Thailand forum

Check your travel insurance policy (if you have one) and go and report the theft to the police.

Some travel insurance policies cover theft of money but only if you can produce a proper police report. You often need to declare the theft within a certain time limit too ... like within 24 or 48 hours of the theft.

I doubt very much if the travel agency will do anything for you.

By any chance did you book your bus ride out of the Khao San Road area? When I read about "stuff stolen on buses" it is usually when a bus is booked by KSR travel agencies.

Too late now but never leave any money or valuables in the checked in bag. Keep your valuables on your body or within sight. I always lock my bags even the bag in the overhead bin on a plane.

Rumor is that when the bus pulls out they have a live person in the baggage compartment who goes through the bags during the ride.

http://backpackersthailand.com/kohphangantravel.php?nav=bus

I have never had any problems with buses where I bought the tickets at a real bus station! I did have a bus that broke down once on the highway and they got a replacement bus in a half hour and I have been on some that I thought could have broken down but no real problems and that is over 12 years! Never put any valuables in a checked in bag and keep your money on your body or in your locked bag that is in view.

Sorry for your problems.

Are you saying you kept cash somewhere other than on your person?

Do any of the Bangkok regulars know of any reliable travel agencies in the Khao San area? We have had to book a couple of buses in the past from agencies near KSR, with some misgivings, and they've supplied what they said they would. The prices haven't been cheap offers. But I'm afraid I can't remember names. Sorry about that. So there must be some companies that can be trusted. Sharing the names and addresses of reputable agencies could be useful for others who may, for whatever reason, need to book a bus from the area.

I've a feeling the problem isn't necessarily with the travel agencies themselves, more with the bus companies that go to and from Khao San Road. The different travel agencies sell tickets for the same buses.

And if you are going to Siem Reap be aware that every travel agency in Bangkok (not just KSR) sells tickets for the same scam buses.

The sad thing is that the Thai police could easily clamp down on this. How easy must it be for them to catch the culprits in action.

Its not exactly the perfect crime!

When did you travel federika? I remember reading about this "special gas" on KSR buses years ago on TT but haven't seen anything recently. (Not that I look at TT much nowadays). On many overnight buses the driver is in a separate sealed compartment so I suppose it is possible if they keep the door shut. If it is a gas they use though, what is it?

Most thefts on KSR buses seem to be from luggage in the hold. One guy I met got robbed on a bus from Krabi. He thought his backpack felt light when he got off the bus but it was still locked with his padlock so he didn't check to see if anything had been taken. He only discovered stuff was missing when he got back to his GH ... which suggests that the thieves have keys that enable them to open padlocks without forcing them.