Travelers in Thailand have taken their chances with a number of potential hazards in recent years, but Thailand’s devastated tourism industry is being damaged further by numerous reports of scams from right within Bangkok’s main airport.

Several European tourists were wrongly accused of shoplifting from Suvarnabhumi Airport. After being detained they were taken to motels where large sums of money was demanded to let the people go.

One couple from the UK was reported to have paid the equivalent of $11 000 to be released. They were detained for five days, accused of stealing a Givenchy wallet. Police and airport authorities deny any wrong doing and claim to be undergoing efforts to stamp the problem out.

This airport has already dealt with a difficult reputation. Opened a few years ago, it was closed soon after opening, because of damaged facilities and runways caused by rampant corruption in its construction process, then last year it was the site of a takeover when protesters occupied the airport for a week, leaving 300 000 visitors to the country stranded. This makes airport authorities and police particularly vigilant to stamp out any crime that many be making waves for the airport’s reputation and Thai tourism.