Bangkok airport scam

[dragonman]

I will keep going back to BKK but as many are saying.A couple of sites-
Bangkok & Thailand Scams - Thai Gem & Tailor Scams - British couple fights Bangkok airport extortionists
Messing Up The Tourism Industry
I realise that i still can get caught but until that time I will enjoy Thailand.
All in context-In Paris many scams were tried on us.Also Rome,Madrid,Barcelona,vietnam.

Absolutely agree - the worst perpetrated on me was at JNB airport - don't start me on Beijing taxis. I will keep going to the LOS but I will not be buying stuff at BKK airport.

 

[Mrmaxwell]

I travel to Thailand twice a year and never have any problems.

As is always the case when travelling...use common sense, don't mess with strangers and don't put yourself in bad situations and you will be fine.

 

[basic]

I travel to Thailand twice a year and never have any problems.

As is always the case when travelling...use common sense, don't mess with strangers and don't put yourself in bad situations and you will be fine.

Pun intended Mrmaxwell? Hahaha.

-Me

 

[ronone69]

Sounds a lot like stupidity to me.

Whenever you buy ANYTHING overseas you should always get a receipt. If you buy on credit card, always ask for a store receipt as well - all the credit card voucher proves is that you bought something - not what you bought

BTW: Is this any different for things you buy in AU ?

I travel through BKK 10 times a year - have never had a problem. Also, they have now moved the security screening at BKK to directly before immigration so if you buy duty free there are no longer any security checks before you get on the plane

 

[JohnK]

That is good news. When did they move the security to before immigration? I have not been to BKK for close to 12 months (not easy to do but necessary) and did not like the security screening after immigration and before the boarding gates.

Occasionally I do like to take a drink or two out of the lounge and it has been confiscated most times.

 

[flyingzzzds]

When we departed Bangkok last week (28th November) security screening was definitely still after immigration but then only random checks in the air bridge.

 

[kangela]

Nothing quite like the scam New Zealand MAF were operating a while ago. They were in cohoots with QF and NZ on TT flights. You were given a fruit (banana or apple) after the meal. The meals were quite filling those days so you put the fruit in the carry-on and usually forgot about it.

When filling in the combined immigration, customs and quarantine declaration you generally answer 'no' thinking only of the alligator skin shoes and the ivory chess board that you left back at home. You also tend to answer 'no' to the question 'Did you pack your bags yourself?' only to be corrected later.

Once you reach MAF they find the solitary apple (or two if you've taken your neighbour's as well - a practising carnivore) or banana and let you know that you've made a false declaration and WHAM $200 - no explanations accepted / protests are futile and your consulate is in Wellington, at the other end of the island. Just like in BKK, you are whisked to the ATM machine to withdraw and pay the $200.

As you leave the area, you can hear one official say to the other "You sure can pick 'em, mate!"

Or was it AQIS? My memory is a little rusty Either way, I think there has been more than one episode of Border Patrol with this story.

PS I was once let off with just a stern warning for not declaring the wooden handle on my umbrella

 

[moa999]

I have in the past copped a very stern warning at SYD for a pack of shortbread cookies from the BA Terraces that I had put in my carry-on
so not just o/s airports

 

[aussiejohn]

I knew there was a reason I never wanted to go to Thailand.

Glad to have that mystery cleared up.

I will now wait till the Thai Government gives me a cast iron guarantee before I set foot in their country.

 

[geoffl]

Who doesn't ask for a receipt these days.........for anything ??
Credit Cards are the go.

 

[dragonman]

Who doesn't ask for a receipt these days.........for anything ??
Credit Cards are the go.

You are kidding aren't you? Every purchase you make you get a receipt? When you buy a newspaper? A soft drink? These guys bought a pack of cigarettes!

 

[PineappleSkip]

I have to deal with scams everyday I am on holiday and most people in Thailand will try to pull one scam or another over the falang.

I'm totally spooked by all this. I'm steering clear of Thailand now, I'll stick with walking the streets of Port Moresby at night, where I always feel safe

 

[JohnK]

I knew there was a reason I never wanted to go to Thailand.

Glad to have that mystery cleared up.

I will now wait till the Thai Government gives me a cast iron guarantee before I set foot in their country.

You really are missing out!

You are kidding aren't you? Every purchase you make you get a receipt? When you buy a newspaper? A soft drink? These guys bought a pack of cigarettes!

In Thailand I get a receipt from most shops, excluding street vendors, even if I have bought a 7 baht bottle of water. Your friends had to have been a little naive trying to get rid of their last baht and they came across an opportunistic duty free staff member. Not the first time and definitely not the last time either.

I'm totally spooked by all this. I'm steering clear of Thailand now, I'll stick with walking the streets of Port Moresby at night, where I always feel safe

Why? It is one of the best countries in the world to visit. I have had an extremely frustrating year and my friends furniture business has not been doing too well either but you know what? We are both looking forward to our trip in 3 weeks time. Where else can you can get cheap accommodation, cheap golf, great food and fantastic company....

 

[geoffl]

Couldn't agree more, a terrific Country, top food, fantastic people, unfortunately a Government that is still "work in progress", but, we shouldn't be critical of that (!!!), cheap golf, good beaches and, lots of history tied to Australia. Last year we went to the dawn Anzac Day Service at Hell Fire Pass, Kanchanaburri, it was amazing.

 

[ethernet]

The scam extends to - or you should be wary of free gift and promotional items. Like here have this free scarf.

The Airport had many issues. When it opened, King extended its floor area over and above - an in the process, covered some emergency exit doors.
The cracks in the runway, because the certified engineering reports - were different to what most people expect. There is intrigue over how tenders were awarded. Not sure of how this washed up.

I don't trust anything, & the sole monopoly means prices are not advantageous to us. May as well make SAIC richer instead.

As an opportunist, switch on your personal recorders - if you can capture an attempted sting, the syndication rights may right some wrongs.

 

[Mal]

The scam extends to - or you should be wary of free gift and promotional items. Like here have this free scarf.

No help to anyone else, but I know that if I'm given a free scarf in Thailand's airport to make sure it is on the receipt as a free item. Same story if a member 'forgets' to scan an item in my possession.

Have only been in BKK duty free once this year (around the time the international press were very chatty about fraud etc at the airport). I noticed the following things:

- There are cameras everywhere in the duty free shops.
- There are attendants hovering around keeping an eye on things.
- The stock is arranged so that staff could easily note when items are removed.

If you do something bad, you will be caught. However, the cases about people who are 'innocent' and charged with theft are harder for me to believe. At least the cases I have read about, there is camera evidence which indicates (to me), that they're not as innocent as they claim.

dragonman - this isn't a dig at you, or your friends ... just that I tend to need some actual evidence that something is bad, not just a one sided story that someone was 'wronged'.

 

[2muchplastic]

Hmmm. I watching this thread with interest as I'm connecting through BKK on my return from PVG in 2 weeks time. And as the duty free shopping at PVG is a little "thin", I was expecting to buy duty free and gifts at BKK.

Sounds like the moral of the story is to be extra careful....

 

[Aussie_flyer]

You shouldn't have a problem. I really only buy smokes at BKK duty free as other things are overpriced. Alcohol prices are ok but you can't take them on flights to Australia.

 

[2muchplastic]

You shouldn't have a problem. I really only buy smokes at BKK duty free as other things are overpriced. Alcohol prices are ok but you can't take them on flights to Australia.

Thanks for the heads up. It's smokes for SWMBO that I'm most interested in, but if it's as bad as that, then she may have to go without!

 

[drron]

Have the problems spread to coughet?
coughet: Alleged Aussie perfume thieves out on bail in coughet
So 2 young Aussies are accused of stealing 3 bottles of perfume value 22000 baht.Thats over $A200 a bottle!Reason enough not to shop with Kingpower.