Suvarnabhumi Scams Sustained

'Authorities have fought the "airport mafia" with 605 arrests, media reports and a diplomatic campaign - with no effect, reports the Bangkok Post.'

There are more than 20 gangs working Suvarnabhumi airport. Yes, 20!All of these mobs are controlled by one-of-four notorious gangsters and all seemingly co-exist peacefully because they have simply divided the airport into agreed sections of control.


That the much-vaunted crackdown has had little effect on the multitude of scams being run at the airport is of no surprise; after all some police have their pudgy-little hands in all sorts of illegal pies, so why would they kill their little cash cow? Almost as disturbing is that it appears that top executives from the Airport of Thailand (AoT) - the public company that operates the airport- are heavily involved in many of the illegal activities.

"Often these people claim they know AoT executives to scare away authorities and keep their businesses going. Some just say bluntly that they need money to pass on to their bosses, which is understood to mean AoT executives," reports the Post.

So if the police and AoT executives are involved and the government cannot really be bothered (unless negative publicity really begins to stink), then what chance is there of solving this national disgrace?