BKK airport scam
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BKK airport scam
Nothing about flying... but a very important read who visit Bangkok airport.. that report comes from the BBC. It about a very nasty scam...
Bangkok's showcase new international airport is no stranger to controversy.
Built between 2002 and 2006, under the governments of then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the opening date was repeatedly delayed.
It has been dogged by allegations of corruption, as well as criticism of the design and poor quality of construction.
Then, at the end of last year, the airport was shut down for a week after being occupied by anti-government protesters.
Now new allegations have been made that a number of passengers are being detained every month in the duty free area on suspicion of shoplifting, and then held by the police until they pay large sums of money to buy their freedom.
That is what happened to Stephen Ingram and Xi Lin, two IT experts from Cambridge, as they were about to board their flight to London on the night of 25 April this year.
They had been browsing in the duty free shop at the airport, and were later approached by security guards, who twice asked to search their bags.
Mr Ingram and Ms Xi were told they had to pay £7,500
They were told a wallet had gone missing, and that Ms Lin had been seen on a security camera taking it out of the shop.
The company that owns the duty free shop, King Power, has since put the CCTV video on its website, which does appear to show her putting something in her bag. However the security guards found no wallet on either of them.
Despite that, they were both taken from the departure gate, back through immigration, and held in an airport police office. That is when their ordeal started to become frightening.
Interpreter
"We were questioned in separate rooms," Mr Ingram said. "We felt really intimidated. They went through our bags and demanded that we tell them where the wallet was."
The two were then put in what Mr Ingram describes as a "hot, humid, smelly cell with graffiti and blood on the walls".
Mr Ingram managed to phone a Foreign Office helpline he found in a travel guide, and was told someone in the Bangkok embassy would try to help them.
The next morning the two were given an interpreter, a Sri Lankan national called Tony, who works part-time for the police.
They were taken by Tony to meet the local police commander - but, says Mr Ingram, for three hours all they discussed was how much money they would have to pay to get out.
Mr Ingram and Ms Xi were taken to meet the local police commander
They were told the charge was very serious. If they did not pay, they would be transferred to the infamous Bangkok Hilton prison, and would have to wait two months for their case to be processed.
Mr Ingram says they wanted £7,500 ($12,250) - for that the police would try to get him back to the UK in time for his mother's funeral on 28 April.
But he could not arrange to get that much money transferred in time.
'Zig-zag' scheme
Tony then took them to an ATM machine at the police station, and told Ms Lin to withdraw as much as she could from her own account - £600 - and Mr Ingram then withdrew the equivalent of £3,400 from his account.
This was apparently handed over to the police as "bail", and they were both made to sign a number of papers.
Later they were allowed to move to a squalid hotel within the airport perimeter, but their passports were held and they were warned not to leave or try to contact a lawyer or their embassy.
"I will be watching you," Tony told them, adding that they would have to stay there until the £7,500 was transferred into Tony's account.
On the Monday they managed to sneak out and get a taxi to Bangkok, and met an official at the British Embassy.
She gave the name of a Thai lawyer, and, says Mr Ingram, told them they were being subjected to a classic Thai scam called the "zig-zag".
Their lawyer urged them to expose Tony - but also warned them that if they fought the case it could take months, and they risked a long prison sentence.
After five days the money was transferred to Tony's account, and they were allowed to leave.
Mr Ingram had missed his mother's funeral, but at least they were given a court document stating that there was insufficient evidence against them, and no charge.
"It was a harrowing, stressful experience," he said.
The couple say they now want to take legal action to recover their money.
'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.
Bangkok's showcase new international airport is no stranger to controversy.
Built between 2002 and 2006, under the governments of then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the opening date was repeatedly delayed.
It has been dogged by allegations of corruption, as well as criticism of the design and poor quality of construction.
Then, at the end of last year, the airport was shut down for a week after being occupied by anti-government protesters.
Now new allegations have been made that a number of passengers are being detained every month in the duty free area on suspicion of shoplifting, and then held by the police until they pay large sums of money to buy their freedom.
That is what happened to Stephen Ingram and Xi Lin, two IT experts from Cambridge, as they were about to board their flight to London on the night of 25 April this year.
They had been browsing in the duty free shop at the airport, and were later approached by security guards, who twice asked to search their bags.
Mr Ingram and Ms Xi were told they had to pay £7,500
They were told a wallet had gone missing, and that Ms Lin had been seen on a security camera taking it out of the shop.
The company that owns the duty free shop, King Power, has since put the CCTV video on its website, which does appear to show her putting something in her bag. However the security guards found no wallet on either of them.
Despite that, they were both taken from the departure gate, back through immigration, and held in an airport police office. That is when their ordeal started to become frightening.
Interpreter
"We were questioned in separate rooms," Mr Ingram said. "We felt really intimidated. They went through our bags and demanded that we tell them where the wallet was."
The two were then put in what Mr Ingram describes as a "hot, humid, smelly cell with graffiti and blood on the walls".
Mr Ingram managed to phone a Foreign Office helpline he found in a travel guide, and was told someone in the Bangkok embassy would try to help them.
The next morning the two were given an interpreter, a Sri Lankan national called Tony, who works part-time for the police.
They were taken by Tony to meet the local police commander - but, says Mr Ingram, for three hours all they discussed was how much money they would have to pay to get out.
Mr Ingram and Ms Xi were taken to meet the local police commander
They were told the charge was very serious. If they did not pay, they would be transferred to the infamous Bangkok Hilton prison, and would have to wait two months for their case to be processed.
Mr Ingram says they wanted £7,500 ($12,250) - for that the police would try to get him back to the UK in time for his mother's funeral on 28 April.
But he could not arrange to get that much money transferred in time.
'Zig-zag' scheme
Tony then took them to an ATM machine at the police station, and told Ms Lin to withdraw as much as she could from her own account - £600 - and Mr Ingram then withdrew the equivalent of £3,400 from his account.
This was apparently handed over to the police as "bail", and they were both made to sign a number of papers.
Later they were allowed to move to a squalid hotel within the airport perimeter, but their passports were held and they were warned not to leave or try to contact a lawyer or their embassy.
"I will be watching you," Tony told them, adding that they would have to stay there until the £7,500 was transferred into Tony's account.
On the Monday they managed to sneak out and get a taxi to Bangkok, and met an official at the British Embassy.
She gave the name of a Thai lawyer, and, says Mr Ingram, told them they were being subjected to a classic Thai scam called the "zig-zag".
Their lawyer urged them to expose Tony - but also warned them that if they fought the case it could take months, and they risked a long prison sentence.
After five days the money was transferred to Tony's account, and they were allowed to leave.
Mr Ingram had missed his mother's funeral, but at least they were given a court document stating that there was insufficient evidence against them, and no charge.
"It was a harrowing, stressful experience," he said.
The couple say they now want to take legal action to recover their money.
'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.
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Very nasty indeed - I read about it this morning
BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Tourists warned of Thailand airport scam is the link
Touch wood I never become victim of this...
BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Tourists warned of Thailand airport scam is the link
Touch wood I never become victim of this...
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Stitch-up In Bkk Airport.
This is totally unacceptable for an International Airport, I guess the lesson to be learned here is check-in then go directly to your boarding area, avoid the duty free shop completely. A real con job and the Government of Thailand should be ashamed. 
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While unacceptable that is the way of the world. I personally avoid the duty free shops at BKK - Overpriced and lousy service, besides the CCTV it would seem.
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KENNEDY TOWER,
It's Thailand! A very friendly country in all with brilliant people and cities and countryside alike. However, the police has some corruption within it. When you consider that the average Bangkok police officer is on £7000-8000 - they make a lot of there money through fines, traffic offences, scams, etc. The government itself (since being rid of Shinawatra) has made many possitive steps and is serving the country well (mainly thanks to Vejjajiva). However, sorting out the corruption of the police will take a lot longer and may not ever be fully successful.
It's Thailand! A very friendly country in all with brilliant people and cities and countryside alike. However, the police has some corruption within it. When you consider that the average Bangkok police officer is on £7000-8000 - they make a lot of there money through fines, traffic offences, scams, etc. The government itself (since being rid of Shinawatra) has made many possitive steps and is serving the country well (mainly thanks to Vejjajiva). However, sorting out the corruption of the police will take a lot longer and may not ever be fully successful.
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Very sad to hear of this when their PM is working so hard to woo visitors to their kingdom, to the extent of personally appearing on an advertising campaign being splashed over the internet.
It's not the first time I've heard of scams at BKK. Another favourite one is a businessman arrives on an international flight and proceeds to declare his dutiable goods for bonding. The first customs officer says it's OK and waves him through - but before the businessman exits the customs hall, another officer pounces on and detains him for not paying import taxes, and on top of that they impose a hefty fine with threats of imprisonment, until even more money is paid over to keep the officers happy.
Thailand is a great place to visit but it is unfortunate that a few individuals spoil it so badly.
It's not the first time I've heard of scams at BKK. Another favourite one is a businessman arrives on an international flight and proceeds to declare his dutiable goods for bonding. The first customs officer says it's OK and waves him through - but before the businessman exits the customs hall, another officer pounces on and detains him for not paying import taxes, and on top of that they impose a hefty fine with threats of imprisonment, until even more money is paid over to keep the officers happy.
Thailand is a great place to visit but it is unfortunate that a few individuals spoil it so badly.
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And beware of the Taxi Meter scam as well. I was in transit at Bangkok just last week and caught a taxi to a well known down town hotel where I've stayed many times before. The trip usually costs me 250 baht using Metered taxis, but on this particular occasion, the taxi meter started going up quicker than what I perceived as normal and the journey ended up costing me double at 500 baht. I made this trip twice that day (went there again to pick up a friend later that evening) and the latter trip cost me the expected 250 baht. It confirms that the first driver had a scam meter in his taxi. He tells me he only does taxi fares to and from airports, probably so that foreign passengers taking his taxi wouldn't be as aware as a local person about the correct fares.
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The video and King Power's version are here:
King Power International Co., Ltd.
They state thier security followed Mr. Ingram to toilets, after which they found the wallet in a bin in front of the toilets.
Difficult to tell one way or the other about the wallet.
Best thing is just to avoid King Power, it seems to have become a lucrative industry of catching shoplifters from their shops.
King Power International Co., Ltd.
They state thier security followed Mr. Ingram to toilets, after which they found the wallet in a bin in front of the toilets.
Difficult to tell one way or the other about the wallet.
Best thing is just to avoid King Power, it seems to have become a lucrative industry of catching shoplifters from their shops.
Danish Embassy too
It's a shocking story. I thought people were entitled to feel safe in an international Airport. Will be flying into BKK this weekend but will be going nowhere near any of the shops.
Now the danish embassy also warns agains the King Power/police scam:
It is in danish but is a warning about a danish woman that had to pay 65000 DKK(11000 USD) to police because she showed a lipstick to a friend. Maybe she took the lipstick across the shop border. It is not quite clear
Here is a google translation:
Danes warned against airport police in Bangkok
Published 20.07.09 kl. 14:01 (GMT+1)
Be careful if you shop in stores in the international airport in Bangkok. You risk being arrested and charged of corruption of Thai airport officials.
That is the warning from the Danish Embassy in Bangkok, who knows a young Danish woman who recently had problems at the airport.
"Be careful with the stores where there is open space, and it seems that you can freely move around," says Mads Beyer, who is deputy head of the embassy in Bangkok, to DR News.
Claims for money
He says that the woman had taken a mascara or lipstick, and would show it to a fellow passager, who was just nearby. Without knowing it the unfortunate woman crossed a shop invisible border and was snatched by the police.
"The police who carried out the arrest, and a translator seemed very aggressive and let know that they must have a lot of money to help," says Mads Beyer, adding that the police clearly expresses that it can be a lengthy and difficult process if you do not choose to pay, says deputy head of DR News.
The embassy does not want to give details about the case, but according to BBC News has more visitors every month problems with the police at the airport.
Two British passengers were among others threatened that they would be thrown directly in the notorious Bangkok Hilton prison, where they had to wait two months before the case was handled, if they did not pay 65,000 kroner to the police and an interpreter to get " help "in this case ..
Woman convicted of shoplifting
The Danish woman who was taken with makeup in hand, was convicted of shoplifting.
The embassy does not want to say hviken punishment she received, but Mads Beyer says that the typical punishment is a fine of 300-400 Danish kroner, and that it could two years of conditional imprisonment.
Beyer urges people first and foremost to take care not to cross a border store with something in his hand. Will is taken, the tourists refuse to give in to threats from the police, whose officers require bribes.
- If people in trouble, it would be a good idea to contact the embassy. We are available to help when there are unpleasant things, "says Mads Beyer.
- I can not guarantee that you do not get an unpleasant experience and a fright. But we are in a legal community, which ceteris paribus will have a trial. And we urge them to not be true to help to contact his embassy.
The Danish Embassy will now make contact with embassies from other EU countries to see how big the problem is and what we might do about it
Source (in Danish language)
Earlier story: British Couple Fights Bangkok Airport Extortionists
Two tourists were held by an airport gang until they paid up £8,000:
Now the danish embassy also warns agains the King Power/police scam:
It is in danish but is a warning about a danish woman that had to pay 65000 DKK(11000 USD) to police because she showed a lipstick to a friend. Maybe she took the lipstick across the shop border. It is not quite clear
Here is a google translation:
Danes warned against airport police in Bangkok
Published 20.07.09 kl. 14:01 (GMT+1)
Be careful if you shop in stores in the international airport in Bangkok. You risk being arrested and charged of corruption of Thai airport officials.
That is the warning from the Danish Embassy in Bangkok, who knows a young Danish woman who recently had problems at the airport.
"Be careful with the stores where there is open space, and it seems that you can freely move around," says Mads Beyer, who is deputy head of the embassy in Bangkok, to DR News.
Claims for money
He says that the woman had taken a mascara or lipstick, and would show it to a fellow passager, who was just nearby. Without knowing it the unfortunate woman crossed a shop invisible border and was snatched by the police.
"The police who carried out the arrest, and a translator seemed very aggressive and let know that they must have a lot of money to help," says Mads Beyer, adding that the police clearly expresses that it can be a lengthy and difficult process if you do not choose to pay, says deputy head of DR News.
The embassy does not want to give details about the case, but according to BBC News has more visitors every month problems with the police at the airport.
Two British passengers were among others threatened that they would be thrown directly in the notorious Bangkok Hilton prison, where they had to wait two months before the case was handled, if they did not pay 65,000 kroner to the police and an interpreter to get " help "in this case ..
Woman convicted of shoplifting
The Danish woman who was taken with makeup in hand, was convicted of shoplifting.
The embassy does not want to say hviken punishment she received, but Mads Beyer says that the typical punishment is a fine of 300-400 Danish kroner, and that it could two years of conditional imprisonment.
Beyer urges people first and foremost to take care not to cross a border store with something in his hand. Will is taken, the tourists refuse to give in to threats from the police, whose officers require bribes.
- If people in trouble, it would be a good idea to contact the embassy. We are available to help when there are unpleasant things, "says Mads Beyer.
- I can not guarantee that you do not get an unpleasant experience and a fright. But we are in a legal community, which ceteris paribus will have a trial. And we urge them to not be true to help to contact his embassy.
The Danish Embassy will now make contact with embassies from other EU countries to see how big the problem is and what we might do about it
Source (in Danish language)
Earlier story: British Couple Fights Bangkok Airport Extortionists
Two tourists were held by an airport gang until they paid up £8,000:
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Here is a more detailed account of the scam:
£10,000 for eye shadow at King Power?- The Bangkok airport scam at Andrew Drummond
£10,000 for eye shadow at King Power?- The Bangkok airport scam at Andrew Drummond
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On the King Power website they have three statements and three CCTV extracts in connection to the British case, an Irish case and a Malaysian case. It's interesting how the store security are able to clearly identify the suspects and see that they definitely put items into their bags/pockets as the footage is at best hazy, and at worst not clear. It does appear in one or two of the cases that there is suspicion around whether the item was taken or not.
I suppose the easiest thing to do is to not visit duty free, or if want to cross the threshold, don't take your hands out of your pockets!
I suppose the easiest thing to do is to not visit duty free, or if want to cross the threshold, don't take your hands out of your pockets!
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Thai government action
From todays Bangkok Post:
Bangkok Post : Sohpon acts to prevent airport scams
Pretty swift action but not surprising given the precarious state of the tourist industry here.
All airport 'duty free' is a scam anyway. It would help if there was more competition for King Power, who hold the monopoly at Suvarnabhumi. If the embassies recommended that their citizens use the down town emporiums (Siam Paragon and the like) then they would get a much better deal and no worries about being falsly accused of shop lifting.
Bangkok Post : Sohpon acts to prevent airport scams
Pretty swift action but not surprising given the precarious state of the tourist industry here.
All airport 'duty free' is a scam anyway. It would help if there was more competition for King Power, who hold the monopoly at Suvarnabhumi. If the embassies recommended that their citizens use the down town emporiums (Siam Paragon and the like) then they would get a much better deal and no worries about being falsly accused of shop lifting.
N4790P
Pretty swift action
Even the BBC reported it initially last month.
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ZFT
You're right. I just looked up the incident on one of the local forums. It was dated June 28. This incident began on April 25 and ended 5 days later when the couple were 'released' and allowed to travel. Why has it taken so long for the story to come out?
Last edited by Xeque; 22nd Jul 2009 at 17:20.
N4790P
Basil,
1) Why bring this to the top? Are you stating the King Power scams are starting up again? Nothing has been reported locally for months maybe even years.
2) Just where are these tales of violent taxi drivers? Considering the size of this city and the amount of taxis, incidents with foreigners are few and far between. Dishonest? Not really. The odd one tries on the "meter not working" scam. If it's not reading 35 Baht when you get in, just get out again and jump in another one, there are so many available that you won't have to wait too long.
This is still one of the most cost effective, taxi friendly cities around .
1) Why bring this to the top? Are you stating the King Power scams are starting up again? Nothing has been reported locally for months maybe even years.
2) Just where are these tales of violent taxi drivers? Considering the size of this city and the amount of taxis, incidents with foreigners are few and far between. Dishonest? Not really. The odd one tries on the "meter not working" scam. If it's not reading 35 Baht when you get in, just get out again and jump in another one, there are so many available that you won't have to wait too long.
This is still one of the most cost effective, taxi friendly cities around .
Paxing All Over The World
The reason that this has come back to the top is that - for some reason - the topic resurfaced on the BBC web site and started getting lots of views. So it APPEARED to be new news, unless you looked at the date. It took me a minute to realise that it was old news.
Some bedtime reading upon return from The Queens' Castle 
Taxi scams, Bangkok - Warnings or Dangers - VirtualTourist
Bangkok Warnings or Dangers - Travel Safety Tips - VirtualTourist
https://www.osac.gov/Pages/ContentRe...aspx?cid=10563
Taxi scams, Bangkok - Warnings or Dangers - VirtualTourist
Bangkok Warnings or Dangers - Travel Safety Tips - VirtualTourist
https://www.osac.gov/Pages/ContentRe...aspx?cid=10563
N4790P
OK Some scammers, (unfortunately as just about everywhere) although as I posted earlier, if you ensure the meter is on and reading 35 Baht, that problem's resolved, but where all are these violent taxi drivers?