Keep My Lap Top Mine

[skycop51]

Now I have been around, to Thailand too. Married my Thai wife over 34 years ago and a lot has changed. So I am old and so forth. Now I would like to live here so, but I hear about crime and all of that. I want none of that. Hear you can not wear your gold etc . I know common sense prevails and don't be stupid etc etc. These things I know.

But Can I bring my laptop and leave it my guesthouse without it being stolen? I know those safes some hotels have are not safe. So will some one take time to help. I have posted a few places, but maybe you all do not care for Americans?

William

[sbk]

I think it depends on the place you plan on staying--I've left my laptop in a guesthouse safe in Bangkok--a place I've stayed several times before, and it was fine.

And you are only as old as you choose to be, if you have a laptop, you can't be too old

[Dustoff]

Now I have been around, to Thailand too. Married my Thai wife over 34 years ago and a lot has changed. So I am old and so forth. Now I would like to live here so, but I hear about crime and all of that. I want none of that. Hear you can not wear your gold etc . I know common sense prevails and don't be stupid etc etc. These things I know.

But Can I bring my laptop and leave it my guesthouse without it being stolen? I know those safes some hotels have are not safe. So will some one take time to help. I have posted a few places, but maybe you all do not care for Americans?

William

Are you kidding? We love Americans! Or maybe I just say that because I once was one..

Crime in Thailand is frequently overstated but it certainly exists as in any other country. I have lugged my laptop along and kept it in hotel rooms all over the country for some seven years and never had a problem with it or anything else. Most hotels have safes either in the rooms or at reception and I think they are quite secure.

You didn't say whether CM is your preferred destination but there are safe places to rent all around. I live in a very nice gated community with security guards patrolling the grounds all day and night and I have not heard of any crime here. Rents are also quite reasonable and you can find a nice 2 BR house for 6-10,000 Baht/mo.. While most like a year lease, I am sure you can bargain for six months if you wish.

Of course nobody can tell you that your laptop will not be stolen, even in your own home in Florida but I see no reason for you to worry about Thailand unless you wind up in some of the more sleazy areas of town.

Good luck!

[tigerbeer]

if you are looking for a gurantee, i can recommend some insurance companies that can insure your belongings. i hear insurance is very popular in america.

i do however know that the crime rate in chiang mai is nothing when compared to that of some american cities. like they say in thailand. up to you.

TB

[meadish_sweetball]

There are no guarantees for anything. There hadn't been a burglary in my neighbourhood for 13 years, i.e. since it was built, until the day my house and that of my neighbour was broken into, and my laptop stolen.

Since then I take a lot stronger precautions and don't leave my laptop lying around as I used to. I either bring it with me or lock it up in a safe too bulky and heavy to carry.

But I was unlucky, obviously, and not as well prepared as I should have been.

Lots of people who read this have not been burgled, and many of them have lived in Thailand longer than I have.

To be sure, I would not ever leave a laptop unattended in a hotel or guest house room. Maybe if I stayed at a 5 star hotel I would consider it, but I rarely do.

Would I trust it to be ok in a hotel or guesthouse safe? Yes, but always with the knowledge that it is a calculated risk, and that I must make regular backups to avoid my work, digital photos and e-mails disappearing forever like they did that time.

[Artamus]

If I stay in a place with no safety deposit box I simply lock the laptop inside my suitcase, so that it's out of sight, and they'd have to carry away the suitacase as well, which is a lot more obvious they carting away a laptop. Having travelled all over the world I say Thailand is no worse than many other major destinations - and a lot better than many.

[onnut]

I stayed in a guest house in Pattaya once and thought it would be safer to leave the laptop in my car..........

well how stuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuupid was I ?????

when I came back and took the laptop up to my room and turned it on, guess what? it wouldnt work then I noticed something wrong with the screen it was like it had been smashed, I dont know! maybe it had cracked in lots of little places or something. 80,000 baht gone with just 3 months use, the poor thing never had a chance to catch a virus..........

anyway, I never could use it again and all because it was a hot day and my car got even hotter.

I will never do that again.

so now, I just leave it in the room. I think they are safe, just pick a good place to stay.

[vagabond48]

I came last year without a laptop but missed having it for the 9 months so when I recently left and returned to CM, I brought a nice light Dell laptop.

One thing didn't consider but I am now thinking of buying is a laptop secure cable lock. I have always been told that if someone gets access to your room, they will take what's easy to lift so I am hoping a cable locked laptop be very safe unless the culprit tries to damage the furniture that the cable is secured to. Of course that wouldn't stop a desperate or determined burglar.

Any thoughts?

[Rice_King]

I came last year without a laptop but missed having it for the 9 months so when I recently left and returned to CM, I brought a nice light Dell laptop.

One thing didn't consider but I am now thinking of buying is a laptop secure cable lock. I have always been told that if someone gets access to your room, they will take what's easy to lift so I am hoping a cable locked laptop be very safe unless the culprit tries to damage the furniture that the cable is secured to. Of course that wouldn't stop a desperate or determined burglar.

Any thoughts?

I was just about to recommend a Kensington computer security cable like the one pictured here. It may be just enough additional security to make your laptop too much trouble for a would-be thief. I use one of these when traveling. I secure it with the lock and then stow it inside a drawer, closet, at at minimum, covered and out of sight.

[MyPenRye]

Laptop locks and, more so, a metal attache case with locks into which you leave you laptop and secure the attache case with a steele cable with a lock secured to a piece of furniture. Of course, you do not take it outside into a fake or not so fake Armani bag. Buy those locks that one can put over the door knob. That's the good news. The bad news is that I have seen an acquaintance of my GF (nullifying dramatically the efficacy of the aforementioned measures) who is an amateur locksmith who picked the locks of both the door and the lock in less than 5 min. Of course, you want to make it difficult for the thieves. If you can find a lock from outside of Thailand, it might deter or slow down the thief. Leaving it unattended when your maids are cleaning the house is asking for trouble, but I see this done often. Not that the maid is going to take it, but there is a good chance she will rave about it, intentionally or not! BTW, I liked the trick given by Artamus, but of course I place the attache case with locks and secure my laptops inside it. Stealth is great! Another trick is --although I alluded to it before-- is to hide in places and inside of bags that no one would think it could be. I heard someone mentioning a dirty laundry bag! A dirty or old bag is good too, especially when you are carrying it around!

Edited December 1, 2007 by MyPenRye

[rrose070]

We have a wonderful laptop-specific solution - we bought a motion-detector alarm on Ebay. It's got a cord that loops thru the lock, and is set with a combination. And it's LOUD!!

[zorro1]

I know those safes some hotels have are not safe.

William

yeah but you couldnt call them unsafe safes kind of defeats the idea. You can fit a laptop in those things?

Edited December 2, 2007 by zorro1

[skycop51]

Now I have been around, to Thailand too. Married my Thai wife over 34 years ago and a lot has changed. So I am old and so forth. Now I would like to live here so, but I hear about crime and all of that. I want none of that. Hear you can not wear your gold etc . I know common sense prevails and don't be stupid etc etc. These things I know.

But Can I bring my laptop and leave it my guesthouse without it being stolen? I know those safes some hotels have are not safe. So will some one take time to help. I have posted a few places, but maybe you all do not care for Americans?

Looking to come for at least 6 months then swing right back after two months or so. Will get my resident visa the next time. Need to know that place where you live, stay in touch Ima comin...

william

William

Are you kidding? We love Americans! Or maybe I just say that because I once was one..

Crime in Thailand is frequently overstated but it certainly exists as in any other country. I have lugged my laptop along and kept it in hotel rooms all over the country for some seven years and never had a problem with it or anything else. Most hotels have safes either in the rooms or at reception and I think they are quite secure.

You didn't say whether CM is your preferred destination but there are safe places to rent all around. I live in a very nice gated community with security guards patrolling the grounds all day and night and I have not heard of any crime here. Rents are also quite reasonable and you can find a nice 2 BR house for 6-10,000 Baht/mo.. While most like a year lease, I am sure you can bargain for six months if you wish.

Of course nobody can tell you that your laptop will not be stolen, even in your own home in Florida but I see no reason for you to worry about Thailand unless you wind up in some of the more sleazy areas of town.

Good luck!