Without getting rid of all these AOT officials which is something that is never going to happen, the Airport Tout Problem will never go away.
Two, in regard to the Duty Free Shops' scams, rackets and extortion schemes:
King Power which controls all of the Duty Free Shops at Bangkok Airport is presently and since the airport has opened has always been illegally occupying about twice the square meters they are contractually entitled to and which the airport architects allocated for the Duty Free Shops and restaurants.
King Power's illegal and "non-paid" (at least to AOT, that is)use of twice the square meters they have contracted for is based on King Power's relationship with the presently ruling Democrat Party to which they are a major contributor of financial resources as well as their long and ongoing relationship with the "banned in name only" Huey Long-style politician Newin whose group was instrumental in installing the Democrat Party into power.
So for starters, we all have to understand that in the Thai System, King Power is "untouchable" and "not required to follow" any known laws or contracts or rules.
Aside from the occasional actual tourist shoplifter (there must be a few at least dumb enough to try this at Bangkok Airport), the Duty Free Shop scams take the following forms.
One, when the unsuspecting mark (ie., "customer") purchases and pays for an item, it is put in a bag along with some other item he has not purchased. When the "customer" then leaves the boundary of the shop, he is stopped by a security person, who checks the contents of his/her bag against the receipt, revealing at least one item that has not been "paid for". BAM!, straight off to the interrogation venue, missed flight, passport seized, threats of months waiting around Thailand for the trial.....unless...let's guess 50,000 to 100,000 Baht is paid to "facilitate" the case.
Two, the mark/customer is browsing through the contiguous shops which have no walls or visually designated boundaries between them. He/she picks up an item, say a box of perfume, and continues drifting around, looking for some other item (say a bottle of whiskey). A security person grabs the unknowing "shoplifter", tells him/her they have "left" the shop where the item was to be paid for, ie., they have "stolen" the item. BAM!, straight off to the interrogation venue, missed flight, passport seized, threats of months waiting around Thailand for the trial.....unless...let's guess 50,000 to 100,000 Baht is paid to "facilitate" the case.
Now calculate the amount of margin on a box of perfume or a bottle of whiskey. Compare that relatively small margin with the "margin" on the 50,000 to 100,000 Bath "facilitation" fee. And the high degree of motivation the "shoplifter" has to get to his flight and get the hell out of Thailand. It's easy money and until the recent wave of international publicity, there was no reason to stop...........
While the adjusted method (interrogation room on the Airport premises instead of a building outside the airport) will change, the basic structure of the Bangkok Airport's Duty Free Shop system will remain the same.
The absolute best advice to any person passing through the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is thus: Do not purchase anything in the Duty Free Shopping Area. Do not set foot in the Duty Free Shopping Area. Avoid any contact with the Duty Free Shopping Area.
And in regard to taxis, follow the signs to the 1sst floor Designated Public Taxi area, get in line, get your little registration for a taxi chit and take a designated taxi. Or even better, once the new Airport to Bangkok hi-speed train is operating, take the train (only 15 minutes to Petchaburi/Asoke)!
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