Do not shop at airport duty free shops

He had paid for chocolates and a carton of cigarettes. The cashier put an extra packet of cigarettes into his bag and he thought it was a free pack. He was arrested for shoplifting, spent two nights in jail, and the police charged Bt30,000 for his release. The police shared the money in front of his eyes. On top of that, he was charged in court and fined Bt2,000 by the magistrate and handcuffed and escorted to his plane. His passport was stamped “Thief”. While there, his relatives requested help from the Indian Embassy and were told that they are helpless. Many Asians are victimised similarly daily, and letters and phone calls to the Thai authorities are ignored. He shared a cell with a Singaporean the first night, who paid Bt60,000 for his release. The second night there was a Malaysian national who paid Bt70,000.

 This was not in a shop in downtown Bangkok but in a duty free shop at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Be warned: All of this is pre-planned, and the people who work at the airport know who to target. The duty free employees intentionally put extra items into bags in order to scam passengers.

Always get a receipt for any free gift that the duty free shop gives. Be watchful when you are being billed, and watch the items that are packed in bags at the airport duty free shops.

AW

Bangkok