Guest Promsak Posted June 7, 2017 Posted June 7, 2017 Just a reminder to those coming from an airport into downtown Bangkok by public transport. If you are travelling by Skytrain or the subway you will be stopped at the ticket barrier and be prepared to open your luggage for inspection. Anything from a backpack or carrier bag to suitcases. Far easier to take a taxi and not a lot more expensive compared to your air ticket and take no nonsense from the driver (insist meter turned ON). Oh, as an afterthought, any bags you are carrying into a shopping mall will also be inspected. Quote
a447a Posted June 7, 2017 Posted June 7, 2017 How thorough are the checks? The guys in the big shopping malls like Siam Paragon, Zen, etc have always been too busy on their phones to check anything. And after the bombing at Erawan shrine they stationed 15 policemen outside. When I walked by they were all seated playing with their phones. So is it a real check out just another one of those "go through the motions" type activities to look as though they are doing something? These days I must admit I'm a bit nervous about catching the BTS. So I hope they do a good job. Quote
Guest Promsak Posted June 7, 2017 Posted June 7, 2017 I suspect aa447a that they are a token. I use the Skytrain everyday and have seen people smile sweetly at the guard and be nodded through; other times it looks like a full inspection is going on through someone's 20kg suitcase. Please don't be nervous about skytrain or subway travel. There are so many other things to be nervous about in a major city. I've never heard of any accidents in the 15 or so years of Skytrain, on the roads however .............. As an edit --- I wonder what they are looking for. What does a bomb look like? Quote
Alexx Posted June 7, 2017 Posted June 7, 2017 The last time they wanted to check my backpack entering Makkasan station, I was a bit in a rush and walked right past the guy. Thai security guards are usually pretty meek. The downside is that any terrorist would probably get away with the same. ChristianPFC 1 Quote
thaiophilus Posted June 7, 2017 Posted June 7, 2017 It's 100% security theatre. They have no idea what they are looking for, or what they would do if they found it. Quote
Alexx Posted June 7, 2017 Posted June 7, 2017 I agree. The checks they perform are plain ridiculous every single time I've had a chance to watch them. Just a nuisance and waste of time with no real security benefit. ChristianPFC 1 Quote
Guest Posted June 7, 2017 Posted June 7, 2017 I've not yet had an inconvenient security check. It's either no check or a quick one taking seconds. I recommend public transport. Also, at the airport rail station, the money changers are very competitive & still open when UK flights arrive. Quote
steveboy Posted June 7, 2017 Posted June 7, 2017 I also have been checked several times walking into the MTR with my bags, never with any problem. I smile, they smile, I open the bags, close them and go on. On a 24+ hour trip such delays of 30 seconds are not significant. Quote
ChristianPFC Posted June 12, 2017 Posted June 12, 2017 The checks are perfunctory. I carry a decoy bag over my shoulder (takes 3 seconds to take it off, open it, put it back; versus at least 30 seconds to take my bag pack off, open it, put it back). Quote
aussie_ Posted June 12, 2017 Posted June 12, 2017 With the lazy security checks they should ban backpacks from shopping malls and trains. Most people, especially Asian tourists wear them out of habit not necessity. Besides the security risk they are a nuisance in peak hour on the trains with the space they take up. In Taiwan they ask passengers to take off their backpack on public transportation. Of course in Thailand that is too difficult to observe. TMax 1 Quote
aussie_ Posted June 12, 2017 Posted June 12, 2017 With the lazy security checks they should ban backpacks from shopping malls and trains. Most people, especially Asian tourists wear them out of habit not necessity. Besides the security risk they are a nuisance in peak hour on the trains with the space they take up. In Taiwan they ask passengers to take off their backpack on public transportation. Of course in Thailand that is too difficult to observe. Quote
ChristianPFC Posted June 12, 2017 Posted June 12, 2017 Sorry, but I need a backpack (necessity) and other luggage when I travel and demand to take that with me in the train. Technically, there are signs "no oversized luggage" in MRT, on the other hand, the ARL has compartment for luggage. (backpack is the one word of the English language that I often spell wrong, like in my previous post "to take my bag pack off") Quote
PeterRS Posted June 12, 2017 Posted June 12, 2017 Never mind local transport coming in to Bangkok. Worse are the airlines flying people into Bangkok - and everywhere else. I have tried completing the in-aircraft report forms, speaking to pursers, writing directly to airlines and their airport managers. Nothing works. It is crazy to permit people to wear backpacks as they board an aircraft. Aisles are so narrow I have been hit on the face several times when someone suddenly stops and turns because he realises hes past his seat or wants to chat to his friend. These people really have no idea they are a danger yet they are. What if a seated passenger is hit on the eye by one of the backpack straps? This issue should not be left to individual passengers. It should be a mandate from IATA or the relevant licensing authority. aussie_ and TMax 2 Quote
Guest Posted June 12, 2017 Posted June 12, 2017 Backpacks are pretty much the most efficient form of luggage there is. I have about 10 of them in various sizes. I find them convenient myself and regarding other backpack users, they are no more inconvenient to me than any other form of luggage. Quote
Alexx Posted June 13, 2017 Posted June 13, 2017 Banning backpacks from malls isn't practical in any way or form. On any given day, thousands of newbie tourists descend on Bangkok's malls, willing to spend money. Then there are those Bangkokians who are on their way back from school or work, often also carrying a backpack or bag. How could you expect the malls to reject them? They'll simply keep doing what they are doing while praying that all will be fine. ChristianPFC 1 Quote
ChristianPFC Posted June 13, 2017 Posted June 13, 2017 Never mind local transport coming in to Bangkok. Worse are the airlines flying people into Bangkok - and everywhere else. I have tried completing the in-aircraft report forms, speaking to pursers, writing directly to airlines and their airport managers. Nothing works. It is crazy to permit people to wear backpacks as they board an aircraft. Aisles are so narrow I have been hit on the face several times when someone suddenly stops and turns because he realises hes past his seat or wants to chat to his friend. These people really have no idea they are a danger yet they are. What if a seated passenger is hit on the eye by one of the backpack straps? This issue should not be left to individual passengers. It should be a mandate from IATA or the relevant licensing authority. Unrealistic exaggerations. I have been wearing backpacks all my life and never had or caused problems. You are inventing problems that do not exist. Alexx 1 Quote
PeterRS Posted June 13, 2017 Posted June 13, 2017 Unrealistic exaggerations. I have been wearing backpacks all my life and never had or caused problems. You are inventing problems that do not exist. Thats a stupid allegation. You are telling me I am making all this up? BS! The fact that you are responsible in the way you walk along a plane aisle with your backpack on does not mean that another tourist with a very large backpack overpacked to the gills does not cause problems for other passengers with thoughtless turning around? You need to do some more research on some of the other Asian airlines especially those from China and the Indian subcontinent. Dont criticise when your experience is quite limited! TMax and aussie_ 2 Quote
Guest Promsak Posted June 13, 2017 Posted June 13, 2017 The checks are perfunctory. I carry a decoy bag over my shoulder (takes 3 seconds to take it off, open it, put it back; versus at least 30 seconds to take my bag pack off, open it, put it back). You must be proud of yourself! Quote
vinapu Posted June 13, 2017 Posted June 13, 2017 It is crazy to permit people to wear backpacks as they board an aircraft Banning backpacks from malls isn't practical in any way or form. I think we are already overregulated whenever we turn. Yes Peter , I was hit by passing backpack on the plane's aisle as late as yesterday nut survived to tell the tale. For me not backpacks are problem but oversized "hand" luggage so many people are carrying aboard. So I guess we all have our annoyances while travelling . santosh108 and Alexx 2 Quote
PeterRS Posted June 14, 2017 Posted June 14, 2017 I was hit by passing backpack on the plane's aisle as late as yesterday nut survived to tell the tale. For me not backpacks are problem but oversized "hand" luggage so many people are carrying aboard. So I guess we all have our annoyances while travelling . I completely agree about hand luggage. Most airlines have regulations and maximum dimensions for hand baggage. In my experience, usually economy passengers are restricted to one wheely bag or backpack that can go into the overhead bins and one briefcase type bag for a laptop for under the seat. Regularly I see passengers with an overlarge wheely bag, a backpack, several large shopping bags and duty free. This seems worse in Asia than Europe and the USA. US airlines seem to stick much more to the rules. What pisses me off there are the passengers seated near the back of the plane regularly put their bags into the first free overhead bin space they find, even if it is 20 rows in front. That screws up the entire system and results in other passengers having ti check their bags. I still don't agree about backpacks. Flight attendants have to check your boarding pass on entry to the aircraft. It would be a simple matter for them to ask passengers to take backpacks off and hand carry them. aussie_ 1 Quote
vinapu Posted June 14, 2017 Posted June 14, 2017 I still don't agree about backpacks. Flight attendants have to check your boarding pass on entry to the aircraft. It would be a simple matter for them to ask passengers to take backpacks off and hand carry them. this sounds as very reasonable idea and actually this is what drivers on my commuter bus line are doing aussie_ 1 Quote
TMax Posted June 14, 2017 Posted June 14, 2017 Unrealistic exaggerations. I have been wearing backpacks all my life and never had or caused problems. You are inventing problems that do not exist. Sorry but disagree, many times flying in and out of Australia I have been belted (by the backpack) by people wearing backpacks on planes that turn around or try to take them off in the narrow aisles. Wouldn't hurt for them to be removed before entering the plane. Not only that but have also had backpacks shoved into me when on the BTS in Bangkok aussie_ 1 Quote
