Comments on: Avoiding Theft at Airport Security

By: Daniel Noll

Daniel Noll — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 00:01:52 +0000

@jack: It’s interesting to hear that European passengers are being selected, picked up, and profiled more often at Bangkok airport security. Not surprising given readers’ response on this article. I just think it’s part of a scam…and it really is too bad.

Just about any airport, but in particular at Suvarnabhumi, it definitely makes sense to keep a close eye on your valuables and have them tucked away.

By: jack lumber

jack lumber — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 17:26:28 +0000

I have been ‘checked’ twice at Suvarnabhumi security and had half a tube of toothpaste confiscated and then they tried to confiscate 100ml plastic bottle of labelled medical eye wash. Both items had passed thro European and middle eastern airport security systems without any problem.
The staff at Suvarnabhumi seem to have no idea, are not interested, in the real purpose of the security scanning system.
At Suvarnabhumi the staff, mainly young girls, seem poorly trained and motivated and more interested in searching passengers lugguge than applying good security cover i.e preventing terrorism! They certainly have no idea about profiling, how to deal with passengers, and what is done at other airport security procedures.
At Suvarnabhumi they rush you thro, give no advice or assistance with what they want, and then make a big issue of riffling thro your luggage only to find nothing!
However if some passengers have had items stolen then that may be the real reason why some passengers, eg europeans and not Thais, are being selected!
The ‘duty free shops’ at Suvarnabhumi have also been reported as having security problems. The answer seems to be keep out of Thailand unless really necessary and when passing thro Suvarnabhumi don’t take valuables or cash, but travellers checks, keep out of the airport shops and in the main stream with other passengers.

By: M

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 05:50:17 +0000

Oh – and I didn’t plan to bring my laptop for just this reason. I’m trying to attend a charity event, so I’m hoping I can get away with just carrying my Blackberry.

By: M

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 05:45:49 +0000

Thank you very much, Daniel, for taking the time to respond.

Do you also put your passport in with your money belt? Where do you put that?

(I don’t have a problem being early. My flight will leave late at night so I can get in the next afternoon. I planned on being at the airport 12 hours before, in case some “security” someone decided to pull “authoritarian” shenanigans — which of course carries its own “What is she doing here so early?” risks. Sigh. (Trying to avoid your stupidities, TSA people!) I’ve been described as looking Ethiopian, Caribbean, and South American, depending on who’s looking, so I’m anticipating some secondary search nonsense.)

When I was in college and just out, I used to run around the country kind of fearlessly. My godmother, who did a lot of her traveling in the seventies, tells stories of how she used to hop on a plane and bop over to Europe pretty much whatever summer she felt like it. I feel like things have gotten a lot different in a very short time (historically speaking).

By: M

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 05:06:26 +0000

“It definitely makes sense to stuff and lock your money belt before heading through security. I do it all the time now. Itâ€™s less convenient â€” but certainly more secure â€” than before.”

So – excuse me for intruding on the conversation, but this would be my first transAtlantic flight — first flight out of the country in a loong time — and I’m traveling by myself.

Do you put your passport and your money belt in your carryon, then lock your carryon? I’ve heard that the TSA will make you unlock it these days.

Also, I understand you’re stuck in that — that X-ray thing (and no one seems to know if it leaks radiation; at least no one that’s talking; but that’s a different rant) — for up to 60 seconds, while your bag goes through the x-ray conveyor. If your money belt and passport are in there, how do you keep track of them??

By: Daniel Noll

Daniel Noll — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 02:05:00 +0000

@M: Usually, I just stuff my passport into the inside pocket along with everything else. In other words, not necessarily inside the money belt. I do this because it’s possible/likely I’ll need to have my passport out again for boarding. I suppose if you wanted to be exceptionally careful, you could put it in the money belt, and put that inside the bag. For me, the most important thing is just to make sure it’s inside a bag and not particularly easy to get at, floating on a tray on the scanner belt. Lots of ways to do that.

As for how early to arrive at the airport, you are probably OK with whatever guidelines the airline provides (those are usually more generous than is necessary) — as in 3 hours or so for international flights. I’m not sure airlines will even allow you to physically check in for your flight more than 3-4 hours before. (Aside from online check-in).

As for travel now vs. the 70s, there are I’m sure obvious differences. But security has always been an issue in one respect or another. And petty thieves have always had and will likely always have a permanent place in history.

In any event, for you and anyone else reading this post and the comments, I don’t recommend paranoia regarding your belongings and airport security. I think it just makes sense to take a few simple precautions and be aware.

Safe travels!

By: Daniel Noll

Daniel Noll — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 01:38:14 +0000

@M: You are not intruding on the conversation at all. I’m glad you asked.

I typically carry a money belt and a phone and sometimes a wallet. I pack it all in my carry-on (which is a backpack). And when I put it in the backpack, I make sure to tuck it in somewhere so it’s not just hanging out or I find a zippered inside section of the pack and put it in there. It sounds complicated, but it takes all of 20-30 seconds. This allows me to go through security with one item. If you are carrying a laptop (like us), you’ll be asked to remove it and put it in a separate tray/bin for scanning.

Most times I lock the pack (in which case I have to put the key in a tray to be scanned). Other times, I leave it unlocked. But my backpack is not the easiest thing to open, so it’s not as if someone can go in and grab anything quickly. If you have any doubt as to the ease with which your carry-on can be opened and rifled through, just lock it. It certainly won’t hurt and will cost you a few seconds.

If TSA / security asks me to open/unlock my bag (sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t), I make sure I have my stuff with me or in sight when I open the bag.

They key is to make sure you are not in a rush. If you have time, you are calm. And when you are calm, you are less likely to be distracted.

I hope this answers your question.

By: Daniel Noll

Daniel Noll — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 05:34:35 +0000

@Rod: We picked up the bus on Phra Artit Road, but it originated in KSR for sure. We’ll be avoiding them from now on. I like the “security” in quotes. I’m certain that’s what happened with us. A friend in Thailand suggested that our bags might have been used to move drug parcels down the peninsula. At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised. We weren’t rushing per se, but the process was hardly smooth.

In any event, I think we’re back to taking the train (or flying, price depending).

By: Rod Martin

Rod Martin — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 04:32:23 +0000

Thai buses are an ongoing problem, especially those originating at KSR. For your “security” they get one of their staff to travel in the hold with the bags!

There is also multiple delays to ensure that you are rushing to get your transfer bus/train/ferry on arrival and won’t have time to check your bags.

By: Daniel Noll

Daniel Noll — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 02:27:36 +0000

@Rod: Wow, what a story. That is creepy, and bold. And they shot the moon on the amount.

Funny thing, just a few days ago, Audrey’s bag (with a TSA lock) was opened up while we were asleep on an overnight bus trip from Bangkok to Surat Thani. It was unbeknownst to us until we arrived at our guest house…in Haad Yao, very coincidentally.

After reading Paul Theroux’s Dark Star Safari (if you haven’t read it, he survives an overland journey in Africa with all his stuff intact, only to lose his briefcase in J’berg after leaving it in the safe.) After reading that, I trusted “safe boxes” even less. I think the temptation is too great.

But the trick is, where to leave your stuff when you head out??

Thanks for your comment…and yet another unbelievable (yet believable) scam story in Thailand.