TOURIST SCAM WARNING!!"

[FLW]

Gangs harassing arrivals at Thailand's International Airport.
Makes you wonder what first time visitors must think.


"It's been happening since at least the first week of March. I'll guess that anyone not concerned about it hasn't encountered it as when you do it really seems to confirm you've arrived in a third world country.
Makes you wonder what first time visitors must think.
Manilla is nothing.
The only major airport in SEA I've found worse for aggressive taxi touts recently is Jakarta."

[FLW]

More and more reports are surfacing regarding defrauding visitors at the Airport.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/worl...at-the-airport

I just returned from overseas and also had a bad experience at the airport. After exiting from Customs, I was approached inside the terminal building by two men in "blue safari styled suits" demanding that I allow them to inspect my luggage. I insisted that they show me an official authority to do so, and they pulled out something that looked official. I refused and insisted that we went back to Customs as I had already passed through. They then gave me a threatening warning, pointing to something they were carrying under their jackets.

Since then, I have found out that other passengers have had similar experiences.

Again, sort out your airport, as more and more of us visitors are reluctant to return here. People are still posing as taxi drivers but charge the innocent tourist 3 to 4 times the norm; taxis still refuse to use their meters. Have some discipline within and arrest some of these culprits. Stricter admission to the airport and airport grounds must be instituted.

[FLW]

It really is a shame the way the AOT misleads arrivals at the baggage claim area.
Is this the best Thailand can do?




"SCAM ALERT! Airport taxis
When collecting your luggage you’ll notice large signs warning you to avoid unauthorised taxis and use the AOT Limo Service instead for your own safety.
In fact all taxis at the airport are authourised Bangkok metered taxis and perfectly safe, while the AOT limos are aggressively and unfairly promoted, costing three times more! Even if you ignore their well placed desk, an army of their reps will accost you when you exit."

[FLW]

With various tourist scams as well an officially sanctioned dual-pricing policy, travelers used to jokingly ask why Thai authorities didn’t just relieve them of all their cash on arrival at the airport. Well that’s certainly happening now; and would you believe it, it’s happening on the way out as well!


TRAVELER DISCUSSES SCANNER THEFT AND REIMBURSEMENT.
Tourist presses investigation...Security Manager pays with his personal funds....

http://www.bangkokpost.com/forum/vie...php?f=60&t=524

[FLW]

"Tourists lose valuables in scanner scam at Bangkok Airport"


Monday, May 7, 2007

Tourists lose valuables in scanner scam at airport
Thailand - The Nation


There have been numerous reports of theft at Suvarnabhumi Airport, police
say, including at least two from tourists who say their valuables
disappeared while they were being scanned.

German tourist Dr Richard Chrobop, 60, said his 2.5-karat diamond ring,
worth about Bt500,000, disappeared while going through a scanner at the
airport when he was flying back to Germany on April 24.

Police also received a complaint yesterday from a Japanese tourist who said
800 euros (Bt 35,400) in cash disappeared from his bag while it was being
scanned at the airport.

Photographs retrieved from the scanning machine show that Chrobop's diamond
ring disappeared after it entered the machine, said an airport official who
asked not to be named.

Piyarat Donbandit, a relative of the doctor, filed a complaint with
Rachadheva Police on his behalf.

Piyarat said Chrobop put a jacket and other possessions, including the ring,
into a basket to pass through the scanning machine at the departure exit.
The ring was gone when the basket came out from the other side, Piyarat
said.

Airport staff refused the doctor's request to meet police but gave him a
compensation claim form and rushed him to his plane, Piyarat said.

The airport official said photographs from the scanner showed that the ring
was in the basket as it passed through the scanner.

The official declined, however, to comment further, saying it might affect
the reputation of Airports of Thailand.

Piyarat said he had written to airport officials asking to check the
scanner's photographic record but was provided with unclear CCTV pictures
taken from one angle. He was told that there was only one camera in the
area.

Lt-Colonel Sitthichai Champa-ngam, an investigator at Rachadheva Police
Station, said there had been numerous complaints about possessions lost at
the airport.

It has been difficult to investigate the claims because the airport does not
cooperate, Sitthichai said. To examine CCTV records at the airport, police
have to send official letters asking for permission from the airport.

"I believe someone took the ring while it was passing through the machine,"
Sitthichai said.

It is difficult to believe there is only one CCTV in the area, he said.

"[Theft by airport staff] is not good for image of the country," he added.

Do you have an opinion about this story?
Share it with other readers in our CAA Discussion Forums

[FLW]

"The last two times I've arrived at Suvarnabhumi the taxi mafia were blatantly hoiking tourists from directly in front of the official taxi desk. There is absolutely no way anyone could have failed to notice because they were grabbing people out of the official line. The staff just sat there and watched.

Worst part was, because they were doing this in front of the real taxi desk and staff it gave them a certain amount of credibility."



"It's about time somebody did something about these guys, my friend, his wife and daughter flew in to Bkk for a Medical Check up, couldn't believe the hassle they receive from the Taxi Drivers, he and wife(Thai) long time resident in Los and as they said to me they can only image how the first time visitor feel when he or she set foot at this airport andhave to deal with these Devils."

[FLW]

The BMA "Police" have been stalking foreigners and fining them 2,000 - 5,000 baht (without paperwork of course).


See this filthy footpath?
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3585/...8e7cd060_b.jpg
Thais are exempt from the littering fine but a foreigner will pay 2000 - 5000 baht for throwing a cigarette.

Bangkok Littering Fines

There is a sting operation running on Sukhumvit between soi 4 and soi 24 where 'BMA Police' stand around behind shop front, advertising stands and display racks watching all Foreigners who walk past.

In fact they do more than watch.

I was walking with a friend who was smoking a cigarette the other day to the post office, as we walked past this Police Officer hiding between 2 clothing displays his eyes lit up when he saw the cigarette in my friends hand. As we passed he jumped out literally and stood there eye transfixed on the cigarette in a stance like he was ready to run the 400m sprint at the Olympics.

I stopped turned and stared this "Police Officer" down with a very filthy look on my face. His eyes dropped to the ground, and he backed into his hiding place. I stood and waited, he poked his head out to look again and quickly pulled it back in. Then I could see his feet shuffle backward and he peered around the back of the display. I was standing there arms crossed looking at him. He jumped back behind the display.

We went to the post office and my friend put the cigarette in the ashtray provided at the post office.

The sting here is all the garbage bins in this area have been removed, if any foreigner throws a ciggarette butt or any other rubbish on the ground the police jump out and issue on the spot fines demanding between 2000 and 5000 baht (local currency) with no paperwork given to the offender.

Funny thing is if you tell them I am not paying take me to the police station they will instantly drop the 'fine' to a lower price.

With a bit of negotiating or a good joke in Thai you can easily get them down to 500 baht, or less if you can speak Thai well.

Even funnier is that the starting fine for a Thai national is 200 baht.

Now I do not recommend agression or standing over Police officers as they are still the law no matter if any other Police Officer from a developed country would lock them up without question but I do recommend you take a firm stand with them remaining polite at all times, never yell or raise your voice... ever. Treat them politely but firmly and remember all fines are negotiable, the more pleasant you can be the less the fine, also if they think you know the deal the price can drop drastically.

[FLW]

BMA Footpath Police will follow a foreign cigarette smoker and fine them 2,000 - 5,000 Baht for tossing the butt onto the filthy footpaths.
The trash bins were removed when the "Anti Littering" Campaign began a few years ago.

I see about a dozen officers tracking visitors and fining them. Each Officer is making 6,000 - 10,000 / hour.
Very good for them but very bad for the Tourism Industry.


PHOTOS of the BMA thugs here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/2932458...7617714418287/

[FLW]

Several letters to the Bangkok Post from Nick, recently complained about the Taxi Mafia on Sukhumvit Soi 6.
You can see Nicks letter here:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/o...-on-the-button


PHOTOS HERE:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/2932458...940302/detail/

Tourist scammers pose a taxi drivers and park illegally in front of all tourist hotels.
They Taxies refuse to use the meter or take a local fare.
They wait there all day for the chance to scam a visitor at this hotel.

The Poiice come by occasionally and take a "cash fine" from the drivers , so they continue their criminal activity with tacit approval form Thai Police.
A good money earner from crooked Police too!
Every Tourist Hotel has a similar gang waiting to cheat a tourist.
Honest taxi drivers are chased off by this gang that "owns" this turf.

[FLW]

Years from now, when the TAT is wondering what happened to all the tourist arrivals, they can view this blog.
Tourists are seen as walking bank accounts and disrespected everywher they go these days.
The streets and tourist attractions are controlled by Tourist Mafia.

Read here for more information:
http://thailandtouristmafia.blogspot.com/

[FLW]

The AOT runs a taxi service that charges 900 Baht into town.
Regular Taxis using the meter will cost under 300 Baht.

AOT Management allow a gangs of thugs to harass and intimidate visitors that do not use their "exclusive" service.
Now you know.


Tourist Report on Bangkok Airport Taxi Service.

"It's about time somebody did something about these guys, my friend, his wife and daughter flew in to Bkk for a Medical Check up, couldn't believe the hassle they receive from the Taxi Drivers, he and wife(Thai) long time resident in Los and as they said to me they can only image how the first time visitor feel when he or she set foot at this airport and have to deal with these Devils."

[FLW]

A tourist tale of an evening at Pat Pong, a popular tourist spot.

http://www.bangkokscams.com/scams-in...markets-2.html

[FLW]

There apears no end to some of the scams, this poor diver was drugged and robbed and left living in a rehabilitation home after his trip to Koh Tao.
Too many deaths are coincidentally happening which is most worrying, now the unexplained deaths of tourists (un drugs related) on Koh Phi Phi. How tragic for the victims and relatives.

http://www.cdnn.info/news/travel/t080428.html


Locals feel free to do unspeakable crimes against tourists since they see the Police doing it too!

[FLW]

The Tourist Police are colluding with the Jet Ski operators to defraud tourists.

http://www.phuket-info.com/forums/ko...i-rip-off.html

NEVER RENT IN THAILAND

[FLW]

This is the Tourist mafia at Sukhumvit Soi 18 - 20.
These men are positioned to scam tourists staying at the Hotels there.
Intercepting lost tourists and defrauding them.
The Tourist Police know them but......


http://www.flickr.com/photos/2932458...269526/detail/

[FLW]

Fake students wearing the TAT shirts scam visitors.
They have been doing this for years. I sent several letters to the TAT.
No reply.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2932458...350449/detail/

[FLW]

There must be 30 full time tourist scammers on Sukhumvit Soi 11.
Why is this allowed to continue?


http://www.flickr.com/photos/2932458...814843/detail/

[FLW]

Gem scam victims form pressure group

Daily news, 31 Dec 2000

BANGKOK - A group of tourists, tired of the government’s apparent inertia in tackling the problem of gem scams, has formed to pressure group to push for action.

Led by tourists Paul Gillis, 28, and Sandeep Mukerji, 26, the 12-strong group walked into the Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT) yesterday to protest against the scams.


Gillis and Mukerji who met this month while they were filing complaints with tourist police against gem stores, said in eight days, they were able to find 55 people cheated into buying fake or poor quality gems.


"We wonder how this business can continue ripping off tourists when police have known about it for a long time," said Mukerji, a Canadian graduate on her first trip to Thailand.


Victims are often taken by tuk-tuks, or taxis to disreputable gem shops where they are told that the gems on offer can raise triple the price in their home country.


Over the last six months gem scam complaints to tourist police have risen sharply, however, police say the scam shops run well-organised operations and are difficult to prosecute.


The group wants tougher action taken against gem scams and better warning for tourists. They have even offered to redesign TAT’s gem scam warning leaflet.

[FLW]

".......I head home in a cab and a few minutes later the cab comes to a slow stop… The back seat is flooded with beams of light that cause me to squint. The back door opens and Thai Cops are pulling me out of the cab…

They make me take my hat off and ask me to remove everything from my pockets. I’m already thinking “The men in brown who know this town” are going to show me the Hilton. I’m worried that once they see all the brown notes, i’ll be paying my way out of this one. They make me separate all my notes…. 5,000 brown notes, another 1,000 in red and 3 purple notes. My cell phone and hotel key rest on the hood of the cab. I’m looking at the driver through the window. He’s reading the paper.

The cops take the money and start counting it. Probably, figuring out how much of it is their cut..."

[FLW]

Here are the Tourist Mafia at Siam Center.
They are on the BTS Skywalk too.
The security guards watch them scam tourists.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2932458...380996/detail/