Self Defense

[Dustoff]

There are many frms of self defence, but I think that what GuestHouse has mentioned in his thread pretty much sums it.

Dealing with a Mentally Ill Patient:

Having worked in HMP's and Secure hospitals in the UK, much of the training is based on using de-escalation techniques and awarenees. These are seriously the first and most important tools in staying safe.

However, the courses are nrmally then broken into further segmments - Breakaway, which is a series of techniques designed to avoid physical attack and escape from the agressor. This course designed by trainers , is perfect for individuals, loneworkers etc. Please don't listen to Boo's ridicolous advice about causing permanent damage to restarin a mentally Ill patient.

The further bolt on is the C & R (Control& Restratint) - these techniques are based primarily on Akido and have evolved within the NHS, Police and Prison services. They are only to be used in groups of three. Although, in the PS the control is based more on pain as a control, whereas the NHS version now tends to work on limiting movement in a safe and secure hold.

What I will also point out, an acutely ill metal patient are quite often oblivious to pain and are unaware of there actions. If you get in a situation with someone like this just leave the area as quickly as possible!!! Do not confront someone like this, it should be left to professionals who should medicate them properly.

One thing that I can remeber from my training in the prison service, was if the guy is carring a gun you let him have what he wants. You don not confrnt him or try to be a hero- the same goes for someone carrying a knife. Yes. we did get taught how to disarm the person, but the reality is very different from a simulated trainig environment.

If you must carry a werapon, then you have tO be prepared to use, because if you don't I really beleive that instead of making the situation safer you could well increase the danger. If you musy use something, a pepper spray/ mace can be very effective.

All in all, if you are living somewhere and dn't feel safe then you should re-evaluate your place of residence and maybe move.

Okay, apologise for the long post, but I just sometimes wish that people had a little more understanding and empathy about people with a Mental Illness, rather than just basing it on ignorance and fear.

An excellent response and totally appropriate when confronted by incarcerated patients where you are restricted by law to do no physical harm.

However, not every attacker, while we may have reason to question their psychological state, qualifies as a patient to whom we should grant pity. There are indeed, in every country/culture/village, people who are purely evil in intent and have little respect for your sense of goodness.

Martial arts hand and arm techniques are very effective and I continue to try to learn more about them but many street/home situations just do not offer the opportunity to use these techniques, especially if the attacker is armed or you are a 50Kg woman attempting to subdue a much stronger, heavier and dedicated male.

Every situation is different and we have to recognize those differences and understand the goal of our attacker. If their intent is to merely rob you, give them whatever they want - there is no amount of money or material goods worth dying for.

If rape is their intent, give in - but only to the point where you have the opportunity to drive your thumbs into their eyes as hard as you possibly can then roll away and RUN!

There are also other techniques such as placing your open hand on their chest then driving the web of your hand, between the thumb and forefinger, as hard as you are able, into their throat. This will collapse their esophagus (windpipe), shutting off their breathing and causing extreme anxiety long enough for you to roll away and RUN!

There are many other simple techniques that can be perfomed by even a child that will disable even the strongest of assailants; and you MUST sufficiently physically disable them to give you time to escape or you will likely only anger them to the point of them being willing to either take your life or at the very least give you a savage beating.

The most important thing during any attack is to never, ever see yourself as a victim. Even in daily life, do not ever think of yourself as a potential victim since those evil bastards among us are looking for just that - a victim. Walk tall, be totally aware of the circumstances you may be placing yourself into, make 'steely' eye-contact with anyone with questionable intent to let them know that you are not the 'whimpering, downcast-eyed' person they are looking for.

I totally agree with sbk's post about belittling the people of Thailand and that it should not be allowed on these forums. Prejudice of any kind comes from pure ignorance and we here really don't need to hear about it. I do not envy but totally respect the work that our forum moderators are doing.

And while there is resistance to moving away from an area that you may deem unsafe, there is some merit to that. Unless of course we find ourselves feeling unsafe wherever we are - then perhaps we need to find why we carry fear with us from place to place. Thailand is, for the most part I believe, a gentle and accepting culture and I, for one, am proud to now call this my home.

"Peace short of surrender". Present yourself to the world with both grace and strength, girlx...

[Boo]

Please don't listen to Boo's ridicolous advice about causing permanent damage to restarin a mentally Ill patient.

Mr Toad, I wasnt refering to mentally ill patients. If someone is attacking me I hope you aren't suggesting that I try to find out their mental state before defending myself???? Hmm yes I'll do that whilst they are trying to kill or rape me!!! What a tool.

So if you think that causing damage to a would be attacker & trying to get away from a dangerous situation is ridiculous then thank god I don't know you or will ever need you in a fight.

Try engaging brain & read what has been written before making incorrect statments.

[canadiangirl]

Just a quick question to canadian girl, do you seriously believe the nonsense that your so called self defence instructors told you? Cause permanent damage. What total and utter BS.

Well, personally I'm in favor of trying to prevent bad situations before they happen by trusting my instincts about peoples and places. It's served me well so far, but I can't say that I have any experience with work where dealing with violence might be expected.

If that fails, I'm in favor of running away, trying to trick/talk your way out of the situation, descalate things, as you mention -- I have no illusions about being the next Tony Jaa. But what do you do in the last extremity if all that fails and you're backed into a corner?

I think that my friends' advice of "cause permanent damage" didn't mean some kind of "eye-for-an-eye" revenge situation, just that if you're stuck fighting for your life with some crazed lunatic hopped up on PCP, it's probably more useful to try to aim for points that would make it hard for them to see, move around, etc than to punch them in the arm.

But I'm no expert, so if you have better advice on what you should do in that extreme situation, I would welcome it.

[chinthee]

Just a quick question to canadian girl, do you seriously believe the nonsense that your so called self defence instructors told you? Cause permanent damage. What total and utter BS.

Well, personally I'm in favor of trying to prevent bad situations before they happen by trusting my instincts about peoples and places. It's served me well so far, but I can't say that I have any experience with work where dealing with violence might be expected.

If that fails, I'm in favor of running away, trying to trick/talk your way out of the situation, descalate things, as you mention -- I have no illusions about being the next Tony Jaa. But what do you do in the last extremity if all that fails and you're backed into a corner?

I think that my friends' advice of "cause permanent damage" didn't mean some kind of "eye-for-an-eye" revenge situation, just that if you're stuck fighting for your life with some crazed lunatic hopped up on PCP, it's probably more useful to try to aim for points that would make it hard for them to see, move around, etc than to punch them in the arm.

But I'm no expert, so if you have better advice on what you should do in that extreme situation, I would welcome it.

Canadian girl, there is no guarantee in any street situation of the outcome. There is no guarantee that your attacker (hopefully only one) will merely stop and be content with a rape. There is no guarantee you will ever be seen again. If you allow yourself to be transported to any other location your chances of living go down. You have to make your stand right then and there in ANY way possible to temporarily disable an opponent so you can escape. I have advised above some extreme moves that if you learn and prepare them, you will stun and hurt your attacker so that one of two outcomes will occur: 1) he will back off hurt and you can run away; or 2) he will become even more enraged and hurt you badly. Those are better odds than not defending yourself.

[canadiangirl]

Canadian girl, there is no guarantee in any street situation of the outcome. There is no guarantee that your attacker (hopefully only one) will merely stop and be content with a rape. There is no guarantee you will ever be seen again. If you allow yourself to be transported to any other location your chances of living go down. You have to make your stand right then and there in ANY way possible to temporarily disable an opponent so you can escape. I have advised above some extreme moves that if you learn and prepare them, you will stun and hurt your attacker so that one of two outcomes will occur: 1) he will back off hurt and you can run away; or 2) he will become even more enraged and hurt you badly. Those are better odds than not defending yourself.

Hi Chinthee,

I agree with you 100%. I don't understand anyone who suggests that women should submit to rape rather than risk injury or death. As Boo said, I would rather die defending my own life than submit to rape out of fear. As you say, how do you know they will stop at that? How do you know they won't give you HIV? Even the pigeons and squirrels on my balcony would defend their own lives to the very death against an attacker ten times their size if I cornered them; I'm outraged that anyone could suggest that women shouldn't do the same.

[kmart]

There is a old adage regards fighting or weapons that is summarised thus; "never pull anything you don't want shoved up your own a#s."

Pretty much sums it up.

Seriously, as other people have sensibly advised; if you are anywhere that you don't feel safe or comfortable, move on quickly.

[girlx]

wow this has ended up being a great thread. thanks for all the tips (except the idiot who suggested surgery on dogs, grrr)... i am not scared in thailand, jet gorgon so far i live exactly as you described, but there is a mental patient loose and some deranged alcoholics as well, and the more i get involved (by staying) in a village the more i sometimes have to pick sides. as for rape vs. death? i have already been raped and i would still choose that over death because of the fact that now i am living a very happy life despite that! something to think about girls, in protecting yourselves.

[mrtoad]

Please don't listen to Boo's ridicolous advice about causing permanent damage to restarin a mentally Ill patient.

Mr Toad, I wasnt refering to mentally ill patients. If someone is attacking me I hope you aren't suggesting that I try to find out their mental state before defending myself???? Hmm yes I'll do that whilst they are trying to kill or rape me!!! What a tool.

So if you think that causing damage to a would be attacker & trying to get away from a dangerous situation is ridiculous then thank god I don't know you or will ever need you in a fight.

Try engaging brain & read what has been written before making incorrect statments.

Boo, It was aTypo, It should have meant Cnadiangirl. Beleive me, I'm not advocating doing nothing in a situation. I was commenting on the point of having to casue permanent damage to someone to avoid being attacked. Sorry, for the typo, just read it a little more carefully too (Engage brain and read), and if you had, you would have realised it didn't mean you.

By the way, I am not talking just about mentally ill patients, people should avoid any confontation if they are able to. I also know, that at some points then people do indeed need to use a form of defence, and if that is the case then the rules do go out of the window and it is everybodies right to defend themselves. There are plenty of techniques that use suprise and disablement to get away from situations, so although some of what I have saidmay be deemed to be only relevant to a staffed environment it is not the case, hence the reason why breakaway is a requiremnt for all loan workers such as community nurses etcin many NHS trust these days.

Accept my huumble pie, for the typo. But, I think you may find that I am certainly not someone who would not defend a friend in such a aituation and I also resent the fact that you have resoted to throwing around personal insults, I'm most certainly not a Tool

Edited July 17, 2007 by mrtoad

[mmushr00m]

I taught/assisted in Wan-do (women's self defence) classes back in Canada for a year and the 1st thing we taught was to go for the eyes and ears.

Take a self defence class, it will teach you some techniques but most importantly, it will place you in and familiarize you with a situation where you are attacked. Learning all the fancy kicks and punches are useless if you freeze when confronted. Take lessons where someone, preferably male, is in your face fighting/attacking you. Why male? 'cos odds are your attacker(s) will be male. Get use to having a guy in your face so when the time comes, reaction is automatic.

Also anything can be a weapon. Car keys are great, they're pointy and sharpish., same with a pen. Aim for the face, eyes and ears. A well aim kick to the knee is good too.....then run away!!!

[stonybonytony]

Girlx, if you do find some pepper spray somewhere local can you post or PM me (or pick me up a can as well and I can pop round to TNP to get it... )

Ta.

[thohts]

You could always marry somone like Michael Clarke Duncan that huge coloured guy from the film The Green Mile or Pierluigi Collina the bald Italian referee. Pretty sure you'd be safe with either of those 2 at your side

Good that you know his name and how to spell it, but even better if you knew that it's called "black", not "coloured".

In the movie he's "coloured". In real life, he's "black". Amazing transition!

[girlx]

Girlx, if you do find some pepper spray somewhere local can you post or PM me (or pick me up a can as well and I can pop round to TNP to get it... )

yeah i have to go to samui soon for my visa so i will look there. i also noticed you can buy it on ebay but not sure that it's real or that it's legal to get i the mail?

[bernie66]

The only thing you need is an attitude. If you have the posture of a victim than that’s how you will look to a perpetrator. I think all you need to do is hold your head up and walk like you carry a big stick. It is a mistake to focus your attention on a weapon. Better to realize that everything around you is a weapon. A hammer sitting on top a table, an iron pan, or a common plate broke in half can be sharper than a knife. One of my favorite is to grab someone by the arm and pull them into the corner of a wall or the sharp corner of a piece of furniture. If someone backs you into a wall and you grab their neck and drop straight down to the ground their head is going to go through the wall. Thus the wall was your weapon and you cant be arrested for assault. Its over so fast that even the people standing right around you wont know what happen to the guy lying on the ground covered in his own blood. My point is that if you are focused on a weapon they will read your intention and go after it too. If you focused on one weapon in a stressful situation you would probably pass up five running through your house screaming to get one. Make it a point to leave a number of odd objects lying around in each room. Always keep them in the same spot and situated in the same manner. After a while they will be in your brain so that if one is ever disturbed it will stand out like a pile of dog crap in the middle of the floor. If they are ever disturbed then you will know someone who befriended your dogs has been in your house looking through your stuff. Always keep these objects facing the same direction even though they are in a different rooms. So walk through your house looking in each room. Anything with an edge or that is heavy enough to clock someone in the head take note of it and think how you would grab and swing it. Situate them so they are spread out around in the rooms so you can get to one no matter were someone was to grab you. In a struggle they will only be focused on what they want and they will never see you going for it. It will not appear that your going for a weapon only trying to get away. They will not see an ugly little statue with a sharp base as a weapon. The only thing you need to know about self defense is that you never let them see what your going to hit them with until your driving it into their skull. Never think that your going to pull out a bat and they are going to just change their mind and walk away. once you have seen their face he is done or you are done. Don’t discount your dogs so fast either, you are the leader of their pack. Just don’t scream at the person you are attacking in an indirect manner as to make them think you are angry at them. Rather bark commands at him than just screaming like a mad woman. Screaming “don’t hurt me” will sound different to your dogs than “get the h3ll out of my house” You can get a large stuffed animal and make a game of wrestling with it. Roll around with it on the floor calling your dogs by name and saying “GET EM!” really loud. Praise them when they dive in and snap at it. They will have so much fun that just saying “get em “ in a whisper will make them come running from the other side of the house. Don’t worry if they start fighting over it they are just trying to show who is #2 and who is #3. Be careful not to hit or yell at them to break them up. Then the game is over. And lastly someone who is contemplating rape or murder does not let themselves be perceived as such to the average person. I would watch out for the clean cut young men rather than some loony old man. He is probably just paranoid and wants people to leave him the h3ll alone. Someone who would want to hurt you will almost always try to get to know you first.

[girlx]

And lastly someone who is contemplating rape or murder does not let themselves be perceived as such to the average person. I would watch out for the clean cut young men rather than some loony old man. He is probably just paranoid and wants people to leave him the h3ll alone. Someone who would want to hurt you will almost always try to get to know you first.

great advice. i have personally known some seriously messed up and dangerous people in my life and in the public eye they were everyone's darlings. people can wear very convincing masks.

[Dustoff]

And lastly someone who is contemplating rape or murder does not let themselves be perceived as such to the average person. I would watch out for the clean cut young men rather than some loony old man. He is probably just paranoid and wants people to leave him the h3ll alone. Someone who would want to hurt you will almost always try to get to know you first.

great advice. i have personally known some seriously messed up and dangerous people in my life and in the public eye they were everyone's darlings. people can wear very convincing masks.

Indeed.

Charles Manson, David Koresh, Adolf Hitler, George Bush, Jim Jones, Indira Gandhi, Genghis khan, bible salesmen, numerous Catholic priests, Ted Bundy, Shrek, Eddie Gein, Scott Peterson, Richard Ramirez, Jeffrey Dahmer, Ariel Sharon, Edgar Smith, Richard Speck, Lizzie Borden.. the list goes on and on..

Unfortunately, charisma can oftentimes be the most deceptive of scams...

[chinthee]

And lastly someone who is contemplating rape or murder does not let themselves be perceived as such to the average person. I would watch out for the clean cut young men rather than some loony old man. He is probably just paranoid and wants people to leave him the h3ll alone. Someone who would want to hurt you will almost always try to get to know you first.

great advice. i have personally known some seriously messed up and dangerous people in my life and in the public eye they were everyone's darlings. people can wear very convincing masks.

Indeed.

Charles Manson, David Koresh, Adolf Hitler, George Bush, Jim Jones, Indira Gandhi, Genghis khan, bible salesmen, numerous Catholic priests, Ted Bundy, Shrek, Eddie Gein, Scott Peterson, Richard Ramirez, Jeffrey Dahmer, Ariel Sharon, Edgar Smith, Richard Speck, Lizzie Borden.. the list goes on and on..

Unfortunately, charisma can oftentimes be the most deceptive of scams...

Ted Bundy was especially charismatic, handsome and articulate. He did many of his famous carnage trips on weekends away from the university where he was studying for his doctor of law degree. He had many hoaxes. One was at a lake parking lot. He would wear a fake arm sling and approach women asking if they would lend him a quick hand with turning the winch on "his boat." He would then come up behind them with a handkerchief filled with some mixture of chloroform and put them out.

Yes, but I don't think those kinds of sickos are the real worry for women, but of course one should always be vigilant. And of course, especially train your children.

[Jet Gorgon]

can we consider brain removal on human when they write real stupid posts ?

No, because people like that have already had a lobotomy.

[Robski]

You can get a small stungun that looks and functions as a flashlight. You can keep it in your pocket or bag with your hand on it. when you are in BKK have a look around on the market stalls and you will find one, it should cost 750 baht ish.

If you are threatened a quick press of the button will send an electric arc across the contact points with a loud crackling sound which will be more than enough to put off all but the most determined attacker. If you are attacked, press the button and hit them as hard as you can with it then run like hel_l.

My girlfriend has one, she has to go home alone from work when I'm not there and also visit her sister in a pretty rough area, (she can't choose not to go there) she wouldn't hesitate to use it and she feels reasured that she has it, a swift kick in the balls may work but a stun gun is more effective.

I hope to hel_l that she will never have to use it, but it's better to be safe than sorry and if carrying a weapon means her increasing the odds of turning the tables on her attacker, then I say go for it.

Edited July 18, 2007 by Robski

[jetjock]

I have read several very practical and some somewhat impractical self defense ideas on this topic. Might I suggest just walking around with an IED strapped around your waist as it will act as a deterrent and solve any problems you might encounter from a close range attack. It is a very cheap form of defense and can be make from common items found around the house. The only negative is that it is for one time use only but that is something you will not have to worry about for very long. I'm just trying to make a helpful suggestion !!

Edited July 18, 2007 by jetjock

[Tinkelbell]

A neighbor of mine in the states had an alarm unit that was basically a motion sensor (like those that turn on patio lights) linked to a speaker that produced loud and realistic dog barks. Pretty niffty. I don't know if you can get it in LOS. It would be extra useful/believable if you actually also had real dogs around--it's the one "dog" poison can't kill.

We had one like that; a motion sensor, installed from front door through living room ended up by the patio glass door. If any object pass through this secured area, it would cause the alarm to ring in very loud volume. If you don't turn off the alarm by puching your secret code after 15 seconds, the phone will ring (it's from the security co: ) and they will ask your secret codes, if you can not give the right codes , the police will show up at your place less than 7 mn.( luckily for me, police station is less than 2 1/2ml. away).

It's very neat, the size of the alarm remote could fit in your palm, you can put on the night stand or move it around.

I consider it's girl best friend, especially a girl living alone.

The OP should consult the secuity firm if there is any kind of this service.

In the mean time, I hope 'girlx' lives her life fullfilled her dreams. Good luck, gal.

[backflip]

Tall, slender, blonde, and blue-eyed, my friend Cathy gets more than her share of unwanted attention. I asked her what she used for personal defense. She rattled off the pros and cons of knives, guns, Tasers, gas/pepper, etc. She learned that the best weapon by far was a finger down the throat. Whenever she got into a tussle, she'd lock one arm around the guy's neck, and then put a finger down her throat, forcing her to throw up. According to her, nothing changes a guy's mind like being covered in someone else's vomit.

[girlx]

Tall, slender, blonde, and blue-eyed, my friend Cathy gets more than her share of unwanted attention. I asked her what she used for personal defense. She rattled off the pros and cons of knives, guns, Tasers, gas/pepper, etc. She learned that the best weapon by far was a finger down the throat. Whenever she got into a tussle, she'd lock one arm around the guy's neck, and then put a finger down her throat, forcing her to throw up. According to her, nothing changes a guy's mind like being covered in someone else's vomit.

yikes i read that wrong at first and i thought you meant a finger down the attacker's throat!!!!

[PattayaAddict]

1 word : Tazer

[larvidchr]

The small Pepperspray cans, is as good as it gets without going over the top, it might just be enough to give you a chance to escape your assailant.

Every type of weapon have its pros and cons, but having something is almost always better than nothing.

To the people saying that they are difficult to use, I say every woman I have ever known, have had full knowledge of how to use a spray.

Just think of the assailants face being an armpit, and you wont be far of the mark

Stay safe.

Kind regards

Edited July 20, 2007 by larvidchr

[GreenShone]

How about the baseball bat?

Also, if you're grabbed from behind, pitching the armpits as hard as you can will disable the assailant for a few minutes.

[000]

If you hit anyone with pepper spray in the face, they will have trouble breathing, be unable to see and be quite incapacitated. In any event, you should be able to make your escape and that is the goal in any self defense. You should always carry it with you, and they have clip-ons. Keep it on your bedside table. Practice how to use it quickly. At home, get a baseball bat, (you can find them in Chinatown at Khlong tom flea market in Chinatown in Bangkok) and practice swinging it in close quarters. Learn how to move forward fast and swing sideways and low for the legs and knees and groin, and not downward or upward which can be blocked or grabbed and taken away from you. Even a good shin shot will bring anyone down. If you can't find a baseball bat, go to the hardware store and buy a farming implement long wood handle, and have them cut it down to a long club size. Also, those Thai cheap hooked long cutter garden tools would be a good weapon to have close by.

I would highly suggest that every single woman get self defense training. There is a guy who recently advertise a Krav self defense program in Pattaya. I would go do it. Search the sports threads maybe for that.

Finally, I would strongly suggest a backup weapon at your bedside, perhaps under the bed in reach. This is in case you are surpised in bed. Buy a large pointed knife, and in the worst case you will have to use this. Again, practice reaching for it from bed in sleeping position, and make sure the handle is always in the same place. However, I highly discourage using a knife in any other situation without lots of training.

Finally, on the street, make sure you wear a belt, which you can also swing as a weapon with the buckle end in a confrontation.

How is is possible to give such bad advice and so much of it in one place? A large pointed knife? Are you seriously telling this lady she should get with a foot of someone so she can defend herself?

She should find out what it takes for her to buy a shotgun. If that isn't possible then keep a long handle axe by your bedside. It will at least give you some distance.

I'll bet pepper spray is illegal here - it's illegal in some parts of the USA - we woudn't want you women defending yourselves now would we? And while we are discussing pepper spray you better be sure where the wind is blowing - or fan - because it will go all over the room instead of the perp.

000

[November Rain]

D'you know, this thread is totally bewildering me. I agree with JG, sbk & the very few who have argued against weapons. I may be extremely lucky, extremely brave (without knowing it), extremely foolhardy (also without knowing it), or a big chunky girl that no-one in their right mind would touch with a bargepole (or who looks like she could give as good as she got), but I can honestly say that I have never felt scared enough in Thailand to consider getting any form of weapon. I have friends, I have my dogs & I try not to upset people, get in their faces or go to the wrong places with the wrong people. Is that overly simplistic? I don't know.

[girlx]

yes, i think it is. reasons i am thinking about self defense-

1- there is a mental patient in my village who when he misses his medication can get very dangerous, especially to girls. he has a history of attacking people randomly.

2- there are unfortunately 4 construction sites surrounding my home at the moment. every day 3 pickup trucks chock full of burmese laborers pulls up. i live alone and it doesn't take long for them to figure that out. they stare at me as i come and go, and yell innuendos at me, try to get in my way so i have to stop and talk to them before i can pass, etc. they are often around late into the night. giving most uneducated peoples' impressions of western females, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if they came to bother me.

3- i have already had 2 thai guys break into my house, on drugs, in the middle of the night.

4- places are often broken into around the time of the full moon.

5- i have an angry ex boyfriend who may start a problem with me some time.

am not sure weapons are the answer, but there is a lot of great advice about self defense in this thread.

[a2396]

Move to Oregon, good old USA. Wow, machine guns, flamethrowers & hand grenades. 7th heaven 4 sure. Switchblade knives also legal. Citizenship required (I think). Better than the "S" word in Thailand. Who sez freedom is dead. Makes me want to go back. (See attached article)

Machine_guns_come_out_of_the_closet.rtf

[November Rain]

yes, i think it is. reasons i am thinking about self defense-

1- there is a mental patient in my village who when he misses his medication can get very dangerous, especially to girls. he has a history of attacking people randomly.

2- there are unfortunately 4 construction sites surrounding my home at the moment. every day 3 pickup trucks chock full of burmese laborers pulls up. i live alone and it doesn't take long for them to figure that out. they stare at me as i come and go, and yell innuendos at me, try to get in my way so i have to stop and talk to them before i can pass, etc. they are often around late into the night. giving most uneducated peoples' impressions of western females, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if they came to bother me.

3- i have already had 2 thai guys break into my house, on drugs, in the middle of the night.

4- places are often broken into around the time of the full moon.

5- i have an angry ex boyfriend who may start a problem with me some time.

am not sure weapons are the answer, but there is a lot of great advice about self defense in this thread.

Ok, I'll concede that I didn't realise Koh Phangnan (sp) was so dangerous. The construction guys around me, I find very easy to ignore no matter how suggestive they get. Things must just be a lot more threatening over there. BTW, I thought you'd shouted at the guys that broke in & they left?