Were these Thais trying to steal my bike?

[Hal65]

I park my bicycle on beach road in Pattaya near the concrete circle (a place with about 20-30 people hanging around at most hours). I have a little bike chain that I lock it to a pole with.

 

Yesterday after about 5 hours away from the bike I came back to see some clothes placed on the seat. There was also food surrounding the bike. I took the clothes off and a thai guy in his 30s who looked like he hadn't showered in a few days came up to me and took back his clothes. Another guy came up and moved the food as I was unlocking the bike chain.

 

I was not happy that my bike was being treated as a campsite, but didn't know what to make of it. If they were just hanging out by it then I guess no real harm was done. My fear is that they might have been using the clothes and food to see if someone in the crowd would react for a possible theft next time when that person was away. Only takes a bolt cutter to liberate the bike from the poll.

 

Curious what you guys think was going on and if anyone else has encountered this. 

[Hal65]

Here is the area I parked my bike: https://www.google.com/maps/@12.9284615,100.8759191,3a,75y,297.67h,76.96t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s1IvOViXKvWyl8FTH6QmfKg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

As you can see there are many places to hang one's clothes that are public property.

 

 

[FritsSikkink]

A bit paranoid, should he put his clothes on the floor? Not happy your bike was used as a campsite? Get over it, there are real problems in the world.  

[KhunBENQ]

I would not overrate this.

They put their stuff on the next seat.

 

Good that you did not heat up with the guys.

Remember the case of the German on Samui beaten to death?

Some teens hanging around his Harley, one sitting on.

Seemes he had started an argument/shouting.

Lay death on the ground in the end.

[rumak]

Five hours is a LONG time to leave a bike somewhere.   I am sure percentages would indicate that the more expensive a bike it is , and the cheaper the lock is.........the more chance it will be stolen.

Common sense ?     Let the one who parks beware.   

Not really relevant,  but in any city in the US  your bike would be gone much quicker than here. (well, pattaya is probably not very secure compared to CM or Hua Him....not bashing, just my opinion.

I was once eating in Pattaya and someone came by on a motorcycle,  took out a bunch of keys, and tried them on a parked motorcycle till one fit.   bye bye bike  ( i just caught the end when farang came and ran around asking where's my bike.  Then i figured out what had just happenned.

[Hal65]

There is an abundance of wooden railings and concrete seating which is what leads me to believe they might have been using their stuff to appear like owners of the bike.

 

Then again if one were to use bolt cutters to steal it, hanging around probably isn't a good idea. 

 

I am nervous enough about this incident to look for a U lock now. Not nearly as convenient as a chain but I do leave my bike on beach road for long periods.

[StreetCowboy]

If I'd left my bike locked up for five hours, I'd be slightly nervous of my ability to ride home safely.

 

When I leave my bike outside the pub, I prefer to sit where I can see it, but otherwise I'll lock it with a fairly ordinary chain lock.  If someone goes out to steal a bike they'll have the tools to do the job; I just want to stop the passing hoodlums taking the bike to get home quicker.

[ttakata]

I'd get a ulock for a 5 hour park.  Unless it is a rusty 2000b Tesco bike, it will be stolen.  They might even steal that to spite a foreigner.  I've had a 200b watch with no wrist straps stolen off my scooter and it had a huge scrath on the face too.  Never underestimate how poor people are here or people on drugs desperate for money.