Security for your baggage

[Razor]

I was told by few folk who have taken trips to LOS that when i leave for home it is a good idea to have my suit cases cling film wrapped at airport. That way it easier to detect if bags have been tampered with! Can any body shed sum insight in to this?

[occasionalpunter]

I've been in and out of Thailand and many other countries with a simple padlock and have never had any problems. If you want to have the extra security and peace of mind then go for it but not necessary unless you have some valuables that cannot be taken in your hand luggage. Apart from clothes and toiletries, all of my valuables are always in my hand luggage and with me at all times and this is the safest way on all means of transport.

[tylor]

I've never had a problem in Thailand. Don't they still put that security thing around your luggage there? I can't remember if they did the last few times but I remember they always used to. Airports where I'd worry about that shite are Heathrow and anywhere in Vietnam.

 

I got the shakedown at Heathrow once, when they made us go through security again after I'd done so in Amsterdam. All of the sudden it was "only one carry on" they grabbed the other to run it through regular luggage and when I finally got it back half the stuff was gone. And in Vietnam the guy running security actually called me off the plane to unlock my luggage because he saw some bootleg DVDs he wanted to steal. They're fairly brazen over there. Any exterior pocket will be pillaged, any suitcase will be opened. In this case, he explained to me that it was "legal to buy these in Vietnam but illegal to take "some of them" out of the country. He was quite thoughtful though. I had a few doubles for friends etc. and he only took the copy he needed.

 

but i've never had a problem in Thailand.

[jojomecanic]

Travel light ! Only cabin luggage...

Passport, credit card and a spare shirt is all you need to catch your plane.

[gitteyman]

if you dont put valuebles in your suitcase they wont be stolen

can't believe peaple do

while cling film is a good idea it must be a real pain to get onraval when you need to open your case

think a good lock is enough

[Razor]

Only ask as dont want hassle of trying to get things through hand luggage. As i will b doin shoppin aswell i cant carry it all in hand. Plus wouldnt it b good idea if i dont want them lurchin through my memory cards of experiences? Im thinking a few gadgets if i find good deals and rest would b clothing ive purchased out there. Im looking at travelling light as i head in but baggage when heading out.

[kansuwan]

Don't they still put that security thing around your luggage there? I can't remember if they did the last few times but I remember they always used to.

 

Good question. I think that stopped when Suvarnabumi opened; now all you get is a peel-on, peel-off sticker: worse than useless.

[SlowlyMan]

I have never come to Thailand with more then a carry-on, and I still bring more then I need. You may want to consider trying it.

 

This is an excellent site. Really helpful in trimming down to what you actually need. http://www.onebag.com/

 

In answer to your question, Putting valuables in a checked bag is never a good idea, no matter how you secure it.

Edited July 18, 2011 by CheapCharlie

[Razor]

if you dont put valuebles in your suitcase they wont be stolen

can't believe peaple do

while cling film is a good idea it must be a real pain to get onraval when you need to open your case

think a good lock is enough

 

Im more concerned about memory cards and if they will b yaken to view as i have read they take laptops and cams to see wats on them am thinking if in checked baggae would it b risky

[999Baht]

Travel light ! Only cabin luggage...

Passport, credit card and a spare shirt is all you need to catch your plane.

 

This is my plan for the next trip!

Easy to get in and out of the airports then.

[JonnyR]

On my last trip my main bag with all my clothes and toiletries didnt come out on the carousel and instead stayed on the plane bound for Syndey. I had all my valuables - passport, ATM cards, laptop in a holdall which I had beside the whole time. It meant I had to get some stuff to tide me over until it returned (had to wait 3 days, but didn't know how long it would take at the time). It made me realise that you can travel with hand luggage. Laundry every couple of days will only cost 100 baht, and you can get all the toiletry stuff (including kamagra/apcalis) from the nearby pharmacy.

I'm returning to Patts at the end of October and intend to bring just hand luggage. Security issue sorted. Straight off the plane and into a taxi, no waiting around.

[Gone with the wind]

I'm not worried about things get taken from hold luggage as all valuables are with me on board...more worried about stuff getting put into your bags when leaving a SE Asian country...its been known to happen.

[ipweb]

On board do you let your valuables (Credit card, money, ...)in your hold luggage ?

Unfortunately i can't secure my hold luggage with a padlock.

I'm a little bit paranoid and if i spleep during the flight, I won't be able to watch them :-(

[999Baht]

It made me realise that you can travel with hand luggage. Laundry every couple of days will only cost 100 baht, and you can get all the toiletry stuff (including kamagra/apcalis) from the nearby pharmacy.

I'm returning to Patts at the end of October and intend to bring just hand luggage. Security issue sorted. Straight off the plane and into a taxi, no waiting around.

 

I have been considering this for my next trip. I think I needed to hear this.

Honestly you really don't need much when you are over there...and what you need you can buy.

Thanks...it's the motivation I needed. Dusting off my simple backpack today.

[Esti]

Any bag with a zipper, locked!!!, can be opened by piercing it with a Bic pen, then resealed by pulling the locked part from end to end with the owner being none the wiser. Get a HARDSIDED suitcase and consider getting a portable ”safe", a canvas bag with a wire mesh between the inner & outer layer with a lockable cable from a website called "Pacsafe.com”. Also, try a website called ”Corporatetravelsafety.com” for a very good range of products. BTW an electronic safe in ur room may sometimes be opened by pressing the # ”0” for however many digits the safe requires to be opened (4 or 6 depending on the requirement).

NEVER trust the hotel no matter how hi-end it is! Why learn the hard way. Plastic wrap @ an airport discourages a LOT of peeping toms from my experience. Morons!!!

[flying_guitars]

Travel light ! Only cabin luggage...I second that..

 

Firstly .....the ticket is cheaper with Jetstar if I only have carry-on., another advantage is as soon as I have cleared custom's I tuck my carry-on under my arm and sprint as fast as I can to Gate 3 where Mr t taxi is waiting for me..

 

On the return leg I buy one of those 100baht multi colored bags with the zip.....and fill it full of presents for the family back home..and I cling wrap it at Swampy for about 120 baht.....all the good expensive presents go into my carry on ..

Edited May 21, 2012 by flying_guitars

[SLEUTH]

I thought the cling film idea was to more to deter people putting "items" in your luggage rather than taking them?

 

I can't travel light, I always take what I need for a 4-5 days(and then laundry as needed for longer stays). Everything goes into my check in bag, except finance passport and phone. Everything else I can afford to lose but I can't afford to buy every time I travel.

[twistedmike]

Any bag with a zipper, locked!!!, can be opened by piercing it with a Bic pen, then resealed by pulling the locked part from end to end with the owner being none the wiser. Get a HARDSIDED suitcase and consider getting a portable ”safe", a canvas bag with a wire mesh between the inner & outer layer with a lockable cable from a website called "Pacsafe.com”. Also, try a website called ”Corporatetravelsafety.com” for a very good range of products. BTW an electronic safe in ur room may sometimes be opened by pressing the # ”0” for however many digits the safe requires to be opened (4 or 6 depending on the requirement).

NEVER trust the hotel no matter how hi-end it is! Why learn the hard way. Plastic wrap @ an airport discourages a LOT of peeping toms from my experience. Morons!!!

 

I'm not sure who you are calling morons, Mr 3 posts, but welcome to the forum?

 

Those hardened suitcases are heavy and thus reduce the amount of what I can pack into them. I do agree with corporatetravelsafety.com as a vendor for reduced pricing on travel related products, however.

 

 

To the light travelers:

While it's great if you can travel happily with only a carry on, some of us prefer our own clothes rather than the cheap knockoffs so widely available on the ground upon arrival. While I do utilize the aforementioned pacsafe for my laptop, cell phones, travel documents and camera to keep control of them as carry-ons, my preferred clothing would be either impossible to find or cost prohibitive if it could be.

Staying 30 days or longer as I do, I take quite a bit of clothes with me as well as my favored brand of razors and other toiletries. If a few extra minutes at the airport is all it takes to accommodate my discriminate tastes, then I'm cool with that.

 

While it's true zippers can be manipulated, that's rather easily discouraged.

 

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I use this on both of my checked bags together with good quality TSA approved locks.. While it can't prevent tampering, at least it's obvious if it occurs as the bag can't be re-zipped.

 

My pacsafe laptop and small electronics bag.

 

.

 

I've never had issues travelling repeatedly to Thailand and to Angeles City, PI using these techniques.

Hope this helps.

 

Peace,

TM

[Winthorp]

I am never again getting my luggage clingfilm wrapped, the two last times I did it I got searched by customs when I returned home to Ireland, the first time it was fine as I had no contraband but this year I had my excess cigarrettes seized by the customs. So basically you will get searched if if you get your bags wrapped.

[barolo72]

I've wrapped my luggage only when it's close to explosion ( very full ). In hundreds flight everywhere in the world never had trouble with luggage. Anyway , it's a good rules to avoid to put expensive goods in the luggage.

[Klongwater]

I only got my bag wrapped when I lost the keys and therefore couldn't secure it myself. Never attracted any attention coming back to LHR.

 

Paris CDG used to be a thieves paradise,as well as Heathrow....the employees were all at it...think cctv has caught most of the thieving scum now. Did hear that JFK can be problematic though. Bag handlers who steal should be banged up for a long time!

[Tunit]

This might sound stupid and it might even be stupid but I use a pad lock and a cable tie haha sounds stupid but everyone that I was with did the same thing hahaha

 

 

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[barolo72]

I only got my bag wrapped when I lost the keys and therefore couldn't secure it myself. Never attracted any attention coming back to LHR.

 

Paris CDG used to be a thieves paradise,as well as Heathrow....the employees were all at it...think cctv has caught most of the thieving scum now. Did hear that JFK can be problematic though. Bag handlers who steal should be banged up for a long time!

 

Same trouble some years ago in Malpensa, Milano. Camera records a lot of thieves employees. In may two other people are found with passengers goods in their houses; some centuries ago thieves captured got their hands cutted...