Baggage Security "beefed up"

[beej]

Someone mentioned somewhere once that there would be luggage check in at the main terminal station....... is that still on the cards?

[Admin_2]

Someone mentioned somewhere once that there would be luggage check in at the main terminal station....... is that still on the cards?

That was the case, and I haven't heard anything saying that the plan has been axed.

Take that for what it's worth...

[LakeGeneve]

Someone mentioned somewhere once that there would be luggage check in at the main terminal station....... is that still on the cards?

Yes indeed, the CAT (City Airport Terminal) will be similar to HK station but without the 90 storey IFC tower and WITH some sort of Duty Free scam no doubt. (As an aside there was a previous plan 4-5 yrs ago for the Makkasan land to build 4, yes 4, 100 plus storey towers but thankfully this fell by the wayside).

So you will be able to check in your luggage, jump on the express train, arrive at the airport in 15 mins & then proceed direct to immigration when you arrive at the airport. It may be good for you given how close you live but you still have to cab it to the CAT. Here is a pic of the check in counters;

(Source: Taklong.com but taken from SSC.)

However, the train service will initially open without the check-in at the CAT as this will require an agreement between the German operator and Thai Airways, and AOT on the security front.

[grezzzy_greer]

...and of course the criminal gangs that rule the taxi services must have threatened bodily harm to the designers of the SRT if they actually made it connect direct to the airport itself, a la Hong Kong's excellent system.

So the integrated ticketing system and the CAT check-in will be quite some time off...it's not sad, it's embarrasing...

I dearly want to see the capitol of my adopted country become THE hub in Asia for travel and tourism...we have all the right potential, but we have to somehow stop the greedy bastards from destroying it all for their own short term blind gain.

[melasinsh]

Here's a clue: BAGGAGE LOCKS

I've never had a problem. Yet. (knock on wood)

When leaving the USA, and presumably on a flight inbound to the USA, luggage locks are not permitted by law. The TSA does enforce the law and will cut or break all locks on any luggage on the way out of the airport. Including airport travel completely within the USA.

This has happened to me, all my relatives and friends. The TSA enjoys breaking the locks, taping them to a paper card that says they are allowed to do this and sticking it in your baggage.

[LakeGeneve]

...and of course the criminal gangs that rule the taxi services must have threatened bodily harm to the designers of the SRT if they actually made it connect direct to the airport itself, a la Hong Kong's excellent system.

Mate, I may be misunderstanding your post but the Airport Line does connect directly to the terminal. It runs underground to the basement level, the station is actually quite large.

[beej]

...and of course the criminal gangs that rule the taxi services must have threatened bodily harm to the designers of the SRT if they actually made it connect direct to the airport itself, a la Hong Kong's excellent system.

Mate, I may be misunderstanding your post but the Airport Line does connect directly to the terminal. It runs underground to the basement level, the station is actually quite large.

Thats a relief I was told the other day that its a little way from the airport as well!

[LakeGeneve]

...and of course the criminal gangs that rule the taxi services must have threatened bodily harm to the designers of the SRT if they actually made it connect direct to the airport itself, a la Hong Kong's excellent system.

Mate, I may be misunderstanding your post but the Airport Line does connect directly to the terminal. It runs underground to the basement level, the station is actually quite large.

Thats a relief I was told the other day that its a little way from the airport as well!

The person was probably thinking of the Transport Center, which is 2kms away, where all the buses depart from and a few thousands taxis hang out until they move to the terminal.

Nest time you go to the airport, assuming your sober, follow the rail viaduct as it runs in between the airport roads and then gradually the viaduct runs down to ground level and underground going under the Novotel hotel and the airport carpark.

If anyone has ever been down to the ground level (one below arrivals) where the Airport Express and Tourist Buses depart from you will notice the escaltors run down another level. There is also covered signage indicating a railway station. The station space and access was part of the original design of the airport but few notice that there is another level below.

[Samuel76]

...and of course the criminal gangs that rule the taxi services must have threatened bodily harm to the designers of the SRT if they actually made it connect direct to the airport itself, a la Hong Kong's excellent system.

Mate, I may be misunderstanding your post but the Airport Line does connect directly to the terminal. It runs underground to the basement level, the station is actually quite large.

I remember reading on the bangkok post website that there was some shuttle service to the airport link...is that incorrect?

[LakeGeneve]

...and of course the criminal gangs that rule the taxi services must have threatened bodily harm to the designers of the SRT if they actually made it connect direct to the airport itself, a la Hong Kong's excellent system.

Mate, I may be misunderstanding your post but the Airport Line does connect directly to the terminal. It runs underground to the basement level, the station is actually quite large.

I remember reading on the bangkok post website that there was some shuttle service to the airport link...is that incorrect?

I have not heard about that but it would make sense to a degree. It could be like the old BTS shuttle buses but there are so many unknowns at the moment.

The SRT has only recently awarded the management contract to ze germans (a DB sub). Why they waited until the whole project was nearly done is anybodys guess. DB now has to recruit suitable SRT staff and train them which they say will take 9 months. The infamous CTX baggage scanners have to be purchased - not until next year it seems - so that check in can occur at the CAT. The pedestrian links to the MRT (Phetburi) and BTS (@ Phaya Thai) have only just been contracted and the consultants fee is larger than the actual costs of building the links!

Most of this should have been done in the last 2 yrs if the SRT Board knew what they were doing. But yet we still have the SRT and the Transport Minister stating that it will open on 5 Dec when clearly mid next year is more likely.

So no doubt some bright spark in the SRT will think of a shuttle bus about 2-3 yrs after the thing opens. (Quicker if some pollie see piles of baht to be made). :roll:

[sanju121]

A point to note if you?re checking in luggage is that many of the travel accessories that are sold as luggage security items (locks, cable ties, security seals, etc) do not actually work to protect your luggage. You?d think for the money spent on these things it would take time to break into a bag, but it?s as simple as several seconds with a paperclip or even a pen. And people wonder why there is a problem with luggage theft. This site shows how the criminals do it: http://www.securoseal.com/main.php?id=318. The same site has also got news stories from around the world on airport and luggage related crime here: http://www.securoseal.com/main.php?id=325 ? so it's worth a read if you?re planning on taking a trip soon.