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

[taxexile]

Well done, exellent input all round

Oh and its green like youre envy

i just wonder why the need to inform the world that your truck is a top of the range model. made me laugh.....like alan partridge does.

once you get arrested for carrying a gun the family will have full use of your vehicle collection ........ nice.

[GungaDin]

If my family said i needed a gun because of where i live, id move, .....jeez what is this the wild west, ....to protect my family ill keep away from trouble the best i can,,prevention better than cure and all that,.all you need is a potential robber to know you are armed and they will be too, if they want you they will still come,.however the sad truth is in thailand like many other places we need to "dress down " ,so get rid of the bikes and vigo and get a honda dream ( used ) and a mazda familaia, my friend has both and in 27 years in thailand has never been robbed

YES! Spot on!

[Mario2008]

Topic moved to general, as not visa related.

[Robby nz]

I am also the only Farang in a Moo baan, there is some petty crime here but mostly everyone is trying to make a living, I keep my head down and dont make a show of wealth (dont have it to show) and I dont feel threatned in any way.

In the 4 years I have been in TL I have never been robbed or assulted and I have been round all of issan and to the south as far as I thought it safe to go, lived in Huahin and Pattaya and most of that time I travelled and stayed alone.

I have owned and used firearms (rifles) all my adult life till I came to TL and my advise to you is dont do it

Take all the other precautions mentioned and also identify anything you think likely to be stolen, get a small etching tool and put some sort of identification mark on the inside of things like phones.

I was burgled once before I came to TL and because I had everything identified in the above manner I got it back no problem, they tried to say some of the stuff was theirs but my marks were there for the cops to see.

If someone gets into your home dont resist let them take what they want (better than getting shot or chopped up) and go after them with the police later, if the cops dont want to do anything get the missus to give them a few words of encouragment (shame them). My Missus did that when we had a problem of a different sort and we got action, as a Corproral Jones used to say "Thay dont like it up em sir"

All the talk of calibers is supurflous. I repeat dont do it.

[sassienie]

I am a reasonably affluent man married to a Thai, whos extended Thai family say i need to think about purchasing a fire arm for protection,due to the fact i have several new motor bikes and a top of the range Hilux and which hasnt gone unoticed ( what does ) when travelling around the Pattaya and Sakeo areas.My home is on a secure comunal estate so it would be for traveling around with, especially in the car. Ive been told it is really easy to purchase said item, any advice as i feel this is not really my cup of tea..

Regardless of any advice offered from locals in the forum ( I am not local so can not comment on the aspect of this within Thailand or from a 'thai' aspect) I would strongly advise you to stay well away from firearms.

You appear to have little or no background in such items and as such, getting any sort of firearm is likely to get you into far more trouble than not getting one would.

Wide berth recommended on getting a firearm.

Good advice here, common sense prevails.

[RoadRash]

If your that worried about personal protection get something (easily explainable to the boys in brown). A large maglite, ideal for breakdowns and also doubles as a handy club, or get a taser.

[GungaDin]

I don't take umbrage for being called a coward. I just said , basically, repeat the same statement to my friends. For me, names don't mean anything. You are entitled to your opinion, I can live with that, and it doesn't bother me as you indicate. Plus I will repeat myself in that I do find Thai males cowards when it comes to confrontation. They only seem to get violent and confrontationable when drunk.

Repeating this same childish & manifestly absurd assertion ad nauseum only serves to compound it's stupidity & thus devalues anything constructive that you may have said in the past & or may say in the future.

Making no attempt at any logical or evidenciary argument to support such a ridiculous comment when it's veracity is challenged only highlights your limited ability to reason.

It would be interesting to know how you can live amongst a group of people that you hold in such contempt.

Elsie,

You are out of order and hijacking an interesting topic.

Either shut up, complain to a mod, or start your own topic about what you don't like about coventry's posts.

Your final (best) choice is to just FO.

Clear?

[pampal]

I don't know about it's availability in Thailand, but I like Glaser safety ammunition.

It comes in many rifle and handgun calibres. Beware it's expensive.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glaser_Safety_Slug

[pampal]

As far as shotguns go, get a shotgun that can easily be converted from self defense to hunting. This means inter-changeable barrels and stock, some even have swappable chokes. I had a Mossberg 500 which went easily from being a skeet gun to home defense in a matter of minutes. If you use a 18 inch barrel for home defense, change the stock to a pistol grip to make the gun smaller and more manageable for home defense.

[jimmybkk]

I tend to agree with RR. Get a taser. Get a baseball bat. Get some pepper spray. Get tattoos. Get a big dog. Get a big dog with tattoos, but think twice before you go down the gun route would be my advice - you've got options...

[GuestHouse]

What is it about Thailand that it attracts so many people who feel they must have a gun?

Any other day we'll have a discussion about safety and security in Thailand and two thirds of the people who respond will be threatening violence against anyone claiming Thailand is ought but the hight of safety and security (far better than anywhere else anyone could possibly come from).

[keestha]

Three "gun" threads on one page, gimme a break.

What will the future be, the bar in Nana Plaza half of the barstools being occupied by farangs, caressing with one hand the lady sitting next to them, and the other hand conveniently close to the gun dangling from the hip?

As far as robberies and violence is concerned, my native country, the Netherlands, is far more dangerous than Thailand.

Sure nasty things take place, but also fear is in the eye of the beholder.

[samran]

You worried about all of these things?

Get good first class insurance and if someone wants to take it, let them have it.

Life is a lot less hassel when you don't threaten them with physical violence and mortal injury...

[robbiecia]

OP, have you ever considered a BB pistol???

Tokyo mauri make several models that look VERY real

They are easily available here and will cost around 5000 baht

It could be carried in your car, and would certainly scare most people who saw it.

The most the police could do is confiscate it.

you don't have to worry about the safety aspects, and as a last result, will sting like hel_l from close range......check out their desert eagle!!!!!!!!!

Edited April 3, 2009 by robbiecia

[suiging]

What a " Sir Burr" like topic.

[rixalex]

Life is a lot less hassel when you don't threaten them with physical violence and mortal injury...

True, but doing it your way doesn't make you feel like you've got the biggest balls in the village.

No matter how compelling the evidence that walking away from danger rather than taking it on is 99 times out of a hundred, the best and safest thing to do for you and your family, at the end of the day these guys won't be persuaded because they want to be perceived as strong virile men who would fight to the death for their loved ones. Being perceived that way comes ahead of all else. Sad.

[samran]

Life is a lot less hassel when you don't threaten them with physical violence and mortal injury...

True, but doing it your way doesn't make you feel like you've got the biggest balls in the village.

No matter how compelling the evidence that walking away from danger rather than taking it on is 99 times out of a hundred, the best and safest thing to do for you and your family, at the end of the day these guys won't be persuaded because they want to be perceived as strong virile men who would fight to the death for their loved ones. Being perceived that way comes ahead of all else. Sad.

fortunately (it sounds) for you and me, we are happy with our respective penis sizes, which to me is what it ultimately comes down to. Scary isn't it?

[flying]

yes i would agree just look at the US and see what free acces to guns has done.

Oh puleeze take it elsewhere

[robbiecia]

Having a sense of security is totally up to the individual.

I personally would not carry a "real" gun in the car, because i am scared that if threatened, i would use it!!!

However, it is like the wild west here at times, and right now there are many desperate people out there.

Standing your ground, or walking away in the face of a threat to you and your family, it totally up to you.

[brianinbangkok]

Unless you have Permanent Residence status you cannot buy a gun in Thailand.

You could buy it in your wifes' name but even then you would not be allowed to carry it in your vehicle.

Of course you could ignore these regulations but if you ever have cause to use the gun in a confrontation and injure (or kill) someone you will have major problems with the police.

Patrick

Now things are coming to light.

Thankyou for the information, i can see a pattern emerging here

@ Patrick,

I have a Certificate of Permanent Residence for Thailand.

And I mean the one from the Thai govenment: Red ID book and Blue book before people think they got that document from their local embassy for 1500 bath to get a driving license.

I have never heard somebody with a PR is allowed to own a gun in Thailand where did you get your information ?

[eldar1]

I tend to agree with RR. Get a taser. Get a baseball bat. Get some pepper spray. Get tattoos. Get a big dog. Get a big dog with tattoos, but think twice before you go down the gun route would be my advice - you've got options...

or sharks with <deleted>' lazer beams on their heads

Edited April 3, 2009 by eldar1

[Ulysses G.]

I would not carry a gun in public unless I had a specific threat that made me think that I needed to, but home invasions in Thailand often turn violent. If a criminal is in your house when he knows that you are there, you can be pretty sure that he has some sort of weapon and is ready and willing to use violence to get what he wants. That is when it may be worth having some sort of protection that has a possibility of succeeding.

Edited April 3, 2009 by Ulysses G.

[a2396]

Another rich Farang wants to shoot a poor unfortunate Thai. Guess who's likely to be the one to get the blame. A nutty idea.

[Pierrot]

Unless you have Permanent Residence status you cannot buy a gun in Thailand.

You could buy it in your wifes' name but even then you would not be allowed to carry it in your vehicle.

Of course you could ignore these regulations but if you ever have cause to use the gun in a confrontation and injure (or kill) someone you will have major problems with the police.

Patrick

I’d rather deal with the police than attend my own funeral

[Ulysses G.]

Really. "Nutty" is dying when you don't need to!

Edited April 3, 2009 by Ulysses G.

[a2396]

Be sure and hold the "bulls eye" in front of you, so your wife doesn't miss when she shoots you with it.

[Notariousus]

I am a reasonably affluent man married to a Thai, whos extended Thai family say i need to think about purchasing a fire arm for protection,due to the fact i have several new motor bikes and a top of the range Hilux and which hasnt gone unoticed ( what does ) when travelling around the Pattaya and Sakeo areas.My home is on a secure comunal estate so it would be for traveling around with, especially in the car. Ive been told it is really easy to purchase said item, any advice as i feel this is not really my cup of tea..

I had a burglar in my house lately. The police caught the fellow fortunately while trying to break in. This is the second rubbery in less than a year.

I asked the police if it was possible to get a gun license. As my wife or I are not Thai, it is not possible. The law has been restricted to only issue gun licenses to Thais nationals.

You could of cause purchase a gun on the ’black market’, but being caught by the police with that gun will be a serious offence. Using the gun, even if you consider your life being in danger will as well not be considered as less offensive.

If your wife is Thai, she might be able to get a license, but you are under no circumstance ever allowed ever to hold that gun in you hand.

I know Thais loves their guns. Thailand has one of the highest murder frequencies in the world using guns, only overtaken by South Africa and some south American countries.

I agree; if you cannot get a gun license, stay away from it.

[p_brownstone]

Unless you have Permanent Residence status you cannot buy a gun in Thailand.

You could buy it in your wifes' name but even then you would not be allowed to carry it in your vehicle.

Of course you could ignore these regulations but if you ever have cause to use the gun in a confrontation and injure (or kill) someone you will have major problems with the police.

Patrick

Now things are coming to light.

Thankyou for the information, i can see a pattern emerging here

@ Patrick,

I have a Certificate of Permanent Residence for Thailand.

And I mean the one from the Thai govenment: Red ID book and Blue book before people think they got that document from their local embassy for 1500 bath to get a driving license.

I have never heard somebody with a PR is allowed to own a gun in Thailand where did you get your information ?

I have had Permanent Residence in Thailand since 1972, and my job at that time meant I had to carry substantial amounts of cash in some of the more remote areas of Thailand.

My Company was thus able to get me a permit to buy - and carry (another permit necessary for that) - a gun. (In hindsight I realise that was to protect their money - not necessarily me, their faithful employee!)

On my first up-country trip with my "piece" - 26 years old and feeling like James Bond - I was dam_n near shot by American MP's in Thakli .......... a story I have told elsewhere on this Board.

I destroyed the gun on my return to Bangkok and have never felt the need for one here since - although I still have the Permits somewhere in my files.

Patrick

[LooseCannon]

Elsie,

You are out of order and hijacking an interesting topic.

Either shut up, complain to a mod, or start your own topic about what you don't like about coventry's posts.

Your final (best) choice is to just FO.

Clear?

This topic is about 'the pros & cons of keeping a weapon for self protection' & is not an excuse for slagging off Thais.

Unfortunately there is always one clown that feels it necessary to display his bigotry when posting, so I will, where possible, attempt to expose these posters for what they are. If people get upset because they don't like me focusing on these comments - that is their problem.

I read it & I respond to it. Simple

Your final (best) choice is to just FO.

- you're kidding aren't you?

Love Elsie

[rolypie]

Having a sense of security is totally up to the individual.

I personally would not carry a "real" gun in the car, because i am scared that if threatened, i would use it!!!

However, it is like the wild west here at times, and right now there are many desperate people out there.

Standing your ground, or walking away in the face of a threat to you and your family, it totally up to you.

You hit the nail right on the head!

Thankyou for your uplifting comment