Do you have a 'Go Bag': How quickly are you prepared to leave?

[Jonathan Fairfield]

I've just been listening to the latest episode of the Bangkok Podcast and this week they were talking about 'Go Bags' or a 'Go Plan'.

 

https://www.bangkokpodcast.com/how-quickly-are-you-prepared-to-leave-bangkok-season-3-episode-55/

 

It's the first time I've heard about this but a 'Go Bag' is a bag you keep packed and which is there ready should you need to leave Thailand in a hurry.

 

Do you have a Go Bag packed in the event of sh1t ever properly hitting the fan in Thailand be it due to something in your personal life, a run in with the law, or some political upheaval?
 

[jvs]

I can access cash really fast,grab my passport and away  i go.

Just to add a few things,sometimes you see this in the movies,someone is told;grab your bags and go,now!!;;

They always p!ss around until the bad guys arrive.

The big question is however,where would you go??

[CharlieH]

It would depend on the event and circumstances, and how long the departure was for.

 

Ultimately, as long as you have your passport and access to funds, most other things can be easily replaced.

[Dmaxdan]

No, because I don't live in such a paranoid state as to believe the world is going to end in the next millisecond. 

[bert bloggs]

Well ,lets think ,there is the house ,(cant get that in the bag) the car ,the wife ,our son ,all our furniture , ,nope cant get all of that and them in the luggage .,so as i am not a single guy living in a bedsit and just going to the bar every night ,it might be a problem .

[Crossy]

11 minutes ago, Dmaxdan said:

No, because I don't live in such a paranoid state as to believe the world is going to end in the next millisecond. 

 

Indeed, I doubt the situation is going to develop in a negative direction so fast that a "Go" anything is going to be needed.

 

Besides, I have family here, I sure as eggs are eggs I'm not going to leave them.

 

Similarly, I'm not a doomsday prepper, we have generator fuel for a week or so if I ration it and a freezer full of food, but that's pretty much it.

[worgeordie]

I think this would only apply to criminal types,spies and terrorists,

whom may need to exit stage left,in a hurry.

regards Worgeordie

[robblok]

2 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Indeed, I doubt the situation is going to develop in a negative direction so fast that a "Go" anything is going to be needed.

 

Besides, I have family here, I sure as eggs are eggs I'm not going to leave them.

 

Similarly, I'm not a doomsday prepper, we have generator fuel for a week or so if I ration it and a freezer full of food, but that's pretty much it.

I just ordered some auto targeting mini guns to put on the fence and put the mains on the fence with a switch. I got an escape pod ready to launch and am wearing my tinfoil hat. (just joking)

 

Seriously all previous coups and things have been relatively bloodless especially outside the area's where the problems are. I have yet to see a revolt that targets us. 

 

I can still remember everyone making a big fuzz about the kings demise and how things would get out of hand. What happened.. nothing.

[KMartinHandyman]

I imagine the police order would reach the IO’s at the passport control counters before I could get to one from Issan.

[Laddy123]

My Go Bag scenario has happened twice in 3 years.

 

Family emergencies

 

3pm Friday afternoon about 7 months ago.

 

1. Straight to big C. Stocked up the family with enough food for 6 weeks.

2. Sentosa- stacked up family with 6 weeks of nappies and 144 cartons of milk.

3. Mom and pop shop - 15 x 6 litre bottles of water.

4. Ensure lady123 has all knowledge of all accessible funds.

5. Booked flights to bkk and bkk to Heathrow. 24 hours to depart.

6. Packed my 2 pairs of jeans, laptop. 5 pairs of socks 7 pairs of pants, 1 jumper 1 jacket and 3 T-shirts, my UK sim card a passport.

 

Arrived in Heathrow Sunday morning 6am.

 

3 weeks later, returned.

 

Happened twice. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[villagefarang]

No, I do not have a Go Bag but I do have a Gym Bag.????????️‍♂️

[Crossy]

3 minutes ago, villagefarang said:

No, I do not have a Go Bag but I do have a Gym Bag.????????️‍♂️

 

In reality, if the excrement hits the rotating air stirrer in Bangkok the chances of a flight out are zero.

 

We will all be coming to see @villagefarang  Better make sure you have plenty of beer in stock.

 

[quandow]

Before a certain extremely famous and revered person passed, I always hid $1000 US cash in my condo. My thought was "When this person passes, the country may spiral into chaos and I may need to make a quick exit." The person passed, nothing resembling chaos ensued, and I made it rain a few nights at LK Metro.

[SEtonal]

44 minutes ago, jvs said:

I can access cash really fast,grab my passport and away  i go.

Just to add a few things,sometimes you see this in the movies,someone is told;grab your bags and go,now!!;;

They always p!ss around until the bad guys arrive.

The big question is however,where would you go??

Billionaire Peter Thiel and other wealthy Americans have decided to go to New Zealand in the event of disaster.   They have built underground bunkers in New Zealand and their lavish homes have safe rooms.   Peter Thiel became a citizen of New Zealand after 12 days in the country, while others are choosing New Zealand's Investor Plus Visa.

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2018-rich-new-zealand-doomsday-preppers/

 

[Puchaiyank]

No!  Not necessary!  If I felt like I needed to pack a to-go bag...I would just take it and leave already...????

[Lacessit]

In previous years, I always had a small bag packed with necessary items for encounters with the fairer sex. IMHO they represented the main danger to my health and well-being.

Curling up in a fetal ball is always an option.

[Thaidream]

No way- No go-  There is nothing that will force me out of Thailand .  I have survived every coup since 1971;  a Vietnamese sapper attack on Udorn ; an incursion into Thailand by Vietnamese forces; illness and death of close family in Thailand and the whims of an ever changing  Immigration law and even a sick buffalo.

[EVENKEEL]

1 hour ago, bert bloggs said:

Well ,lets think ,there is the house ,(cant get that in the bag) the car ,the wife ,our son ,all our furniture , ,nope cant get all of that and them in the luggage .,so as i am not a single guy living in a bedsit and just going to the bar every night ,it might be a problem .

Such a proper gentleman.

[LomSak27]

Preppers have 'Go Bags' for when SHTF

 

Most of us normal people just have a passport, credit cards, sunglasses. 

 

If you can't walk away from your possessions, then you have too many possessions. That is Thailand specific rule and can save your life. I’ll be honest, I do wonder about some of those horror stories we read about … The guy knows his girlfriend, wife or tranny has turned and his life is in jeopardy but he stays ... and ends up dead. How many of those are because he cannot walk away from it?!

 

 

[from the home of CC]

1 hour ago, worgeordie said:

I think this would only apply to criminal types,spies and terrorists,

whom may need to exit stage left,in a hurry.

regards Worgeordie

 

yea I guess if I couldn't fund my visa extension and I decided to overstay then perhaps I would pre plan for the detention center...

[villagefarang]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

 

In reality, if the excrement hits the rotating air stirrer in Bangkok the chances of a flight out are zero.

 

We will all be coming to see @villagefarang  Better make sure you have plenty of beer in stock.

 

You will need to stock your Go Bag with whatever mind altering beverages or chemicals you may need.  My house is a dry zone.  Sorry about that.????

[whiteman]

lucky im a kiwi all ready so do not need to do all that craP  

[KC 71]

I don’t have one but i could pack within a few minutes if need be


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[NancyL]

In the U.S. we always had at least 10 days of "staples" on hand in case of a blizzard, power outage, etc and it had been the family tradition for generations because we were farmers and it was possible to be cut off for days at a time in the winter.  In fact, it was my habit just to go grocery shopping once a week, for the entire week (a holdover from when you "went into town" just once a week), something that amazed Hubby when we first met because his family didn't do that much forward planning, going to the market almost every day, much like Thai people do.

 

Once we retired here, our first rental was rather small and markets were close.  Plus the fresh produce, while tasty, doesn't store well for many days, so I got into the habit of shopping almost every day and not keeping "back stock" of staples like paper products, grooming/cleaning products, cat food/kitty litter, rice/pasta, etc.   This came back to bite me during the big flood in 2011 when the centralized distribution system for basics like this feel apart and while it was easy enough to buy fresh local produce in Chiang Mai (which hadn't been much affected by the flooding) it became impossible to buy items like cat food and toilet paper that come up from warehouses near flooded Bangkok.  I've learned my lesson and keep a back stock of staples now. 

 

This concerns me more than being able to pack a "go bag".  Sometimes, for one reason or another, I've decided to take a day trip or short trip to Bangkok or Seoul on short notice and managed to pack my bag in 30 minutes or less.  I guess that would be an answer to how long it would take to get my "go bag" together.

[NanLaew]

2 hours ago, quandow said:

Before a certain extremely famous and revered person passed, I always hid $1000 US cash in my condo. My thought was "When this person passes, the country may spiral into chaos and I may need to make a quick exit." The person passed, nothing resembling chaos ensued, and I made it rain a few nights at LK Metro.

So based on fact that the over-hyped social meltdown and civil collapse never happened, you have blown your emergency escape wedge on beer and titties already?

[mokwit]

4 hours ago, worgeordie said:

I think this would only apply to criminal types,spies and terrorists,

whom may need to exit stage left,in a hurry.

regards Worgeordie

Possibly also ex Special Forces.

[55Jay]

Go bag is, IME, a term used by SPECOPS military folks or sometimes first responders. 

 

No Go Bag for me, I'm way too comfortable and soft these days.  Even if the shit hit the fan here, civil unrest or some other calamity, depending on the circumstances, we would probably ride it out in place rather than trying to move overland during a shit storm.  As CharlieH said, depends on the circumstances, anticipated duration, etc.

 

Edit: another good example a few posts above -  "go bag" discipline is a prudent mindset living in areas prone to flood/storms, etc.  Keep all those critical documents in one place, grab and go....

 

[inThailand]

Us non criminals don't need a Go Bag. Apparently the few that are left here do. 

 

And if one was needed and ready to go, the bg would probably take it for a walk without you. Don't put all your eggs in one basket comes to mind. 

[marcusarelus]

20 hours ago, Thaidream said:

No way- No go-  There is nothing that will force me out of Thailand .  I have survived every coup since 1971;  a Vietnamese sapper attack on Udorn ; an incursion into Thailand by Vietnamese forces; illness and death of close family in Thailand and the whims of an ever changing  Immigration law and even a sick buffalo.

Same as you.  I can hole up in my house for 30 days no problem food and water stored.  I used to be able to leave quick but then got married.  I could pack all the important stuff and be gone in 30 minutes if necessary.  I've an old lockable and bullet proof Samsonite suitcase.  I used it before I got a safe. 

[Tagged]

Have there ever been riots where people have been targeting? 

 

You would think young poor yaba men, could take their anger out on white old men taking all the country girls, but? 

 

Who knows. 

 

When it comes to the army, I feel quite safe, and if shit would hit the fan, I would sit put and wait to see what happens next. No rush to leave the country, or try to go where everyone else is trying to go.