Thai airport scam. Whoa this is scary.

Soldato
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Get a load of this.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8154497.stm

Ive heard that this kinda thing goes on but never paid attention to it but saw this on the news website and was :rolleyes:

So many things that you have to learn before going to these places. I mean how many of us would know this?:

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.

:eek:
 
Stories like that and Emirate states stricked drug control- don't touch the stuff scare me from ever travelling to these countires.
The emirate story is that one guy had traces of weed on the soles of his shoes, as in something stupidly small that was picked up form anywhere. Because it was on his person they arrested him and put him the worse jail with nothing to his name and no contact. He wasn't allowed to give blood to prove that it wasn't him, or anything, just because someone in the street somewhere dropped some and his shoe picked up 0.0001% of the stuff.
 
Why did this chap Tony withdraw £3400 form his own account?
WTF?
Scam makes little sence, they got £800 off the woman, and held them, warning them not to contact embassy?
Thats typical police behaviour.
 
one guy had traces of weed on the soles of his shoes, as in something stupidly small that was picked up form anywhere.

fIeHp.jpg


Going by those typical clothes, his dealer probably. :p
 
I know people say not to make snap judgment calls but its hard not to be concerned about traveling there.

I hope those people got their money back.
 
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I seriously doubt they will.

I also am very surprised about the lack of involvement and help from the British Embassy. A US embassy would have given the thai's and right bloody headache I imagine.
 
I seriously doubt they will.

I also am very surprised about the lack of involvement and help from the British Embassy. A US embassy would have given the thai's and right bloody headache I imagine.

I agree - they seem to look after their own a lot better I feel.

Jimmy Carter flew to N Korea to free that American I remember. Stuff like that.
 
The thing is - there's only so much of this stuff tourist will take before they start leaving Thailand out of their travel destinations.

When we went there a good few years ago, I researched a lot of websites and tried to understand the local scams before we got there..... sure enough a good few locals tried them out on us when we were there - so they bascially got a few sharp words from me - or just got ignored. I have to say there were quite a few jokers over there that must think all tourists are a bit soft.
 
I went there late last year and had no problems although I was very wary after reading horror stories etc. You have enough to worry about just avoiding scams from the Thai people let alone police aswell.

It's a beautiful country though and probably worth the minor inconvenience of being alert for some of the sights and places.
 
You have to weigh up a few 'horror stories' against the thousands and thousands of people that travel every day to these places.
 
surely this isn't a scam but blatant police corruption?


It's like saying driving a stolen car through a shop front loading it up with stuff then driving off is a scam.
 
Wouldn't willingly travel to such a country anyway.

Then again, got diverted to Dubai once. Was really concerned because of the different culture and my complete lack of knowledge about it - they made a massive fuss about some DVDs in my hand luggage.
 
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