Phuket Murders

[pmgthailand]

I read with dismay the murders of four young people in Phuket this past 3 weeks in a local newspaper.

• young man answers the door after returning from a night out only to be shot dead on his own doorstep
• mother and daughter shot dead execution style in their car
• a young woman caddy shot in the back of the head execution style

It asks the question, how safe do you feel in Phuket? I used to not even think about it but these days it is on my mind. I stopped at a 7/11 late the other night on the way home from a night out. There were several young Thai men on motorcycles hanging around, giving me a good look over when entering and exiting the store, it was then that I thought, "I'm glad that I am driving a truck and not a motorbike that could be run off the road by anyone wishing to rob me." I never used to think like this.

Edited December 12, 2010 by pmgthailand

[stevenl]

I feel safe.

These all seem to be executions, they all seem to have been involved in some unsavy business.

[Valentine]

Keep smiling helps. Making a local lose face can be dangerous. Outside of my school days the first ever fight I was involved in was with some hood who started it with the excuse "what the f... are you looking at". There are too many here who have guns or access to them. I am surprised there has not been a killing over road rage yet. I would say the majority of murders are due to business or personal disputes followed by loss of face. Lack of imagination, immaturity, bottled up emotions, are also a main cause leading to tragic consequences.

[McFarang]

Keep smiling helps. Making a local lose face can be dangerous. Outside of my school days the first ever fight I was involved in was with some hood who started it with the excuse "what the f... are you looking at". There are too many here who have guns or access to them. I am surprised there has not been a killing over road rage yet. I would say the majority of murders are due to business or personal disputes followed by loss of face. Lack of imagination, immaturity, bottled up emotions, are also a main cause leading to tragic consequences.

Valentine,

There has been a Murder over road rage that unfortunate German (I think) that was stabbed Rawai side of Chalong Roundabout after he honked his horn at a bike with 3 Thai's.

Later arrested was the Thai who had the Sea Eagles at Kata Viewpoint.

That was not so long ago.

The Security Guard that would not let the thugs into the car park was shot about a week ago.

It is a lot more dangerous than it was when I first arrived so much so that I have moved away from Phuket although I still have a home there and visit a fair bit.My Thai wife could not stand the place and in her defense I can see why she was robbed and raped in our home as have others that do not make the news and the Police did nothing apart from offer brothers land for sale because you feel bad living here now (True).

[katabeachbum]

I feel very safe. More safe than in most locations in the world.

The few conflicts I have been involved in have been business related or road rage. Solved.

Keep smiling

[logbags]

I think random or unprovoked violence is still very rare in Thailand. I'm personally very impressed with the manners of most young Thai people. They are polite, respectful and always give older people a hand.

The murders are always murky, we always only hear one side of the story. Dead men tell no tales either. That recent stabbing of the Thai security guard is a good example. I was told the very next morning the Russian was so pissed he had no idea of what he was doing. He paid a large sum to the family of the guard and cops immediately and was not locked up. The report said he came back to his room and the guard was in the room so he stabbed him. This makes no sense at all. Did the Russian just happen to have a knife with him or what? How would the guard have got in the room? The story I was told was that it happened on the beach and the guard was trying to actually help get this guy back to his room but the Russian was so hammered he thought the guard was a cop or whatever and just lost it.

I saw a guy in a tuk tuk last week who was so refreshed he couldn't remember where he was staying and this was at 3pm in the afternoon. The tuk tuk driver was getting real annoyed and asked me if I knew him. The guy was legless and sluring and falling over. I went back to check as I was worried about the state of the driver. He dropped the guy outside the Marriot and left. My mate who is a tuk tuk driver told me this is common, guys get so pissed they forget where they are staying or slur their words so badly the driver can't understand them. He said some guys actually try to do a runner when really pissed, he said that becomes a bit comical with the guy usually falling over or being unable to run.

I honestly cannot even remember having a bad word with a Thai for years. I speak English very roughly laced with constant swearing but when I speak Thai I tend to speak Thai extremely politely and sweetly. I think this is because I was taught Thai originally by a monk. You must get it in your head that flattery gets you everywhere in Thailand. Flattery is a huge part of Thai culture. Thais are very vain so smiling and making compliments makes you popular very quickly. That and knowing how to speak to your level or age are important.

99% of the time I've been asked to intervene or act as translator in a dispute between Thais and farangs it has been a language or cultural misunderstanding only. You shouldn't throw the F word around too much as Thais often don't understand that certain swear words can be used in a very passive or neutral way. Don't buy into the fear mongering, if you don't do anything wrong, why would anybody want to hurt you?

[Valentine]

Keep smiling helps. Making a local lose face can be dangerous. Outside of my school days the first ever fight I was involved in was with some hood who started it with the excuse "what the f... are you looking at". There are too many here who have guns or access to them. I am surprised there has not been a killing over road rage yet. I would say the majority of murders are due to business or personal disputes followed by loss of face. Lack of imagination, immaturity, bottled up emotions, are also a main cause leading to tragic consequences.

Valentine,

There has been a Murder over road rage that unfortunate German (I think) that was stabbed Rawai side of Chalong Roundabout after he honked his horn at a bike with 3 Thai's.

Later arrested was the Thai who had the Sea Eagles at Kata Viewpoint.

That was not so long ago.

The Security Guard that would not let the thugs into the car park was shot about a week ago.

It is a lot more dangerous than it was when I first arrived so much so that I have moved away from Phuket although I still have a home there and visit a fair bit.My Thai wife could not stand the place and in her defense I can see why she was robbed and raped in our home as have others that do not make the news and the Police did nothing apart from offer brothers land for sale because you feel bad living here now (True).

Yes I remember that now. I think he got stabbed when he stopped at the 7/11. Wonder what happened to the perpetrator? The media never seem to follow up on these types of cases. I have seen some serious road rage with someone in a sedan firing a gun it a motorbike rider just after turning right from Central into Chao Fa. It appeared they were having an altercation while stopped at the lights & the sedan driver had to go like crazy to catch up once the lights changed green.

Another danger signal for murder is the Thai wife in cahoots with boyfriend taking out a large insurance policy on the husband.

[katabeachbum]

I think random or unprovoked violence is still very rare in Thailand. I'm personally very impressed with the manners of most young Thai people. They are polite, respectful and always give older people a hand.

The murders are always murky, we always only hear one side of the story. Dead men tell no tales either. That recent stabbing of the Thai security guard is a good example. I was told the very next morning the Russian was so pissed he had no idea of what he was doing. He paid a large sum to the family of the guard and cops immediately and was not locked up. The report said he came back to his room and the guard was in the room so he stabbed him. This makes no sense at all. Did the Russian just happen to have a knife with him or what? How would the guard have got in the room? The story I was told was that it happened on the beach and the guard was trying to actually help get this guy back to his room but the Russian was so hammered he thought the guard was a cop or whatever and just lost it.

I saw a guy in a tuk tuk last week who was so refreshed he couldn't remember where he was staying and this was at 3pm in the afternoon. The tuk tuk driver was getting real annoyed and asked me if I knew him. The guy was legless and sluring and falling over. I went back to check as I was worried about the state of the driver. He dropped the guy outside the Marriot and left. My mate who is a tuk tuk driver told me this is common, guys get so pissed they forget where they are staying or slur their words so badly the driver can't understand them. He said some guys actually try to do a runner when really pissed, he said that becomes a bit comical with the guy usually falling over or being unable to run.

I honestly cannot even remember having a bad word with a Thai for years. I speak English very roughly laced with constant swearing but when I speak Thai I tend to speak Thai extremely politely and sweetly. I think this is because I was taught Thai originally by a monk. You must get it in your head that flattery gets you everywhere in Thailand. Flattery is a huge part of Thai culture. Thais are very vain so smiling and making compliments makes you popular very quickly. That and knowing how to speak to your level or age are important.

99% of the time I've been asked to intervene or act as translator in a dispute between Thais and farangs it has been a language or cultural misunderstanding only. You shouldn't throw the F word around too much as Thais often don't understand that certain swear words can be used in a very passive or neutral way. Don't buy into the fear mongering, if you don't do anything wrong, why would anybody want to hurt you?

very good post

I believe your behaviour is reflected in how Thais treat you. Smile and be polite, and you wont have problems

and for all english speakers, any f-ck word is not polite among thais

[logbags]

I believe your behaviour is reflected in how Thais treat you. Smile and be polite, and you wont have problems

and for all english speakers, any f-ck word is not polite among thais

Well I wonder how many robberies are really set up by the Thai wife. I have personally heard many girls from Isarn declaring their ill will towards their older husbands both here in Australia and Thailand.

I know for a fact one girl I know organised for all her jewellery to be stolen by a Thai guy. The farang either has insurance or feels sorry for her and buys her some new stuff never knowing it was her all the time.

I knew this woman in Surin beach who was always doing dodgy things. She hit my mate for a loan and never paid it back. Last year her Thai husband shot her dead. She had been married to an Italian previously and had the place right next to the Surin Bay. She blew the lot gambling and I remember when the Chinese creditors from Phuket town showed up to kick her out.

She was shot for blowing a large amount of her husbands money gambling I was told. Just last week I had a an older English guy over for a drink and a chat. He lived next door in Bang Tao but previously lived in Chalong/Rawai. He had been in an accident where a local run into his car on his motorbike and was killed.

He wasn't in the wrong but paid the family off anyway. The cops want 100 large to give him his passport back and drop the case as they say it was 50/50. We were having a chat about what he could do and I thought it might be worth a try to bluff them by getting the volunteer consulate to have a crack first. The passport is actually the property of the country that issues it. His lawyer of course says they will get him off but it just doesn't work that way. After chatting with a few people I'd now tend to tell him to pay the 100k and get it settled.

He came over with a girl from Udon and I wasn't paying much attention to her but later my girlfriend and my Thai friends said they wanted to punch her out as all she could talk about was getting money off this poor guy.

Here we were trying to help him and all she wanted was to get her hands on some of the money. She didn't want the 100k going to the police as she had her plans for it. I didn't have the heart to tell him.

[mrvpliss]

I feel very safe. More safe than in most locations in the world.

The few conflicts I have been involved in have been business related or road rage. Solved.

Keep smiling

If you are in fact being truthfull..why then do you feel the need to live in a fort knox security type residence, have at the ready a 9mm pistol or two [ you once said you had two pistols in your bedroom ] and a large black dog to protect you??? doesn't really gell does it? or is it only because of these features that you feel very safe...?? in that case your comments are irrelevant because nobody i know needs all this in order to say that they feel safe...anywhere

[grumpyoldman]

Another reason to head to Pattaya !!!

[snamos]

I think random or unprovoked violence is still very rare in Thailand. I'm personally very impressed with the manners of most young Thai people. They are polite, respectful and always give older people a hand.

The murders are always murky, we always only hear one side of the story. Dead men tell no tales either. That recent stabbing of the Thai security guard is a good example. I was told the very next morning the Russian was so pissed he had no idea of what he was doing. He paid a large sum to the family of the guard and cops immediately and was not locked up. The report said he came back to his room and the guard was in the room so he stabbed him. This makes no sense at all. Did the Russian just happen to have a knife with him or what? How would the guard have got in the room? The story I was told was that it happened on the beach and the guard was trying to actually help get this guy back to his room but the Russian was so hammered he thought the guard was a cop or whatever and just lost it.

I saw a guy in a tuk tuk last week who was so refreshed he couldn't remember where he was staying and this was at 3pm in the afternoon. The tuk tuk driver was getting real annoyed and asked me if I knew him. The guy was legless and sluring and falling over. I went back to check as I was worried about the state of the driver. He dropped the guy outside the Marriot and left. My mate who is a tuk tuk driver told me this is common, guys get so pissed they forget where they are staying or slur their words so badly the driver can't understand them. He said some guys actually try to do a runner when really pissed, he said that becomes a bit comical with the guy usually falling over or being unable to run.

I honestly cannot even remember having a bad word with a Thai for years. I speak English very roughly laced with constant swearing but when I speak Thai I tend to speak Thai extremely politely and sweetly. I think this is because I was taught Thai originally by a monk. You must get it in your head that flattery gets you everywhere in Thailand. Flattery is a huge part of Thai culture. Thais are very vain so smiling and making compliments makes you popular very quickly. That and knowing how to speak to your level or age are important.

99% of the time I've been asked to intervene or act as translator in a dispute between Thais and farangs it has been a language or cultural misunderstanding only. You shouldn't throw the F word around too much as Thais often don't understand that certain swear words can be used in a very passive or neutral way. Don't buy into the fear mongering, if you don't do anything wrong, why would anybody want to hurt you?

very good post

I believe your behaviour is reflected in how Thais treat you. Smile and be polite, and you wont have problems

and for all english speakers, any f-ck word is not polite among thais

Any <removed> word is not polite in english...try using it with your grandmother

[katasyd]

2 golden rules.

1. Don't mess with another guys girl.

2. Don't have a Thai business partner.

The rest is just common courtesy as you would behave back home in your own country.

[katabeachbum]

I feel very safe. More safe than in most locations in the world.

The few conflicts I have been involved in have been business related or road rage. Solved.

Keep smiling

If you are in fact being truthfull..why then do you feel the need to live in a fort knox security type residence, have at the ready a 9mm pistol or two [ you once said you had two pistols in your bedroom ] and a large black dog to protect you??? doesn't really gell does it? or is it only because of these features that you feel very safe...?? in that case your comments are irrelevant because nobody i know needs all this in order to say that they feel safe...anywhere

I am truthfull, indeed

For the past 8 years I have spendt 350 nights a year in Thailand

I feel very safe in Thailand

because I have never been mugged or anyone tryed to mug me, despite walking dark alleys rather drunk when most people sleep.

because I have never experienced a pick pocket

because I can send my 1000 baht across the bar to pay my bill, and always get exact change back

because despite the insane looking traffic, I have not been close to a major accident with a thai rider/driver

because my savings are safe in the banks

because my shares are safe in SET

because I have never had anything stolen from me privately, except for one pair of sunglasses from my motocy basket when parked

because I have never had a brake in in any of my homes or vehicles here

because my cars or bikes have never been vandalized, and on the occasions I forget the key in any of them, no one wants to steel them either

because I can enter 7-eleven despite having a bunch of testostoride bikers "watching" me, without the discomfort this would usually involve in other countries. Smile and they smile back

because I am allowed to protect/defend myself with a 9mm in case someone would be silly enough to burglar/trespass my home

I do not live in "a fort knox type security residence", there is only one simple lock on all my doors and windows, and an easy climb to come inside without breaking the door. My dog would get angry though. Why I have a Rottweiler? Its my third one, and hard to get another breed when you have had one. Best working- and familydog in the world

How is that compared to Australia, UK, New Zealand, USA or anywhere else in the world?

[inmysights]

The passport is actually the property of the country that issues it.

EXCEPT when it involves a CRIMINAL CASE. Then the police/courts have the right to withhold it.Contact your Embassy for verification. And 100k much less than Court procedure/lawyer's fees.

[katabeachbum]

The passport is actually the property of the country that issues it.

EXCEPT when it involves a CRIMINAL CASE. Then the police/courts have the right to withhold it.Contact your Embassy for verification. And 100k much less than Court procedure/lawyer's fees.

Phuket Provincal Police Commander, Major Pekad Tantipong has in co op with the Consulars agreed to crack down on any Police officer/station withholding passport, unless farang is involved in serious crime. Worth contacting him before paying 100k for a hasib/hasib case.

[FritsSikkink]

Never had a big problem in 29 years

[logbags]

The passport is actually the property of the country that issues it.

EXCEPT when it involves a CRIMINAL CASE. Then the police/courts have the right to withhold it.Contact your Embassy for verification. And 100k much less than Court procedure/lawyer's fees.

Well yes but he aint been charged with Jack. This is the real Thai coppers game. They know you don't want to enter the system so offer you a way out with a payment even though they know you are not guilty anyway. In most countries the public prosecutor must check first if there is enough evidence to allow the police to go forward with charges. Your passport should only ever be held on a judges command, not the local cops. Your passport should only be held if your a flight risk.

What about the young rich kid in bangkok who ran the people getting off the bus down. Just because they were slowing him and his Benz down. He's still free even after getting 10 years. He did it twice but still got bail as his Uncle was a police general.

[fiddlehead]

How is that compared to Australia, UK, New Zealand, USA or anywhere else in the world?

Funny you ask.

Because although i have lived in Phuket for 8 years, i am presently in Pennsylvania USA with my Thai family.

I remember when i had to put a lock on my house here in the states because my tenant requested it.

I told him i'd lived there for 12 years and never had the house locked. He wanted one anyway.

(We are now staying in an apt and haven't locked the doors yet, in fact I am skiing right now and the house is unlocked and we should get home sometime in the next 2 days)

Now that i am here, i feel like i can relax a bit and not worry about offending someone and making them lose face which, as we all know, could possibly get us killed in Thailand.

Maybe in the bronx or somewhere in East St. Louis, but I don't think i've been in any areas where it would get me killed here in PA or VT.

On the other hand, I don't like the road rage here and believe it is a lot less in Thailand.

I also don't like the rude people here (especially at Wal-mart for some reason) and the lack of looking each other in the eye or smiling. (virtually nil to get smiles from any stranger)

And I don't like that almost all younger people have their face in their phones and are often too busy to even answer a simple question.

So, all in all, i prefer Thailand but do feel like i really have to be careful when around most strangers, especially at night.

[katabeachbum]

How is that compared to Australia, UK, New Zealand, USA or anywhere else in the world?

Funny you ask.

Because although i have lived in Phuket for 8 years, i am presently in Pennsylvania USA with my Thai family.

I remember when i had to put a lock on my house here in the states because my tenant requested it.

I told him i'd lived there for 12 years and never had the house locked. He wanted one anyway.

(We are now staying in an apt and haven't locked the doors yet, in fact I am skiing right now and the house is unlocked and we should get home sometime in the next 2 days)

Now that i am here, i feel like i can relax a bit and not worry about offending someone and making them lose face which, as we all know, could possibly get us killed in Thailand.

Maybe in the bronx or somewhere in East St. Louis, but I don't think i've been in any areas where it would get me killed here in PA or VT.

On the other hand, I don't like the road rage here and believe it is a lot less in Thailand.

I also don't like the rude people here (especially at Wal-mart for some reason) and the lack of looking each other in the eye or smiling. (virtually nil to get smiles from any stranger)

And I don't like that almost all younger people have their face in their phones and are often too busy to even answer a simple question.

So, all in all, i prefer Thailand but do feel like i really have to be careful when around most strangers, especially at night.

I have only spendt a few months in the US, and while PA or VT may be safe, downtown Miami, Washington DC or NY does not feel safe in most areas. Unlike Phuket.

[DougLee]

not really scared of anything here since thais are like what 30kg tops?

But im scared for my gf. Phuket is hell for a thai woman. It's like being in a black ghetto for a white woman..

[logbags]

Well there was a comment about vandalism. It hardly exists in Thailand. In Australia my house is on a main highway near a KFC and Burger King. People just walk past and throw their rubbish in my front yard. My car gets vandalised often and I lost a mirror on one car that was a full import. It cost me 175 buck to replace. There is a Saab dealer just down the street. They had to build a huge steel fence to stop their cars getting trashed.

Here it is often just drunks or random attacks. Young hoppers here are on too many substances mixed with the booze. I try to be tolerant but when they trash my car it's going too far. The young guys in Thailand in the South are all moving to drink Kratom. Kratom is like opium in large doses. All the Muslims drink it. That's why it is so quiet in Bang Tao and Cherng Talay at night. Everybody just chills out on that.

Check if you have a kratom tree nearby, you'd know it if there was as it would be bald. Any house with a leafy tree has nocturnal visitors daily. Everyone from local teens to Burmese labourers are looking for trees for a free supply.

[DougLee]

Uh? one time out of 2 at any shopping center, there's a Thai who throws his shopping cart on the back of my car. Obviously it scratches the paint.

There is not a single day in thailand i have not seen more than 5 thais walking outside and throwing rubbish on the ground when there's garbage bins around.

Every single day i have seen thais peeing on people's house or car.. yes every single out. they stop the motorbike and pee.

Thais are huge vandals, except here its adults unlike in the west where most of the vandalism is made by kids.

[robbrookes]

not really scared of anything here since thais are like what 30kg tops?

But im scared for my gf. Phuket is hell for a thai woman. It's like being in a black ghetto for a white woman..

Could you please say again, in english as posted is not understandable.

How is phuket hell for a thai woman?

My thai woman loves it here....thats why i'm curious.

[logbags]

Well Thais are indeed bad with their rubbish disposal to say the least. Things like shopping trolleys etc are all pretty new to a lot of Thais and having your car gouged by one is pretty much common here as well. Pissing in the street etc I see as different from drunken yobs trashing everything in site while walking home. Thai teenagers are really quite well behaved given they often have little supervision. All kids are generally ok, it's just when they get on the turps or drugs they cannnot behave. Nothing new and happens world wide.

Rubbish disposal will get sorted in time as it has to be. Phuket doesn't have the capacity for large landfills and must go the way of Japan with furnaces. Notice there is no second hand market in Thailand and nothing is thrown away like here. In Australia when they have a rubbish collection of hard rubbish you see TV'S, computer moniters and exercise machines you see flogged on TV. It is quit amazing, I've picked up lounge sweets and all sorts of stuff over the years off peoples nature stips. People here just throw out working appliances and buy newer stuff. If your a seagull like me you pick up some really great retro stuff free.

I see the Chinese as being a stronger influence on Thailand than the west. Chinese like making money first and foremost. Infrastructure and beautiful design are not their strong points. Go to Chinatown anywhere in the world and you'll see the same dinky shops and grotty areas. This is every inner city area in Thailand as well. Once the Chinese build something they'll only renovate or re-invest every 100 years it would seem

[Valentine]

Uh? one time out of 2 at any shopping center, there's a Thai who throws his shopping cart on the back of my car. Obviously it scratches the paint.

There is not a single day in thailand i have not seen more than 5 thais walking outside and throwing rubbish on the ground when there's garbage bins around.

Every single day i have seen thais peeing on people's house or car.. yes every single out. they stop the motorbike and pee.

Thais are huge vandals, except here its adults unlike in the west where most of the vandalism is made by kids.

Where do you live? I have never seen anyone pee on someone else's home or motorbike but have seen plenty of guys taking a leak on the side of the road, usually in a bushy area. Vandalism & graffiti might be on the rise here but it is certainly nothing like the west. I do agree the locals are pretty hopeless when it comes to rubbish as I often see stuff getting tossed out of cars, buses, back of motorbikes. Homes are generally kept very clean but rubbish outside does not seem of any concern.

[logbags]

Another thing about rubbish is that Thais would make food in banana leaves and most of the rubbish in the old days was organic so you just threw it in the jungle behind your house and it just re-absorbed back into nature. Combustable things were burnt and bottles recycled.

It is the 7/11'S, Tesco lotus's and Big C style of businesses that has mass produced and packaged goods that is the problem. All these things have only really come in the last 20 years and come so fast.

We've had centuries to develop our systems and infrastructure. The Thais never needed them and lived simple rural lives fishing and growing rice. Urban development is never easy and when you have greedy, profit driven developers the last thing given attention is parking or rubbish.

We have very draconian local council laws here in Australia. We have 3 rubbish bins provided. One for rubbish, one for recycle and one for greenery. It's taken me 10 years to get my shit together to seperate the rubbish. Thailand is let down badly by corruption, nothing happens unless the same old greedy feudal godfathers make the most money in every local development paid for by the Government.

The problem with these Chinese Godfather types is they always have a son or three who end up being worse.

Look at the quality of private development in Phuket like Laguna. Then look at Government roads and infrastructure. Government power workers still use bamboo ladders in many areas.

[xylophone]

I feel very safe. More safe than in most locations in the world.

The few conflicts I have been involved in have been business related or road rage. Solved.

Keep smiling

If you are in fact being truthfull..why then do you feel the need to live in a fort knox security type residence, have at the ready a 9mm pistol or two [ you once said you had two pistols in your bedroom ] and a large black dog to protect you??? doesn't really gell does it? or is it only because of these features that you feel very safe...?? in that case your comments are irrelevant because nobody i know needs all this in order to say that they feel safe...anywhere

I am truthfull, indeed

For the past 8 years I have spendt 350 nights a year in Thailand

I feel very safe in Thailand

because I have never been mugged or anyone tryed to mug me, despite walking dark alleys rather drunk when most people sleep.

because I have never experienced a pick pocket

because I can send my 1000 baht across the bar to pay my bill, and always get exact change back

because despite the insane looking traffic, I have not been close to a major accident with a thai rider/driver

because my savings are safe in the banks

because my shares are safe in SET

because I have never had anything stolen from me privately, except for one pair of sunglasses from my motocy basket when parked

because I have never had a brake in in any of my homes or vehicles here

because my cars or bikes have never been vandalized, and on the occasions I forget the key in any of them, no one wants to steel them either

because I can enter 7-eleven despite having a bunch of testostoride bikers "watching" me, without the discomfort this would usually involve in other countries. Smile and they smile back

because I am allowed to protect/defend myself with a 9mm in case someone would be silly enough to burglar/trespass my home

I do not live in "a fort knox type security residence", there is only one simple lock on all my doors and windows, and an easy climb to come inside without breaking the door. My dog would get angry though. Why I have a Rottweiler? Its my third one, and hard to get another breed when you have had one. Best working- and familydog in the world

How is that compared to Australia, UK, New Zealand, USA or anywhere else in the world?

It seems as if you are a very lucky man as my experience has been somewhat different, let me explain: --

-- I have been attacked in the early hours of the morning walking home down my own Soi.

-- the house behind me has been broken into and some of the contents stolen, so the owners put bars on the windows.

-- after that was done, someone managed to break into the front door whilst the occupant was asleep and steal his computer, television and the wallet beside of his bed.

-- a friend was shot (in the side and sustained no more than a "flesh wound".....lucky man) when coming to the rescue of a Thai lady who was having her handbag stolen, and this just metres away from a busy street in Patong.

-- another friend has had his car "coined" for no apparent reason.

-- a bar owner I know was robbed at gunpoint whilst on his motorcycle and clubbed unconscious.

-- a gentle giant of a man who would do no harm to anybody was beaten around the head by a Thai man wielding an iron bar. He had not even spoken to this person, and had no prior knowledge of who this person was.

None of the people concerned(me included)had any previous knowledge of, or interaction with, the perpetrators.

IMO, once the police start to do what they are supposed to do and protect the innocent, rather than being part of the problem, things may well improve. Until that time, events like those listed above will continue to happen.

[logbags]

I think if you lived in Kings Cross Sydney you'd see the same things. New Zealand isn't exactly free of violence either. Patong has grown so big so fast it's turned into a pretty lawless place.

Anyway a reminder for all the Kiwis, there are only 10 more shoplifting days left until Christmas.

For truck drivers only 2 more sleeps.

Also don't forget what they say in Cambodia. Dog not just for Clistmas Day, always keep leg or two for boxing day to eat with som tum.

[surangw]

""government power workers still use bamboo ladders in many areas.

still much safer than a metal ladder

Edited December 13, 2010 by surangw