They came expecting to be impressed - but Austrian tourists were robbed at Ayutthaya ruins

[webfact]

They came expecting to be impressed - but Austrian tourists were robbed at Ayutthaya ruins

 

Picture: Daily News

 

Daily News reported that two Austrian tourists had been robbed of cash and valuables worth 25,000 baht while cycling peacefully around the ruins in Ayutthaya yesterday. 

 

They said in their headline: They thought they'd be impressed by Thailand - now the theft has further damaged the image of tourism in the country.

 

Fabian, 28 - a programmer and Eva, 25, a designer, were cycling near Wat Chedi Daeng when a small man on a motorcycle grabbed their bag.

 

It contained two cameras, a smart phone, cash, credit cards and passports.

 

Police tracked the thief going in the direction of Bang Pahan until the GPS phone signal went dead.

 

They are basing their assumptions on the man being from Bang Pahan as the hunt continues.

 

Source: Daily News

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-03-15

[leeneeds]

One gathers that the tourist had No idea of their personal  security,

opportunistic theft, was decided on that spur of the moment, 

happens the world over, one would do better to research a country you are going to visit, the information is out there, 

A lesson learnt by these young (smart) travellers, 

[Dave67]

Apart from the big Temples in Ayuttaya, the smaller ones and the surrounding gardens are no-go areas for the locals. Homeless ,drug addicts carrying our robberies as above

[Thian]

So the young girl is helping them because the older men can't speak english right?

[NCC1701A]

if I get my stuff stolen will that girl help me too?

[NCC1701A]

I thought of a better headline for this story.

 

"Snowflakes leave Safe Place and put All Their Eggs in One Basket."

[lanista]

What tourists aren't aware of is that Thailand's economy is in the toilet at the moment. 

Millions of  normal  -non elite- Thais are falling behind but the tourism sector is a shining beacon  that attracts the bad elements. Tourists are assumed to be carrying 10,000's of bahts and foreign cash . They're easy targets in all the tourist  towns and  temple sites .  Robbing one foreigner could pay off a families entire debt.

It can only get worse till this dreadful corrupt junta is disposed of but thats not likely anytime soon.

[colinneil]

The bloke in the white shirt, the look on his face is priceless.

These farangs speak true? or are they telling porkies?

[Bullie]

Why don't people take better care? To not carry your passport, cards and money on your body is asking for any opportunistic SOB to have you part with it. And to put two people's belongings in one bag - I shudder at the thought that people like this will one day procreate.

It's like this woman who went paddling the full length of the Amazon all by her lonesome and subsequently was mildly surprised when she was murdered by illegal gold prospectors.

I wish them a speedy and happy return to Austria, at least in Vienna one would not get robbed in broad daylight. Ohh, wait a minute...

[jumbo]

2 hours ago, Dave67 said:

Apart from the big Temples in Ayuttaya, the smaller ones and the surrounding gardens are no-go areas for the locals. Homeless ,drug addicts carrying our robberies as above

Tourists however can go there?

[Dave67]

15 minutes ago, jumbo said:

Tourists however can go there?

I live in Ayutthaya yes they are free to go in there

[jumbo]

4 minutes ago, Dave67 said:

I live in Ayutthaya yes they are free to go in there

I do as well for the past 18 years and I have never even heard, read or seen about the things you are putting on the board here..

Do you have any links to that information on is it what you have heard through the grape vine?

[DM07]

3 hours ago, leeneeds said:

One gathers that the tourist had No idea of their personal  security,

opportunistic theft, was decided on that spur of the moment, 

happens the world over, one would do better to research a country you are going to visit, the information is out there, 

A lesson learnt by these young (smart) travellers, 

Blaming the victims!

Classy!

[JAG]

3 hours ago, Thian said:

So the young girl is helping them because the older men can't speak english right?

 She may well be interpreting from German?

[HLover]

All is not bad- they now can be impressed with the bag snatching skills of the locals.

 

Das bag!  Das thief! 

[Dave67]

1 hour ago, jumbo said:

I do as well for the past 18 years and I have never even heard, read or seen about the things you are putting on the board here..

Do you have any links to that information on is it what you have heard through the grape vine?

2

My family in Sena told me asked me when I asked to go into the ruins and park, seems they were right. 

Edited March 15, 2018 by Dave67

[Humid]

 

12 minutes ago, JAG said:

 She may well be interpreting from German?

Tech savvy 

Find my phone app

Edited March 15, 2018 by Humid
Double quote

[Thian]

9 minutes ago, JAG said:

 She may well be interpreting from German?

I bet the austrian tourists can speak english or wouldn't go biking without a guide.

 

Ayutthaya is a favorit spot for tourists, what a shame the police can't speak english there. Well at least they have that girl to help them.

 

But speaking english is getting worse in thailand, i don't even try it anymore in restaurants (even the toprestaurants). Last night in a riverrestaurant the waiter couldn't even speak proper thai to my wife, she was from myanmar. And that was a hi-so place... She also put Singha in my halffull glass of Hoegaarden.

 

 

 

 

[Dave67]

To clarify the big temples and tourist attractions are safe. Like anywhere in the world go off the beaten track and anything can happen

[jumbo]

49 minutes ago, Dave67 said:

My family in Sena told me asked me when I asked to go into the ruins and park, seems they were right. 

I meant a real source and not hear say from people that dont even live in the area

[Briggsy]

54 minutes ago, Thian said:

She also put Singha in my halffull glass of Hoegaarden.

Epic waitress fail. 

[Dave67]

22 minutes ago, jumbo said:

I meant a real source and not hear say from people that dont even live in the area

Sena is not in Ayuttaya then?

[thaibeachlovers]

7 hours ago, leeneeds said:

One gathers that the tourist had No idea of their personal  security,

opportunistic theft, was decided on that spur of the moment, 

happens the world over, one would do better to research a country you are going to visit, the information is out there, 

A lesson learnt by these young (smart) travellers, 

I take it you were being sarcastic about them being "smart".

Smart travellers keep their valuables strapped to their bodies in tourist areas which is the obvious place for opportunistic theft. Perhaps being smart is too uncool to be nowadays when it's all about the image.

There have been stories of people losing bags with all their money, passports etc etc for decades, and yet young people that have more access to information than ever before in the history of humans took no notice.

[thaibeachlovers]

3 hours ago, Dave67 said:

To clarify the big temples and tourist attractions are safe. Like anywhere in the world go off the beaten track and anything can happen

Posts like yours put me in mind of when I was visiting the pyramids outside Cairo.

I was looking at the Sphinx ( after closing time ) on my own at dusk and 2 men came up and offered to take me by a secret way to get closer to the Sphinx. Needless to say I did not take them up on their offer, as I'm still here to write about it.

[thaibeachlovers]

6 hours ago, Bullie said:

Why don't people take better care? To not carry your passport, cards and money on your body is asking for any opportunistic SOB to have you part with it. And to put two people's belongings in one bag - I shudder at the thought that people like this will one day procreate.

It's like this woman who went paddling the full length of the Amazon all by her lonesome and subsequently was mildly surprised when she was murdered by illegal gold prospectors.

I wish them a speedy and happy return to Austria, at least in Vienna one would not get robbed in broad daylight. Ohh, wait a minute...

A while back I suggested a money belt, and I was scorned for it. Just not cool, apparently.

[BangkokReady]

7 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

if I get my stuff stolen will that girl help me too?

I would say by the look on the Austrian man's face he's trying to work out the quickest way to dump his hagard looking white girlfriend and come back to Thailand on a solo trip.

[stephen tracy]

23 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Posts like yours put me in mind of when I was visiting the pyramids outside Cairo.

I was looking at the Sphinx ( after closing time ) on my own at dusk and 2 men came up and offered to take me by a secret way to get closer to the Sphinx. Needless to say I did not take them up on their offer, as I'm still here to write about it.

I lived in Cairo for 2 and a half years, and yes you were smart to decline their very kind offer. Although I think your above comment is a bit uncharitable. There's a difference between being a little naïve and not being smart (ie. stupid). They may just not be well-travelled. I've been to the same place they were at and it's not a place you expect to get robbed. But having lived abroad in various countries (some of them touristy), I, like yourself, always take some precautions in such places.

[StayinThailand2much]

9 hours ago, lanista said:

What tourists aren't aware of is that Thailand's economy is in the toilet at the moment. 

Millions of  normal  -non elite- Thais are falling behind but the tourism sector is a shining beacon  that attracts the bad elements. Tourists are assumed to be carrying 10,000's of bahts and foreign cash . They're easy targets in all the tourist  towns and  temple sites .  Robbing one foreigner could pay off a families entire debt.

It can only get worse till this dreadful corrupt junta is disposed of but thats not likely anytime soon.

There are, daily, glowing reports about the 'fast growing economy Thailands'. Sadly, only a minority of Thais benefits from it. And, despite an official unemployment rate of "1.6%", or so, there are many more out of work and increasingly desperate. My prediction is that crime, not last towards tourists, will rise significantly in the future! Tourists need to know that Thailand is not the safe tourist destination anymore that it was, say, 20 years ago. Travel guide books and internet information about safety precautions for Thailand are often outdated, and need to be updated to reflect the current socio-economic changes and implications for tourists who travel off the beaten track.

[HLover]

I only carry Lao Kip, when accosted for money, I sheepishly empty my pockets.

The potential thieving scum laugh and scorn me and go hunting for quality tourists.

[assayer]

Almost all you yeawhos are blaming the victims. WHAZZUP