Gated Communities

[BobMarleyWannabe]

My wife and I planned to retire in Thailand, for a long time now and we already own a couple homes. Six years ago my wife saved money from her job and purchased a home in Khon Kaen, really nice place in a gated community. My wife and I wanted to purchase another home in a beach area but did not have enough time to really do a thorough search. We spent a week in Koh Samui about three days looking for a home, same with Hua Hinn, and a few others places. Now I saw a nice home in Hua Hinn, nice layout, wonderful surroundings a couple blocks from the beach, it was more or less about thirty miles south of Hua Hinn, and starting price was something I can work with but the problem is that while my wife liked the house she refused to even consider it because it was not in a gated community. Same problem in Koh Samui, found a real nice house in the foothills around Chawang but again my wife wouldn't consider it because it was not gated, now the the homes we saw in Koh Samui that were gated were way over my spending limit and decided to move on. Finally found something in Koh Chang that my wife fell in love with and I settled for, Again I am not all that happy with the development where we purchased the home, it is way to big and claustrophobic but my wifes happy its in a gated community and its a hop, skip and a jump to the beach.

Now, I have never lived in a gated community in the US, nor have I ever wanted to, I always felt that its not about keeping the barbarians out but keeping me caged in, plus having to pay for the monthly maintenance fees.

I understand my wifes logic that we will be leaving the house unattended over a couple months period of time going back and forth from one home to the other and she believes that leaving a home unattended will be a recipe for disaster, she said with authority that she is Thai and knows better and added that if we did buy a home that wasn't in a gated community we would have to rent it out and or have someone take care of it for just two months and that is hard to do, including and all the headaches that go along with having others stay in your home.

Is owning a home in a non gated community in Thailand really that much of a risk if you happen to leave unattended for a couple months ? I am not sure if my wife is just acting a bit snobbery and trying to up one on her sisters.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

You cannot leave a house unattended for months. The alternative is to pay someone to house-sit.

It all depends on the development; some (most) are indeed claustrophobic, with uniform houses built so close together that the roofs nearly touch. Others are better.

The monthly fee gets you things like trash collection, security, wiping the streets, cutting the hedges, general maintenance and water, so it is kind of worth paying for; outside of a gated community you don't have those fees, but you will have to take care of those things yourself.

And like you said, if it's in a good location then you're only a hop, skip and jump away from The Real Thailand.

[Beardog]

Don't leave you're home unattended. Especially in a gated community. It gives security a chance to leisurely stroll & strip your house out. We never leave our house with Government style barb wire 45 degree bends outward. After getting robbed by gunpoint at 10:00 pm while I was on the internet- We take no chances. Our neighbor watches our house if we go to Bangkok for the night with a long scythe . I have a Japanese sword & flare guns if she needs them. Not a good idea as the Yabba scene & laziness in Thailand breeds easy pickings. Even in Koh Chang I would be hard pressed to leave your house unattended just waiting for someone that is down on their luck(even a neighbor). People sometimes seem to feel the gated community is a sure fire deterrent for thieves. It just nicely points out your wealth & can make you a mark. & unlike the U.S. where a neighbor might call the heat or walk out with a 12 gauge knowing your not home . Never expect that kind of courtesy here.Most people that see a crime will look the other way to avoid the problems of even being a witness . I hate the security measures we had to take, but we have had nothing happen the last year & 1/4.

[hammered]

Never had a problem and I have never lived in a gated community and leave the place for weeks at a time several times a year. Be good to your neighbours and keep an eye on their places when they are away and they will reciprocate. Have dogs which puts off potential burglars and having dogs means you need to get sopmeone to come around and feed them every day when you are away which helps. Oh and dont be ostentatious and flout your wealth as that invites attention. We also have some reasonably poor Thai friends we have known for years who would be only to happy to housesit if we wanted and who we would trust totally

Oddly enough of those I know who have been burgled almost all of them lived in gated communities.

Last comment, dont get paranoid about leaving a place. You need to enjoy life and if the worst happens it happens. You could get burgled while out shopping! Just take care of the things that have meaning to you and cannot be replaced.

[quiksilva]

I live in a gated community and never feel locked in, I am free to go as I please. I dont mind paying for maintenance fees as I can see how its used. The security benefits are real, and tangible.

For example, a guard patrols our soi every night, he must there's a control point there. Each and every one of my visitors over the past 3 years has been asked for ID, even food delivery guys have to get a stamp. A pain for them perhaps but its comforting to us, as it seems to work as we have never had a problem.

Whereas when I lived in a house outside a gated community, I experienced three break ins in a single year, and the police were a joke. If I had to live there now I'd probably have to take all those security measures too. Although I wouldn't like to put them to the test...

Edited March 2, 2010 by quiksilva

[Donnyboy]

we live in a gated community as well. ATM security is ok but in the past it was pathetic, the last crew were mostly sleeping at night in the guardhouse, a whole lotta good that was!

That changed when the management kicked them out after a break-in.

personally, i wouldnt leave my house unattended for months on end

[lazygourmet]

I am living in a gated community and I am more than happy with that... same arguments than "quicksilva".

We have proper drainage, under ground cables (which are rare in Thailand), respectful & easy going neighbors and (very) well maintained communal facilities & surroundings gardens.

Just a bit annoying, I recognize, for incoming guests who have to leave their I.D. with security guards... and open the trunk of their cars, for security check!

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Even in Koh Chang I would be hard pressed to leave your house unattended

I'd make that:

Even ESPECIALLY in Koh Chang I would be hard pressed to leave your house unattended.

(Those types of places developed quickly fairly recently, with a large migrant population. The social structures you would have in a regular village or neighborhood are completely absent. The islands can be a very lawless place when you get beyond just being a tourist, and owning a house is very much in that category. Applies also to Samui, Pha Ngan, etc. )

Edited March 2, 2010 by WinnieTheKhwai