Petty Thefts Picking Up

[jaideeguy]

There has been a recent increase in petty thefts in our neighborhood and wife claims that it's due to the 'economy' and I say it's due to summer vacation. Whatever, there seems to be more.

we're in the Doi Saket area.

how about your 'hood'???

[adjan jb]

No increase in my Tambon (Saraphee district).

[tigerbeer]

our honda dream got stolen right in front the superhighway ..

[Maejo Man]

Expect a sharp increases in crime over the next few months in all areas! Price hikes coupled with low season will have a direct effect on burglaries and petty theft, probably more so this year than in the past.

[jaideeguy]

I'm going with the wife's suggestion and increasing outside lighting and fixing locks on gates as we live in a remote area with no security. Before, I just dismissed her fears as paranoia.

[jimmyyy]

i never used to lock our gate in Khon Kaen, now it stays locked even if we are home, we have also added to our puppy security system by a factor of one, now we have 2 german shephards who guard the home front.... A bit nasty this new puppy is.....

[Ajarn]

I haven't had a problem with theft in many, many years. Don't expect any either. I have good home security. Should live 'smart' here vs Paranoid.

[Ulysses G.]

We put in a big security system to keep farang competitors from vandalizing the place, but it seems to work on Thais too.

[cmsally]

to keep farang competitors from vandalizing the place

Is this serious or a joke!?

[adjan jb]

We put in a big security system to keep farang competitors from vandalizing the place

Aren't you a bit paranoid ?

[bunta71]

I believe it is called humor.The only thing I leave outside when it is dark or I am away is my rottweiler and so far no one has stolen her

[FolkGuitar]

There has been a recent increase in petty thefts in our neighborhood and wife claims that it's due to the 'economy' and I say it's due to summer vacation. Whatever, there seems to be more.

we're in the Doi Saket area.

how about your 'hood'???

I had to lend a Thai friend 500 baht today. He is flat broke, his business is making no money as there are no clients for him. (He drives tourists around the area.) He swears it's a loan, but I'm pretty sure it's a write-off.

I see him trying to hustle the few tourists that pass by, but if he gets one or two days work a week it's a lot these days, and gas prices almost make it not worth his driving into town to find work! I imagine that there are plenty of folks in the same position that he's in who will do what ever they have to do to feed their families, even if that means risking jail. When the baby cries, you have to do something.

[mobs00]

Its too bad that backpacker dollars aren't considered "quality". Last time I checked a baht was a baht and was more likely to be spent at ground level by the backpackers. Spent on local food, local guides, the cheap things that the average working Thai provides. These so called "quality tourists" spend most of their money in house at the large resorts and I doubt if the impact of their money reaches as far as the "low quality" tourists dollar does. Correct me if I am wrong but Chiang Mai's economy and people seem to be relying more on the people the government is trying to drive away.

How is Pai doing with the new "changes"? It was once a backpacker hub and that is who the people relied upon for their income.

[Thaihog]

How is Pai doing with the new "changes"? It was once a backpacker hub and that is who the people relied upon for their income.

Tourists are probably staying clear of Pai in fear of being shot LOL....

[Ulysses G.]

We put in a big security system to keep farang competitors from vandalizing the place

Aren't you a bit paranoid ?

We had YEARS of our place being vandalized almost every time that we didn't hire a guard to stand out front - we have lots and lots of pictures and police reports - and it all pointed to a competitor who was also sending me threatening e-mails. The e-mails were disguised in such a way that they couldn't be used as evidence, but so I would know exactly who was writing them.

To make a very long story very short, the only thing that seemed to stop this problem for long was a visit to our competitor by the police or a guard in front of the store or, finally, a big security system with lots of cameras, etc..

I can not prove who was doing it, but the main suspect sat out in the street and watched the security company install the cameras (which were all hidden in the beginning, we now also have much better ones that are easy to see) and we have never had any incident at all since.

[Ajarn]

How is Pai doing with the new "changes"? It was once a backpacker hub and that is who the people relied upon for their income.

Tourists are probably staying clear of Pai in fear of being shot LOL....

I remember Pai from 20 years ago. The biggest noticeable change is to the farangs, who are ALL over the place, with all the associated support systems. Very little is differemt in 'Thai' Pai in my view. Typical farang rest area, but many Thais are benifitting from it all, yet they are still able to maintain their 'old' ways it seems. To me, it seems like a good setup, without destroying the major Thai lifestyle (much) . For me, as long as I'm not visiting Farang Towne, I'm quite happy with the area.

Edited May 3, 2008 by Ajarn

[Ulysses G.]

Its too bad that backpacker dollars aren't considered "quality". Last time I checked a baht was a baht and was more likely to be spent at ground level by the backpackers. Spent on local food, local guides, the cheap things that the average working Thai provides. These so called "quality tourists" spend most of their money in house at the large resorts and I doubt if the impact of their money reaches as far as the "low quality" tourists dollar does. Correct me if I am wrong but Chiang Mai's economy and people seem to be relying more on the people the government is trying to drive away.

How is Pai doing with the new "changes"? It was once a backpacker hub and that is who the people relied upon for their income.

I agree completely.

To me, Thailand's dream of getting rid of backpackers and replacing them with ultra-rich "quality" travelers is nothing but a pipe-dream. These people are going to the South of France or Monacco - where they can get the best of the best. Thailand has little to offer them.

The problem is that the back-packers have started going elsewhere in droves.. and so have the "quality tourists" who are supposed to replace them.

[Rasseru]

our honda dream got stolen right in front the superhighway ..

To me that's more than a petty theft.

[Ajarn]

I haven't had a problem with theft in many, many years. Don't expect any either. I have good home security. Should live 'smart' here vs Paranoid.

Would you mind going over what you consider to be a good home security system? Planning on having a house in the mountains in the feature, and safety is a concern of mine. I take it you mean more than just high walls and a dog?

Thanks

Cameras, dog, housekeeper. ALWAYS somebody at home.

[PeaceBlondie]

I haven't had a problem with theft in many, many years. Don't expect any either. I have good home security. Should live 'smart' here vs Paranoid.

Would you mind going over what you consider to be a good home security system? Planning on having a house in the mountains in the feature, and safety is a concern of mine. I take it you mean more than just high walls and a dog?

Thanks

Cameras, dog, housekeeper. ALWAYS somebody at home.

The last part, somebody ALWAYS at home, sounds way too difficult.

[Ulysses G.]

THAT is the most important part.

[adjan jb]

I haven't had a problem with theft in many, many years. Don't expect any either. I have good home security. Should live 'smart' here vs Paranoid.

Would you mind going over what you consider to be a good home security system? Planning on having a house in the mountains in the feature, and safety is a concern of mine. I take it you mean more than just high walls and a dog?

Thanks

Cameras, dog, housekeeper. ALWAYS somebody at home.

The last part, somebody ALWAYS at home, sounds way too difficult.

That's the reason why a lot of us got married.

[Ulysses G.]

Isn't that the truth.

[Ajarn]

I haven't had a problem with theft in many, many years. Don't expect any either. I have good home security. Should live 'smart' here vs Paranoid.

Would you mind going over what you consider to be a good home security system? Planning on having a house in the mountains in the feature, and safety is a concern of mine. I take it you mean more than just high walls and a dog?

Thanks

Cameras, dog, housekeeper. ALWAYS somebody at home.

The last part, somebody ALWAYS at home, sounds way too difficult.

For me, the dog is the most difficult..

Edited May 4, 2008 by Ajarn

[PeaceBlondie]

Cameras, dog, housekeeper. ALWAYS somebody at home.

The last part, somebody ALWAYS at home, sounds way too difficult.

For me, the dog is the most difficult..

Yes, but seriously, most households do not have a built-in housekeeper, 24/7. I had to live like that in a language school in rural/touristy Nicaragua, and was once stranded inside for 15 hours because everybody left without telling me.

[Ajarn]

Cameras, dog, housekeeper. ALWAYS somebody at home.

The last part, somebody ALWAYS at home, sounds way too difficult.

For me, the dog is the most difficult..

Yes, but seriously, most households do not have a built-in housekeeper, 24/7. I had to live like that in a language school in rural/touristy Nicaragua, and was once stranded inside for 15 hours because everybody left without telling me.

Most do have an in-house dog, 24/7, right?

Edited May 4, 2008 by Ajarn

[PeaceBlondie]

Sorry, Ajarn, I took your term "somebody" too humanly. But I talk to the dog as if he is fluent in English.