the pros, cons/risks of keeping weapons for self protection

[loong]

I'm sorry if this breaks forum rules, but I hope that the moderators will allow this thread to stay open. I ask posters to refrain from being flippant as this is a serious subject.

The last few days people have started to return to the village, Songkran is coming up and that's to be expected. Some of these people are ok, but some are the dregs of society, when they've been in the village, a lot of things go missing, they don't earn a living by working, but by stealing or scamming. There's not so many rich pickings in the tourist areas and they are back here now.

A main road runs very close to the village and recently people on motorbikes have been stopped and robbed. Today a lady was riding her motorbike home and her husband was following in their car. Two men stopped the motorbike and tried to rob the woman. Her husband in the car behind had a gun. He stopped and his wife ran back to him. When his wife was out of the way, he let off 3 shots but missed. The 2 men ran and he followed to our village. Everybody here knows who the men are (about 19 years old), but they will not tell the man, because he will kill them for sure.

We sleep with a super sharp machete in the room because my lady is scared of some of the people in the village. I'm ok with that as long as it is out of reach of the 3 year old daughter.

After this happened today, she has announced that she wants to get a gun!

I understand her fears, I am the only Farang in the village and an obvious target. But I really don't want to have a gun in the house. It would be an accident waiting to happen.

Has anybody else had experience of this?

[Ulysses G.]

Get a gun that has a trigger lock and keep it in a locked case and be extremely careful with both keys. Both you and your wife should train with it until you are good shots and can use it without having to think a lot about what to do.

A riot (shortened) shotgun would be perfect for your situation if your wife can handle it as one does not have to shoot that well to hit the target - maybe two or three thugs together.

If someone comes after you with a gun, a machete is amost useless and if you are trained and careful with it, a riot shotgun could easily turn the tables on someone trying to hurt or rob you -especially if you know that they are outside, trying to gain entry to your house. One blast in their direction and they will try to get away as fast as possible.

Edited March 29, 2009 by Ulysses G.

[BigSnake]

I'm sorry if this breaks forum rules, but I hope that the moderators will allow this thread to stay open. I ask posters to refrain from being flippant as this is a serious subject.

The last few days people have started to return to the village, Songkran is coming up and that's to be expected. Some of these people are ok, but some are the dregs of society, when they've been in the village, a lot of things go missing, they don't earn a living by working, but by stealing or scamming. There's not so many rich pickings in the tourist areas and they are back here now.

A main road runs very close to the village and recently people on motorbikes have been stopped and robbed. Today a lady was riding her motorbike home and her husband was following in their car. Two men stopped the motorbike and tried to rob the woman. Her husband in the car behind had a gun. He stopped and his wife ran back to him. When his wife was out of the way, he let off 3 shots but missed. The 2 men ran and he followed to our village. Everybody here knows who the men are (about 19 years old), but they will not tell the man, because he will kill them for sure.

We sleep with a super sharp machete in the room because my lady is scared of some of the people in the village. I'm ok with that as long as it is out of reach of the 3 year old daughter.

After this happened today, she has announced that she wants to get a gun!

I understand her fears, I am the only Farang in the village and an obvious target. But I really don't want to have a gun in the house. It would be an accident waiting to happen.

Has anybody else had experience of this?

No, personal experience here, however I will give you a Big Roger on no gun in the house, and I am here to tell you a three year old can get in the DARNEST places/things, that Machete is something else, be careful with it, may I suggest a regular old Sharp hot pot full of hot water for making your coffee, easy to teach the little one it is hot and keep away, in addition maybe shop around for a loud small battery operated horn or anything that will make a loud noise to alert the neighbor, the near by soi dogs, these bad boy make a lot of noise themselves.

[Underbelly]

Get a gun for sure, I got this old colt at home, it doesnt shoot straight but its better then a knife and looks alot more scarier.

And sorry to say, but I LOVE songkran, I will be in Khao san rd

[mahtin]

Better locks, bars on the windows (gives you time) and what Ulysses said.

And spread the word that you have got one.

[loong]

Thankyou for sensible replies. Once again I beg everyone, please keep this sensible as I'm sure that the mods will close this if it gets out of hand.

I have been trained in the use of guns, that was a long time ago and that is why I realise that the possession of such a weapon should not be treated lightly.

[patklang]

Bad idea unless you are prepared to kill somebody or your wife is.Esy to talk hard to kill.If where you live is that dangerous move quickly.Why would a farang live in a place without any other farangs,sounds strange to me,are you young or old?????

[coventry]

A riot (shortened) shotgun would be perfect for your situation

It's called an 'assault shotgun'. Get the wife to apply for a licence at the Amphur. Wait 6-8 weeks for her to be vetted and then buy your gun. You're allowed to shoot anyone that encroaches on to your wife's land without permission. Happy shooting.

Edited March 29, 2009 by coventry

[loong]

Bad idea unless you are prepared to kill somebody or your wife is.Esy to talk hard to kill.If where you live is that dangerous move quickly.Why would a farang live in a place without any other farangs,sounds strange to me,are you young or old?????

As you will know from my post, it's not my idea to get a gun, it's the missus's. I don't consider it that dangerous, but she does. Why not live in a place without other Farang? I'm 53, so old in Uk, but still young here

[Ulysses G.]

Bad idea unless you are prepared to kill somebody or your wife is. Easy to talk hard to kill.

You are right about being prepared to use it, but I have heard way too many stories about what happens to farangs and their families if these scum get inside. There are also many stories about what happens when some good hearted farang catches then in his house and just chases them away. Many times,they will come back with a gun and kill him because they have "lost face".

Better them than you!

[abdulrahman]

They can be do it quietly too.It happened in your house 3 times in the last year:my fault,I was careless,the son invited his friends,to look TV or play games,they have an older brother that need cash,we don't lock the door at night.Money,beer and wine bottles,cigs ,disappear.

Put a new lock on the door,they force the window,same again.Secure the windows,too,but forget ONE time to lock,the money,watch,snatched from the table through the grates.

Both myself and the wife are gun trained,but with small children I don't want no gun in the house:far too dangerous.Besides I would be never excused if using it,not even for self defence.A machete or baseball bat will have to do.

[patklang]

Bad idea unless you are prepared to kill somebody or your wife is.Esy to talk hard to kill.If where you live is that dangerous move quickly.Why would a farang live in a place without any other farangs,sounds strange to me,are you young or old?????

As you will know from my post, it's not my idea to get a gun, it's the missus's. I don't consider it that dangerous, but she does. Why not live in a place without other Farang? I'm 53, so old in Uk, but still young here

not old here or uk,but in uk you get 53 yo ladies heheheheheh.

good luck in your decision but be careful mate.

[coventry]

Bad idea unless you are prepared to kill somebody or your wife is.Esy to talk hard to kill.If where you live is that dangerous move quickly.Why would a farang live in a place without any other farangs,sounds strange to me,are you young or old?????

As you will know from my post, it's not my idea to get a gun, it's the missus's. I don't consider it that dangerous, but she does. Why not live in a place without other Farang? I'm 53, so old in Uk, but still young here

Loong I have a gun, well the wife has. We've been burgled twice. First time, we woke to find a guy in our bedroom. Second time we weren't home and they poisoned our dogs. We now have metal bars on the windows and doors. But the one thing that makes my wife secure, the most important thing, is the gun. The gun was cheaper than the metal bars.

[snuggzzz]

If it's as bad as that I'd move away, why be in fear everytime you go to bed, plus having to think about shooting people in the dark..!! We both know you'd be locked away for a long period of time. As for shooting them on wife's land, I suggest they have got to die there, if they outside of land then real problems.

Plus a dead thai that you've shot takes a lot of explaining, especially if he's a local, also, accidentally killing an innocent passerby is not out of the question either.

If the Nasties are that bad and know you have a gun they'll 'tool' up and take it from you or your wife, the outcome is inevitable.

Best take your family out of the equation to be on the safe side.

[lannarebirth]

If it's as bad as that I'd move away, why be in fear everytime you go to bed, plus having to think about shooting people in the dark..!! We both know you'd be locked away for a long period of time. As for shooting them on wife's land, I suggest they have got to die there, if they outside of land then real problems.

Plus a dead thai that you've shot takes a lot of explaining, especially if he's a local, also, accidentally killing an innocent passerby is not out of the question either.

If the Nasties are that bad and know you have a gun they'll 'tool' up and take it from you or your wife, the outcome is inevitable.

Best take your family out of the equation to be on the safe side.

That's the best advice you're going to get. Good Luck to the OP.

[flying]

Get the gun........Especially if the wife said she wants one.

A 12 gauge pump shotgun like a Remington 870 express 18" is a great self defense gun.

But do not believe what many say about how a shotgun hits everything & has less chance of missing.

That is a fallacy at short ranges like home protection. Although the sound of racking the slide on a shotgun is a very well known & distinguishable sound. One that will send fear into anyone with a brain.

Another thing to consider is your space. It is not easy to sweep a house with a long barrel...even as short as 18" is. Sometimes for a wife a nice high capacity 9mm handgun is a better bet.

Just depends, really the best gun is the one she or you for that matter can accurately handle best.

You have a child so you need to pay attention to & understand penetration of walls etc.

[dave111223]

A lot of talking about "being prepared to shoot someone".

I think i would find it a lot harder to bring myself to cut someone up with a machete than pull a trigger. Both physically and psychologically.

For me preparedness to use would go:

1) Baseball bat

2) Gun

3) Knife

I guess i'm just too squeamish for a knife.

[Lucifer]

By far the most sensible move is to.....move. Somewhere safe for you, your wife and child. Not too far, maybe a larger town nearby.

[dumball]

A shotgun with the barrel sawn off to 12 inches is a terribly lethal weapon at close quarters , but you must have total conviction to pull the trigger with no qualms , few people have that kind of conviction . With the rapidly declining economy , things will only escalate , it has been said "Get out of dodge " , take your family and leave 'Post haste 'before you become a statistic , leave everything behind if needs be , you have enough warning signs the life of both yourself and your family are in paramount danger .

Speed sounds like it should be of the essence .

[Sabum]

Bad idea unless you are prepared to kill somebody or your wife is.Esy to talk hard to kill.If where you live is that dangerous move quickly.Why would a farang live in a place without any other farangs,sounds strange to me,are you young or old?????

As you will know from my post, it's not my idea to get a gun, it's the missus's. I don't consider it that dangerous, but she does. Why not live in a place without other Farang? I'm 53, so old in Uk, but still young here

You don't consider it that dangerous eh? But the THAI wife that knows Thailand better than you does huh? Falangs never cease to amaze me, your naivety is going to get your wife hurt and possibly killed. Do the right thing to protect your family like a man is supposed to. If you can't bring yourself to do that then move out of an obviously dangerous situation.

[dumball]

Bad idea unless you are prepared to kill somebody or your wife is.Esy to talk hard to kill.If where you live is that dangerous move quickly.Why would a farang live in a place without any other farangs,sounds strange to me,are you young or old?????

As you will know from my post, it's not my idea to get a gun, it's the missus's. I don't consider it that dangerous, but she does. Why not live in a place without other Farang? I'm 53, so old in Uk, but still young here

You don't consider it that dangerous eh? But the THAI wife that knows Thailand better than you does huh? Falangs never cease to amaze me, your naivety is going to get your wife hurt and possibly killed. Do the right thing to protect your family like a man is supposed to. If you can't bring yourself to do that then move out of an obviously dangerous situation.

WHY NOT LIVE IN A PLACE WITH NO OTHER FARANG , I'm 53 , want to reach 53 and a half ? NAH , not important realy , THE LIFE AND WELL BEING OF YOUR WIFE AND CHILD ARE , you are a total ignoramus if you cannot see this

[12DrinkMore]

Keeping a gun in a house is a liability. If you keep it so secure that it is not a liability, then it is useless anyway. Are you going to ask the bastards to kindly wait whilst you find the key and load the weapon? Obviously not, so it has to be ready at hand and loaded.

Get a nasty dog if you are so concerned, or move away as has been suggested already.

Bars on all windows, solid and secure doors, motion detectors turning on bright lights around the house, and a good alarm system in the house. There are few criminals prepared to hang around in a highly illuminated area with a screaming alarm system.

[Vans]

Just install an 'unseen' hidden high voltage electric fences will do. If he climbs over and breached your area. He dead.. Simple and deadly.

But its a double edged sword. Plan the layout carefully and u be fine.

[jcon]

Security cameras. That's what I would do first.

I would hesitate with the gun, as since you live in a village especially, it doesn't matter if the bad guy was gonna try to rob you, kill you, or whatever - if you shoot him, you will most likely be the victim of some sort of revenge in the future - whether what you did was right or wrong. Plus, if you are the only farang in the village, would you want to be known as the farang who shot xyz's son/husband/bastard child? Lose/lose situation.

I say move to a safer location.

[imjustagirl]

motion detectors with bright lights and very loud alarm at the house, travel in a car and not alone or with tinted windows. I like the idea of a large horn as most would run immediately. i wonder if you could get a flashing red light to place in car windscreen - like a police car - if you suspect you are being tailed....dont wear anything flashy to draw attention to yourself and if none of that appeals then why not just get away for the songkran somewhere a bit safer as a holiday! come back when the baddies are gone. A gun is a dangerous thing......avoid any poss situations would be better than getting ready for one to happen IMHO

[wasabi]

1. Moving is your best bet

If you can't than

2. A gun with proper safety precautions taken.

What are the laws for Farangs owning guns in Thailand?

[loong]

Many of you have suggested moving, funny thing is, if we moved somewhere else, it'd probably be to somewhere that lowlifes like this operate the whole year round. At least in a small village, we know who the scum are. Usually, they are opportunist thieves who will grab a telephone if left lying in easy reach.

My gf doesn't want to move away from her home and I don't really like city life too much.

We have 3 dogs and they kick up a fuss if anyone comes near.

[JetsetBkk]

... I am the only Farang in the village ...

WHY NOT LIVE IN A PLACE WITH NO OTHER FARANG...

[TexasRanger]

Trust me on the gun thing, you will never know if you can shoot another human being until the time comes, if you hesitate or miss there is a good chance it will be used to execute you and your wife.

Get phone numbers of friends/neighbours and if someone comes around make a hel_l of a lot of noise and get some backup.

Be safe.

As for moving, scumbags are everywhere.

[Eric1949]

I was under the impression that a non Thai cannot own a gun. You can fire one in a shooting range, and maybe on private land, if you have that much.

As for shooting an intruder in your wife's house, I would think that totally illegal.

Ok, so you could say that she did it, bit hard though, if she's away for the night!!

I think you'd be in deep sh^t.

Is your wife friendly with the local head man? Maybe he could have a word with the thugs?