Items Taken From Safe In Hotel Room

[Spiny]

Staying at reasonably expensive SamuiBuri Hotel.

The other night daughter and boyfriend went out to Chaweng at 10 pm taking a recommended hotel taxi, unfortunately, when asked, they told the taxi driver they were going out and about forr about 3 hours

Before going out they checked wallets, passport, credit cards, 35,000 baht cash ,Uk driving licences into small safe in the room.

Order room service in the morning and come to get cash to pay for the food then discover empty room safe locked , still can open wthe the same pin they used to set it up.

Internal hotel scam between recommended taxi service and hotel security?

As usual police useless, apart from typing out a report and offering to charge 500 baht to drive them to the airport.

(As today is the last day for using British Embassy for about a week they returned to Bangkok to making new travel documents as hoping to return to Uk on Saturday)

[taxexile]

thats bad luck for your family. these things shouldnt be happening at hotels like that.

almost certainly hotel staff holding a master key ( all these safes come with them) in collusion with the taxi firm. impossible to prove of course.

did the hotel management offer any kind of help , such as a ride to the police station , airport , phone use etc.?.......... if not , find out who owns/runs the hotel and write , write and write again until they respond and show some genuine concern for the fact that a guest was robbed whilst staying in their hotel.

ask your daughter to plaster this story , including the hotel name , on every travel review website that will take it.

Edited December 30, 2008 by taxexile

[mancon]

I am sorry for your misfortune and I understand that it must feel terrible. Unfortunately this is an inside scam that goes on at a lot of places where the owners or at least someone from the management are the inside man!

[samui04]

Staying at reasonably expensive SamuiBuri Hotel.

Lamai Buri?

[Spiny]

I am sorry for your misfortune and I understand that it must feel terrible. Unfortunately this is an inside scam that goes on at a lot of places where the owners or at least someone from the management are the inside man!

I guess this is another one of the Samui scams. There were finger / palm prints on the door, bibs couldn't care less. Not interested in the taxi driver/ reception link at all.

Pity, this actually a nice quiet place, quiet Mae Nam beach, no vendors or jet ski's just a good view of koh Phangan. Now scared to leave my valuables in the room

[Spiny]

Staying at reasonably expensive SamuiBuri Hotel.

Lamai Buri?

Samui Buri hotel Mae Nam Beach

[NHJ]

dam_n, soon everyone will have to rent a safe in the bank to put his passeport...

[Spiny]

[

(As today is the last day for using British Embassy for about a week they returned to Bangkok to making new travel documents as hoping to return to Uk on Saturday)

Update :-

Daughter applies for new passport at British Embassy this morning in Bangkok and will receive a new one Jan 15th, so she gets to stay with us in Bangkok an extra 2 weeks.

Flying back to Samui tomorrow morning, to complete vacation until 2nd January with the rest of the family

Total cost for me so far, 19000 baht flights Bkk Air Samui BKK-Samui (only business class available) 15000 baht for new passport and incidentals while in Bangkok (plus 35,000 lost cash).

Getting to be quite an expensive family vacation!

[Samuian]

I am sorry for your misfortune and I understand that it must feel terrible. Unfortunately this is an inside scam that goes on at a lot of places where the owners or at least someone from the management are the inside man!

Sadly more bad news for the industry, but this is so...and the circumstances given an insider job.

Talked to the manager?

Make it a strong point that it is quite obvious that it is an insider job, cause of the evidence!

Yes, and if nothing else, no refi=nd, no culprit - I agree plaster the name of this hotel incl. story all over the internet, will cost the hotel owner dearly!

Edited December 30, 2008 by Samuian

[samui04]

I am sorry for your misfortune and I understand that it must feel terrible. Unfortunately this is an inside scam that goes on at a lot of places where the owners or at least someone from the management are the inside man!

I guess this is another one of the Samui scams. There were finger / palm prints on the door, bibs couldn't care less. Not interested in the taxi driver/ reception link at all.

Pity, this actually a nice quiet place, quiet Mae Nam beach, no vendors or jet ski's just a good view of koh Phangan. Now scared to leave my valuables in the room

There is only one key to open tha safe kept by the manager.

Everybody goes out so the taxi driver seems not important.

Who did know that 35.000 bath in cash was in the safe??????

Never keep so much money in cash.

And I would change resort, as I said only one person has the safe key.......

[Rooo]

I am sorry for your misfortune and I understand that it must feel terrible. Unfortunately this is an inside scam that goes on at a lot of places where the owners or at least someone from the management are the inside man!

I guess this is another one of the Samui scams. There were finger / palm prints on the door, bibs couldn't care less. Not interested in the taxi driver/ reception link at all.

Pity, this actually a nice quiet place, quiet Mae Nam beach, no vendors or jet ski's just a good view of koh Phangan. Now scared to leave my valuables in the room

There is only one key to open tha safe kept by the manager.

Everybody goes out so the taxi driver seems not important.

Who did know that 35.000 bath in cash was in the safe??????

Never keep so much money in cash.

And I would change resort, as I said only one person has the safe key.......

Samui04,

Can I just ask one question please.Most hotel safes are of the same kind of what I have seen in my travels.So couldn't be possible that the installers are working with someone on the inside? Could another master key work on the ones in this hotel?Just a thought,it always worries me, when I see these kinds of safes.I much prefer the ones held at reception in the form of a strong box.I feel sorry for the family.

[Obiwan]

<

And I would change resort, as I said only one person has the safe key.......

>

No-one ever heard of the "fat" -trick?: Room cleaner or technician smears fat from his forehead on the safe keypad.

The next day when the guest has used the safe he checks the keypad and sees that the fat has disappeared from the keys that were pushed (the difference is shiny/non shiny). So he knows which keys were pushed. From there it takes some simple trying; you just are concerned with the order of those keys . For 5 numbers you have only 5x4x3x2 possibilities. Matter of minutes to get it open. Be warned and always clean the keypad after using the safe....

[Spiny]

<

And I would change resort, as I said only one person has the safe key.......

>

No-one ever heard of the "fat" -trick?: Room cleaner or technician smears fat from his forehead on the safe keypad.

The next day when the guest has used the safe he checks the keypad and sees that the fat has disappeared from the keys that were pushed (the difference is shiny/non shiny). So he knows which keys were pushed. From there it takes some simple trying; you just are concerned with the order of those keys . For 5 numbers you have only 5x4x3x2 possibilities. Matter of minutes to get it open. Be warned and always clean the keypad after using the safe....

thanks for the info on the "fat" trick

[PennyFarthing123]

I always make it habit of pushing all the keys after I close the safe. Figured that would eliminate the possibility of working out which keys were used for the combination.

[Briggsy]

I'm sorry to hear of your misfortune.

These stories occur with regularity from Thailand. Check this amazing thread from Phuket just last year.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Warning-Hote...C+cleaner+theft

For many years, I have adhered to the rule, keep your important valuables on you, particularly cash.

If you want to keep valuables in your room, take a cup lock and put it over the door handle. Although this depends on the design of the door handle. Forget the room safe completely.

[samui04]

Samui04,

Can I just ask one question please.Most hotel safes are of the same kind of what I have seen in my travels.So couldn't be possible that the installers are working with someone on the inside? Could another master key work on the ones in this hotel?Just a thought,it always worries me, when I see these kinds of safes.I much prefer the ones held at reception in the form of a strong box.I feel sorry for the family.

The safe are standard boxes sold one by one, so there cannot be a universal key.

And they all have a safe anti-guessing protection, not a total lockup ATM style but increasing time between every try. Checked mine, 20 sec after 3 error, 20 minutes after 5 consecutive errors.

The OP can check the instruction of the original safe, if there is a delay on error, master key was used.

The manager should never put the room number on that key, just a code to find the room, but i had bad experience with cheap thai (chinese?) hotel safe. They suffer humidity so the can get crazy beeping at night so usually the master key may be avalable to every person on duty....

Edited December 31, 2008 by samui04

[Samuian]

..............edited.....usually the master key may be avalable to every person on duty....

But then it could hardly be called "safe"!?

I also prefer, either Boxes at the reception, where I and the reception each has one key, or one main safe or I take of my stuff, myself!

Particular these "press a number" digital safes, seem to be NOT safe at all!

[samui04]

..............edited.....usually the master key may be avalable to every person on duty....

But then it could hardly be called "safe"!?

I also prefer, either Boxes at the reception, where I and the reception each has one key, or one main safe or I take of my stuff, myself!

Particular these "press a number" digital safes, seem to be NOT safe at all!

For every person on duty I mean the one in charge of security/money/etc at the reception...

So they are not the usual stuff and normally means day shift /night shift, 2 person...

Anyway i traveled for work and vacation for 15 years outside Europe and i never had more than 100$/100E in cash with me.

Cash is simply too dangerous, going around with 1000$, no way.....in some country they kill you for 10 times less

[Samuian]

..............edited.....usually the master key may be avalable to every person on duty....

But then it could hardly be called "safe"!?

I also prefer, either Boxes at the reception, where I and the reception each has one key, or one main safe or I take of my stuff, myself!

Particular these "press a number" digital safes, seem to be NOT safe at all!

For every person on duty I mean the one in charge of security/money/etc at the reception...

So they are not the usual stuff and normally means day shift /night shift, 2 person...

Anyway i traveled for work and vacation for 15 years outside Europe and i never had more than 100$/100E in cash with me.

Cash is simply too dangerous, going around with 1000$, no way.....in some country they kill you for 10 times less

Well, usually it's a 3x8hrs. shift so at least 3 Pers. most common 6.

However it is a major pain in the neck for the management to deal with situations like that.

Does the customer claim a theft for insurance fraud or is there really an bad apple within the staff crew - tough to deal with.

suspect the wrong staff and one has to deal with a grumpy unhappy crew, very difficult, that is why the "old style" safety deposit (boxes behind reception)

are mush safer!

[LaoPo]

Staying at reasonably expensive SamuiBuri Hotel.

Lamai Buri?

Samui Buri hotel Mae Nam Beach

That's quite a high end hotel* and if I were you I would try to find out who the shareholders/owners are or who's in charge at the top of the management (maybe one of Thaivisa members ON Samui can help to find out...?) and write them a serious letter. Or have a Thai Lawyer's office send them a letter.

These kind of hotels hate bad publicity and are very sensitive and they should be.....I would also write a report to "Tripadvisor" **

The hotel management will really try to help you as they can't afford to lose -future- clients, especially in the present economical crisis.

If the answer is unsatisfactorily try to work together with the travel agency (if they booked the hotel via an agency).

I would NOT let them go away with the robbery !; it's not so much the hassle or amount of money....there are some nasty people working in/with the hotel and the management should learn about this so they can get rid of them !

Good luck.

* http://www.samuiburi.com/ it seems they belong to another group: Resotelgroup.com http://www.resotelgroup.com/

** http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g2-Asia-Vacations.html

This link also show the SALES office; maybe one of your friends can send them an email, asking/telling "SALES" he wants to have direct and personal contact with the highest possible manager (speaking English) for a special deal to book many rooms.......

http://www.samuiburi.com/contact.htm

LaoPo

[pothai]

<

And I would change resort, as I said only one person has the safe key.......

>

No-one ever heard of the "fat" -trick?: Room cleaner or technician smears fat from his forehead on the safe keypad.

The next day when the guest has used the safe he checks the keypad and sees that the fat has disappeared from the keys that were pushed (the difference is shiny/non shiny). So he knows which keys were pushed. From there it takes some simple trying; you just are concerned with the order of those keys . For 5 numbers you have only 5x4x3x2 possibilities. Matter of minutes to get it open. Be warned and always clean the keypad after using the safe....

Most need resetting after 3 incorrect attempts

[Spiny]

My overall impression of the hotel , apart from events described in original post, was favorable, the manager was sympathetic and helpful, and eventually my daughter was given a room up grade for the rest of her stay.

Weather for me was perfect , cool, rainy, no sunshine.

As a whole, away from the hotel, I found Koh Samui pretty dismal and it is another no-go destination for me in Thailand, added to a growing list , including Pattaya, Hua Hin, Phuket, Laem Mae Pim, Koh Chang.

Another paradise lost

[Mark Wolfe]

As a whole, away from the hotel, I found Koh Samui pretty dismal and it is another no-go destination for me in Thailand, added to a growing list , including Pattaya, Hua Hin, Phuket, Laem Mae Pim, Koh Chang.

Another paradise lost

What is wrong with Koh Chang? I have never been there, but have heard a number of hearsay reports that it is quieter than Samui and more laid-back. What are your impressions?

Also, as far as coastal destinations, where is there left worth visiting?

[chiangmaibruce]

Would definitely recommend putting a hotel review into tripadvisor.com. The process only takes a few minutes and it may mean that someone else avoids having the same terrible experience. And tell the hotel you have done so. It seems they did nothing to invetigate or help - just not good enough!

[hanno]

I am sorry to hear about your what is turning out to be an expensive holiday. I hope that serves as a reminder that hotel safes are anything but safe. Due to the fact that many guests forget combinations or do other silly things, someone in the hotel must have a master key or a code to open the safe. One would assume that only a select few have access to either but in reality this is not always the case. MOD (Manager on Duty) doesn't want to be called every time a guest cannot open the safe and gives key and/or password to somebody else; somebody else is getting tired of having to open safes all the time...... you get the picture (been working in hotels for 25 years and use the safe just for passports).

[samui04]

Weather for me was perfect , cool, rainy, no sunshine.

Yeah, it has been rainy for the last 15 days, perfect for a turist island where people go for the beaches...

[Lite Beer]

Weather for me was perfect , cool, rainy, no sunshine.

Yeah, it has been rainy for the last 15 days, perfect for a turist island where people go for the beaches...

Maybe they should choose another time of the year when it is not the rainy season.

[Samuian]

...with the highest possible manager (speaking English) for a special deal to book many rooms.......

LaoPo

all been done.... but a manager isn't a wizard either!

the problems are the foul apples and NOT to forget is the simple FACT that there are TOURISTS who do take advantage of their TRAVEL INSURANCE!

It is not ALWAYS and EXCEPTIONALLY always simply a member of the staff!

In this case it is strange that the amount of cash was rather high and that the Passports have been taken as well - very unusual!

Common is that only the cash is taken.

I am in the business for a long time and have plenty of experience!

But BEFORE a witch hunt is started let's make sure the FACTS are right or the wrong ones may "burn at the stake"!

my 2 cents!

Edited January 4, 2009 by Samuian

[Spiny]

As a whole, away from the hotel, I found Koh Samui pretty dismal and it is another no-go destination for me in Thailand, added to a growing list , including Pattaya, Hua Hin, Phuket, Laem Mae Pim, Koh Chang.

Another paradise lost

What is wrong with Koh Chang? I have never been there, but have heard a number of hearsay reports that it is quieter than Samui and more laid-back. What are your impressions?

Also, as far as coastal destinations, where is there left worth visiting?

Maybe its just me, as I have been fortunate to have visited all these destinations between 20 to 35 years ago, so I have a comparison of then and now.

Went to koh Chang 3 years running for annual family reunion at Christmas, vowed never to go back last year when first beer bars and bar girls started to appear. Another Samui/ Chaweang in the making. check out the TV forum

Still pristine beaches way south of Hua Hin, near Chumphon/ Ranong , also between Chantaburi and Trat

[samui04]

Weather for me was perfect , cool, rainy, no sunshine.

Yeah, it has been rainy for the last 15 days, perfect for a turist island where people go for the beaches...

Maybe they should choose another time of the year when it is not the rainy season.

Maybe the web sites for reservation should avoid telling that rainy season ends in november.... ....and the price for december should be discounted by 70% becouse it is the rainy season.....

Anyway this year was very bad (everything was bad on 2008, nice year to forget..), usually there is some rain, not every day...

BTW, is it rainy season also in Krabi????