Corruption Part 2

A Letter to the Editor: Bangkok Post July 6th 2000-poorly written but worth considering.

'All those who travel a lot, please be very, very careful. An Indian was detained in Bangkok for stealing a packet of cigarettes from a duty-free shop at Bangkok's international airport.
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 and the police extorted 30,000 baht from him for his release.
He spent two nights in jail and paid 500 baht for an air-conditioned cell, 200-300 baht for each visitor, and 11,000 baht for his final release. The police shared the money in front of his eyes.
On top of that, he was charged in court and fined 2,000 baht 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 was told they were helpless as many Asians are similarly victimised daily and letters and phone calls to the Thai authorities are ignored.
He shared a cell with a Singaporean the first night who paid 60,000 baht for his release. The second night it was a Malaysian national who paid 70,000 baht.
Mind you this was not in a shanty shop in downtown Bangkok but in a duty free shop at the Bangkok Int'l Airport. BE WARNED. The above 100% correct information because Mr.Rajan Khera's customer from India faced exactly the same scenario mentioned above when he was in transit at Bangkok Int'l Airport coming to Taipei.
Someone else went through the same ordeal in Dubai.
He bought things at a duty free. The salesgirl put a bottle of cologne in his shopping bag (he did not see it happen). He was arrested for stealing (this is before he even picked up his luggage).
He sat in the airport jail (where he was harassed the whole day _ no food, no water for one day. Only after he paid a fine (bribe) of US$500 did they let him go.
These are scams that are happening all over the place.
Please be careful.
All of this is pre-planned and certain people who work at the airports know who to target.'

I don't know exactly what to make of this. At first this seems a highly believable story, particularly as it is Asians that are seemingly the target rather than more 'aggressive' westerners who have more 'aggressive' embassy staff likely to kick-up a fuss. But really, even in Thailand, would the reputation of the country as a tourist destination in major markets such as India, Malaysia and Singapore be allowed to be put at risk just so a few low-ranking coppers could fleece tourists for a few baht? That's doubtful-especially on the scale indicated here- as is the supposed fact that the Indian paid a bribe to secure his release but yet still appeared and was convicted in court. What then was the purpose of the bribe one wonders?

I just don't know; the scams can be elaborate here and it's possible that it's true although I don't think I'll be forsaking my visit to the duty free shop on the basis of this letter.