Yikes--shopping at Bangkok airport

Posted by Bob27 (126 days ago)

Has anyone heard of other cases like this at the newer Thai airport?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8154497.stm
If it's true that this is a common scam there, I think I'll change the family holiday plans to another place(country). Not crazy about having my family held hostage because we were unwise enough to visit the airport duty-free shops.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

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Posted by Dive bum (125 days ago)

I looked at a few articles about this case - it sounded very concerning to me as I love going to BKK. It does appear that many (all?) people involved were accused of shoplifting with the claims being supported by CCTV video. The consequences of possible/probable shoplifting seem way out of proportion to the crime but it didn't appear to me that this is a scam that targets innocent shoppers. I might well be wrong and I'll not go shopping in King Power again to avoid any possibility of getting caught up in this - never shopped there anyway, their costs are scandalous.

That said, I did read that scams against farangs are on the increase given the drops in tourism over the past couple of years. A vicious circle.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by Bob27 (125 days ago)

Fair enough--no question that if the persons arrested were indeed shoplifting, then it's hard to feel concern or indignation about their arrest; also no question that scams or other petty street crime are regrettably common in most countries. I guess my chief worry from that article was the seeming implication that the police may have supported the scam, if not actively participated in it---the classic "when the police ignore the law, there is no law".

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by MarathonHK (125 days ago)

I ve never had any problems in Thailand.. Sure you might be ripped off once in a while, but I always questionned whether those english tourists were actually shoplifting or not. It wasnt really cleara and with cameras everywhere it would be quite easy to show u didnt do anything.

I m more concerned about going to some airports in South America and finding my luggage filled with drugs..

(I am based in Hong Kong)