Theft on bus in Thailand
Sep 1st, 2003, 09:20 AM
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Theft on bus in Thailand
My daughter is on a long-distance bus from Krabi into Bangkok. She has sent a text message to say that money has been stolen out of a bag at her feet. She strongly suspects one of the officials on the bus. She intends to report it to the tourist police in Bangkok for insurance purposes.
I'm not sure about this. My only experience of Asia is India where corruption is rife and I don't want to find that she may be unearthing a whole can of worms. Any views?
I reckon she has at least another 8 hours on this bus-unless her mobile gets stolen in the meantime.
I'm not sure about this. My only experience of Asia is India where corruption is rife and I don't want to find that she may be unearthing a whole can of worms. Any views?
I reckon she has at least another 8 hours on this bus-unless her mobile gets stolen in the meantime.
Sep 1st, 2003, 10:16 PM
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If she was asleep when the money was stolen, she can't really ID the thief. She can report the theft, but I doubt anything will come of it. It's very unfortunate that this happened, but it probably falls into the category of "expensive lesson learned".
Her money, passport, and tickets should be carried some place where she can always have her hand on it. The bag should have been in her lap with her arms around it, not at her feet where the person in the next seat or possibly the seat in front of her could get to it.
If she is continuing to travel in Asia perhaps she should purchase a money belt or neck pouch in Bangkok.
Her money, passport, and tickets should be carried some place where she can always have her hand on it. The bag should have been in her lap with her arms around it, not at her feet where the person in the next seat or possibly the seat in front of her could get to it.
If she is continuing to travel in Asia perhaps she should purchase a money belt or neck pouch in Bangkok.
Sep 2nd, 2003, 01:20 AM
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I think she should report the crime at the tourist police and I don't think there will be any danger. It would also be better if she can bring a friend along.
Since you've mentioned that she has a cell phone it might even be best if she call the tourist police immediately. There tel. no. is 1155.
Tourist Police web site: http://www.tourist.police.go.th/eng/index.html
Since you've mentioned that she has a cell phone it might even be best if she call the tourist police immediately. There tel. no. is 1155.
Tourist Police web site: http://www.tourist.police.go.th/eng/index.html
Sep 2nd, 2003, 01:54 PM
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I'm quite interested in the suggestion that she should report whilst still on the bus- presumably on the basis the the tourist police could meet the bus if they were sufficiently interested.Unfortunately I didn't get this suggestion in time and I can tell you that my daughter and her boyfriend sought advice from the hotel they went to in Bangkok and then reported it to the tourist police.
As Hanuman made this suggestion I read into this that the police in Thailand are not generally corrupt? I was rather afraid that the bus offical may be hand in glove with the police and giving them a cut so they were turning a blind eye. Even more worrying I was afraid of drugs being planted as an"excuse" for this amount of money changing hands.
Thanks to you all
As Hanuman made this suggestion I read into this that the police in Thailand are not generally corrupt? I was rather afraid that the bus offical may be hand in glove with the police and giving them a cut so they were turning a blind eye. Even more worrying I was afraid of drugs being planted as an"excuse" for this amount of money changing hands.
Thanks to you all
Sep 17th, 2003, 07:32 PM
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I've tried to find the article on the Bangkokpost.com website without success. It was printed on the September 17 edition, page 2 with a big picture showing a policeman standing over the suspect crawling along the floor of the bus with his hand in a bag of an unsuspecting tourist(a western women in her 20s).
The caption is as follow: "TOURIST ROBBED - A tourist policeman watches while Sarawut Wongsai, 30, re-enacts a crime on a tour bus. Sarawut was arrested yesterday morning at a bus terminal in Phra Nakhon district by tourist police following complaints that a gang of thieves had stole the belongings of foreign tourists on a bus from Surat Thani province to Bangkok while the travellers were asleep."
If you like I can scan the article and email it to you(I will need your email address).
The caption is as follow: "TOURIST ROBBED - A tourist policeman watches while Sarawut Wongsai, 30, re-enacts a crime on a tour bus. Sarawut was arrested yesterday morning at a bus terminal in Phra Nakhon district by tourist police following complaints that a gang of thieves had stole the belongings of foreign tourists on a bus from Surat Thani province to Bangkok while the travellers were asleep."
If you like I can scan the article and email it to you(I will need your email address).
Sep 17th, 2003, 07:38 PM
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I've tried to find the article on the Bangkokpost.com website without success. It was printed on the September 17 edition, page 2 with a big picture showing a policeman standing over the suspect crawling along the floor of the bus with his hand in a bag of an unsuspecting tourist(a western women in her 20s).
The caption is as follow: "TOURIST ROBBED - A tourist policeman watches while Sarawut Wongsai, 30, re-enacts a crime on a tour bus. Sarawut was arrested yesterday morning at a bus terminal in Phra Nakhon district by tourist police following complaints that a gang of thieves had stole the belongings of foreign tourists on a bus from Surat Thani province to Bangkok while the travellers were asleep."
If you like I can scan the article and email it to you(I will need your email address if you want me to do this).
The caption is as follow: "TOURIST ROBBED - A tourist policeman watches while Sarawut Wongsai, 30, re-enacts a crime on a tour bus. Sarawut was arrested yesterday morning at a bus terminal in Phra Nakhon district by tourist police following complaints that a gang of thieves had stole the belongings of foreign tourists on a bus from Surat Thani province to Bangkok while the travellers were asleep."
If you like I can scan the article and email it to you(I will need your email address if you want me to do this).
Sep 17th, 2003, 10:45 PM
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Thank you so much .I would be very grateful if you could send the article to me. The address is [email protected].
What is interesting though is that now my daughter is home I've heard the full story. She and her boyfriend caught a government run bus because the guidebooks said that the chances of having things stolen were less.
She told me that there were only 6 people on the bus and my daughter and boyfriend together with an American were the only ones towards the back with no-one behind them.At one stage the bus conductress came and sat in the seat immediately behind them and they wondered exactly why she did this as there were tens of empty seats. The bus then stopped for the passengers to buy food and the money had gone.
I would be delighted if you would email the report and once again I am so grateful to you.
Many thanks indeed.
What is interesting though is that now my daughter is home I've heard the full story. She and her boyfriend caught a government run bus because the guidebooks said that the chances of having things stolen were less.
She told me that there were only 6 people on the bus and my daughter and boyfriend together with an American were the only ones towards the back with no-one behind them.At one stage the bus conductress came and sat in the seat immediately behind them and they wondered exactly why she did this as there were tens of empty seats. The bus then stopped for the passengers to buy food and the money had gone.
I would be delighted if you would email the report and once again I am so grateful to you.
Many thanks indeed.
Sep 18th, 2003, 01:15 AM
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contacting TAT or the touirst police is a good idea if anything happens too you over here.. they may or may not do much but at least there is a record of what has happened and I believe they are indipendent of the regulare cops who I'm a bit weary off.. well I guess in general thai workes in any profesion are either useless or top notch not mcuh in the midle.. actualy thai police are starting too clean up thier act big time.. the prime minister is not letting anyone get away with much of anything anymore..
maybe try checking out other papers like "he nation"..
maybe try checking out other papers like "he nation"..
Sep 18th, 2003, 02:24 PM
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Thank you very much, the article has arrived. Human Rights protesters in Britain would be in uproar to see a suspect handcuffed undergoing a reconstruction!
The opinion here is that this is not the person on the government bus my daughter travelled on. They are certain that it was the bus conductress who stole the money but it is heartening for tourists to see that the tourist police take their complaints seriously.
Thank you so very much Hanuman.
The opinion here is that this is not the person on the government bus my daughter travelled on. They are certain that it was the bus conductress who stole the money but it is heartening for tourists to see that the tourist police take their complaints seriously.
Thank you so very much Hanuman.
