Airport Scam

[obroadie]

I doubt the international press will leave this story alone, on the contrary, the Airport scams, and the attack on the International press club journalists in Bangkok last month will only fuel more damage to Thailand.

A worthy post in it's entirety Tim but sadly the part from you I quoted above I feel might not be the case. I think like everything else that has it's sensationalst angle, this will be forgotten in no time. People are fickle things and we just move on to the next interesting thing quicker than you can say "I wish I could buy some decent bread in this Gdmn country and what is it with Farmhouse that they can't make a decent loaf with a name like that". Would help if I could use the bread maker I imported here but after 30 dud loaves I give up.... but now I'm way off topic.

I think this story is dead in the water already although the compounding effect it's had on the perception of Thailand and the miserable downturn in tourist numbers in general (since the Tsunami, let's be honest) will continue to be felt for a long long time.

The stories that make the news here about convictions for charges of corruption just don't get any press overseas. There are many reasons for that but that's a whole other thread. Suffice to say this will just settle into the mud of the currently soggy rice fields we have here and all that's left will be a vague bad smell at the mention of Thailand in the minds of people who followed this story for it's once poignant but short lifespan.

I hope this thread has done it's bit. I know most of us who have contributed have tried.

[hifrompaul]

A corrupt government saying, its ok to rip off the tourist to a Thai attraction.
A corrupt police force working a airport scam on the tourist.
Thailand tourist trade down 22% this year and sinking fast.
Your country needs the tourist trade to survive.

So do you call this!!!! AMAZING CORRUPT THAILAND 2009
And will you put a stop to it before 2010?????

Because the rest of the world is watching you.

[obroadie]

A corrupt government saying, its ok to rip off the tourist to a Thai attraction.
A corrupt police force working a airport scam on the tourist.
Thailand tourist trade down 22% this year and sinking fast.
Your country needs the tourist trade to survive.

So do you call this!!!! AMAZING CORRUPT THAILAND 2009
And will you put a stop to it before 2010?????

Because the rest of the world is watching you.

Summed up nicely but if you can tell me who the "you" is in the 2nd last line of your post, I'll ask them. Do you really think the Thai government are reading this thread. They represent the Thai people and it's fair to say 75% of Thai's can't use an ATM ( I know I've stood behind them all at an ATM - or at least it feels that way) so how are they going to to have accessed this forum and read what you have said?

Good question but it's falling of deaf ears my friend. Some things never change.

[Ken57]

The Airport represents the Country it Serves, the attitude and morals of the airport staff also represent
the country who employs them. This is a disgrace and WOULD not be tolorated in any Western Country.Those who are managers and politicians need to ask themselves why this ever happed ?
I visit Thailand once a year NEVER AGAIN will I ever venture into a duty free shop.I would rather not bother AND have the worry of being close to dishonest airport staff,police,customs officers etc conspiring to rip off a guest in their country.
This is shamefull behaviour and demonstrates that some THAI,s see tourists as walking ATM,s and are looking for ways
to DISHONESTLY Scam them out of their hard earned honest money, has been widely reported in Europe.

[obroadie]

The Airport represents the Country it Serves, the attitude and morals of the airport staff also represent
the country who employs them. This is a disgrace and WOULD not be tolorated in any Western Country.Those who are managers and politicians need to ask themselves why this ever happed ?
I visit Thailand once a year NEVER AGAIN will I ever venture into a duty free shop.I would rather not bother AND have the worry of being close to dishonest airport staff,police,customs officers etc conspiring to rip off a guest in their country.
This is shamefull behaviour and demonstrates that some THAI,s see tourists as walking ATM,s and are looking for ways
to DISHONESTLY Scam them out of their hard earned honest money, has been widely reported in Europe.

Well done Ken. Your first ever post on this forum has summed up every rational person's thinking and you are to be commended for your clarity and ability to express the underlying problem in just a few words.

I, for one, take my hat off to you. Welcome to this little forum. Hope to hear from you some more.

[stilljustbrowsing]

I think some are starting to realise that any occourance that is either good or bad is GLOBAL knowledge within minutes or hours now, thanks to the internet, twitter, SMS, and one or two other means of communication.
Some things, once started, are impossible to stop! Hello new world hey?!!!!!!!
Scam me, and I will tell the world how I was scammed!
Ken has expressed his dissatisfaction with being ripped off by Thailand, basically he came here to have a cheap holiday at the expense of the locals and came second!

[timjackelton]

Obroadie wrote

I think this story is dead in the water already although the compounding effect it's had on the perception of Thailand and the miserable downturn in tourist numbers in general (since the Tsunami, let's be honest) will continue to be felt for a long long time.

Deep down I have to agree with you I know that nothing will change, but I admired the editorial, and the long history behind the corruption issues expressed in the piece. Tourism did pick up for a while after the Tsunami, as it did in Indonesia after that Bali bombing horror story.

I put the real decline in tourism down to the 2006 coup, remember that famous picture that went around the world of that tank and crew receiving flowers from some people on the street? How staged was that photo! Then the military proceeded to mess up everything for a year or so (they were the rats who re-introduced the 90 day reporting for farangs) called an election and the renamed Thaksin aligned party was voted back in. Since that day Thailand has had three Prime Ministers, one that was not even voted for, again by using the airport as a tool to stick another knife in the back of this vital industry for Thailand, tourism.

I think more and more potential tourist have been choosing other destinations to be on the safe side, then out of the blue this airport scam pops up like a "jack in the box " with a good left hook for tourism" now down 22% officially, but I fear this will rise if nothing is done to counteract this problem.

The stories that make the news here about convictions for charges of corruption just don't get any press overseas.

Yes may be true but I think the International press are taking more note these days, the banning of the Economist magazine because they carried a few pieces not favourable towards Thailand. Again this will have a knock on effect for some multi national companies that may reconsider investing in Thailand.

obroadie, your points are very valid throughout this thread and I respect that, I guess I am just a big optimist, or may be a dreamer, but as my family are Thai and for all Thailand's troubles, it still is a great place to live.

Now about that bread making machine, you are lucky mate, only 30 dud loafs of bread! I have three machines, all of them promising perfect bread, = 90 dud loafs of bread, now all sitting on the shelf with 7 dud toasters! To top it off when I go for the farmhouse bread, you guessed it, all sold out, so I end up coming home with that Tesco house brand stuff!

[christoon]

British Theives
Sent at: Sat Jul 25, 2009 3:30 pm
From: pbeieio
To: christoon

Do you have something against the "British"?
Do you some empirical evidence that makes them more prone to shoplifting compared to other races? If so please supply!
Are you not aware of the other nationalities that have been subject to similar scams?
Your statement "reeks" of racism

No pbeieio i'm not racist. I am aware of the other nationalities that have been subject to this scam but correct me if i'm wrong here. This thread was started because of the story appearing on the BBC website about the two British Travelers?
I do have lots of Gripes about the British and have every right to air them when approriate as i am British who was born in Britain and have lived in Britain all my life.

[obroadie]

I guess I am just a big optimist, or may be a dreamer, but as my family are Thai and for all Thailand's troubles, it still is a great place to live.

Couldn't agree more timjackleton. The same reason I've been here for 6 or 7 years now. Optimism and pessimism tend to come in swings and roundabouts and if I'd made that post after the first coffee of the day it might have been a lot different. In the meantime I'm thinking of starting a new thread "implement a new government policy to teach Thai's to use ATM's." Who's with me?

[timjackelton]

In the meantime I'm thinking of starting a new thread "implement a new government policy to teach Thai's to use ATM's." Who's with me?

Yep I am with you, after you sir, should be fun, I can think of many stories I bet "Tony the airport interrupter for the police" knows how to work over an ATM, it appears he has had plenty of practise! He could assist in how to do third party transactions, which could be useful for Thais who have trouble understanding the word PIN!