Thailand: Suvarnabhumi steps up baggage protection

Police and the management of Suvarnabhumi airport are stepping up measures to protect the luggage of passengers following complaints about luggage being damaged and possible dodgy handling of baggage. The move comes after a passenger identified as Montakan Tangsanga warned other passengers on Facebook not to put valuable items in checked-in luggage out of concerns about luggage theft. Officials, however, insist Montakan's luggage remained intact during the baggage-handling process at Suvarnabhumi airport. Montakan claimed she had had a padlock on her travel bag broken during a recent trip from Suvarnabhumi airport to Okinawa. She and her friends were travelling with Peach Aviation on MM990 on the night of Feb 26. She said while nothing was missing from her baggage, she found a watch that did not belong to her in the bag. She lodged a complaint with various parties including police at the airport. Pol Lt Gen Nathathorn Prousoontorn, commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, said officials met to discuss growing concerns about luggage theft following Montakan's charge. He said the meeting has come up with guidelines that could help solve the problem, while some 100 plainclothes inspectors will be deployed to improve security. <br/>