Bag Stolen

[rikki]

passing through 700yr stadium yesterday, I stopped by the road to change,and put my bag down. Then rode off without it

It took 20+ minutes to realise and return to find it wasnt there.

I found one of the security had seen someone come out of the flats beside,and run off with the bag

I think they must have seen me ride off without the bag from their window, and grabbed it

I left my details with the security and reported it to the police.

Anyway I lost a small black zip-on rucksack, Lowe Alpine.

Inside was my phone, a black NOKIA N79, all my numbers, fotos, etc,in a black smiley pouch,some ID, tools and a first aid kit.

If anyone sees any of this, dumped nearby, or knows where it could be handed in to, or any other ideas please reply here

Tools were a large 3way wrench,8,10,12mm, small 3way allen key marked MBUK, screwdriver wrapped in silver duct tape, digital tyre gauge,etc,

and probably some very important things I have completely forgotten about

Location was at the end of the road in the main entrance,on the right before the barrier

[ThaiPauly]

Don't give up hope to soon.

My wife had her handbag stolen at a service area in Lopburi.

The bag was posted EMS to a contact in her telephone book.

Evereything that was valuable to the theives was gone, but passports, credit cards pictures were returned. Whih saved an awful lot of money not having to get new passports.

Of course her gold, camera and mobile were gone...I suppose the thief wanted to lessen the effects the bad karma of stealing the bag will have on him.

[ChouDoufu]

he's not disillusioned, just realistic.

and a cynic would question whether the security guard

had collected the bag for himself.

anyway...

OP.....have you tried calling your cell phone?

or at least text yourself (in thai) to offer a reward?

[bluweyze]

I think it is a bit rich blaming the 'Land Of Smiles' because a bag left by the side of the road disappeared.I think this could happen in most countries of the world and certainly in most western big cities.In every country there are thieves and chancers but I find less so in Thailand than many other places, certainly less so than London. My friend left a wallet with passport, money and credit cards on the train. We went to the station in more hope than expectation, but it had been handed in by a cleaner, everything intact. When I drove a truck I regularly left items in the open back while I went to eat. Never was anything touched.Maybe tomorrow I'll get robbed but I certainly won't blame Thailand and everyone Thai.I'm sorry for the person who lost their bag and I'm not condoning whoever took it. The original post was in the hope someone may see any of the items and I hope someone does but it is unlikely.

[Thakkar]

The Land of Smiles was over 25 years ago replaced by the land of greed and theft

What is this Thai Visa fashion to pretend that Thailand was full of nothing but  loving, honest Buddhists until just recently? Thailand has been known as a shady place for shady people for at least 50 years and probably long before. 

In the 1970s the place was full of con artists and drug freaks on the Hippie Trail. Charles Sobhraj was murdering and robbing tourists and paying off the police to look the other way.

l have always loved living here, but - despite the complaints on the Internet - there was a lot more corruption and longterm visa hassles 20 years ago than there is today. 

http://en.wikipedia....Charles_Sobhraj

UG, you took (some of) the words right out of my mouth!

Every time some one reports something bad happening to them as an isolated individual incident, up pops someone else who immediately tars the entire nation, lamenting the good old days when everything was hunky-dory.

I once left a backpack which contained camera, documents, credit card and some cash at a shop. Remembered about it the next day and went back hoping to retrieve it. As soon as the girl behind the counter saw me walk by and before I'd even got inside the shop, she came running towards me with the backpack. Everything was intact and accounted for.

A few years earlier, holidaying in Pattaya, we left a bag with valuables on a chair at Mcdonalds. Returned an hour later to enquire at the counter and the manager fished it out, asked what was inside to confirm ownership, and returned it to us.

Last month took my daughter to her dentist, left a half-read novel. Didn't go back for it because it wasn't a good novel and I didn't intend finishing it. Yesterday, went in for the follow-up appointment and they returned my novel. Now I feel obliged to finish reading the tome, dammit!

To the OP, call the cell number. maybe you'll be able to talk to the guy and explain that you really need your stuff back and offer him a cash reward to return them. You might be pleasantly surprised. Sometimes people impulsively do something dishonest that they later regret. I've got stories about that too, but this post is already too long and off topic so I'll refrain from recounting those.

Give the guy a chance at redemption, what've you got to lose?

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

A few years back there were a few "great wallet tests"

The experimenters would leave wallets in public places in many cities around the world.

Thailand fared pretty well. I think about 6 out of 10 wallets where returned.

The best countries were Scandanavian with some most to all wallets returned. Japan rated very high also.

The lowest rated country was Mexico with only about 2-3 out 10 wallets returned.

The US for example was generally a little higher than Thailand with about 7 wallets with variances depending on the city.

I think these experiments were from 2001 to 2004. Would be interesting to see if Thailand's score would be different now.

FYI - someone appropriates something that doesn't belong to them then it is theft. Classic legal example. Let's say a bank by mistake gives too much money or debits someone account in error. It's still theft if the recipient does not give the money back because it does not belong to them.

Edited July 5, 2010 by CobraSnakeNecktie

[Tywais]

The original post was in the hope someone may see any of the items and I hope someone does but it is unlikely.

As this member says, the OP is looking for help not nonsense. Several posts deleted for less then helpful replies. Keep it on topic.

[orang37]

Khun Rikki,

Sorry to hear about your loss, and hope some or all of your things come back to you !

My human has been lucky here: twice he's forgotten valuable things, and gone back to find Thai people had saved them for him. But the mobile phone once lost in a toilet in an upscale hotel in Singapore (where said human was using the bathroom, not staying there), disappeared after he returned only five minutes later.

best, ~o:37;

[rikki]

I did wonder about the security guard.

I dont know how to text in thai, how do you get a thai keyboard?

I'll try that if I can

just been to the police station.

ther was an older english guy there who said he had a gun pointed at him by his next door neighbour, a senior policeman's wife.

He called the police 4 hours before, they said they were on their way, but never showed up. He wasnt getting anywhere with them though so he left

[bkkjames]

I did wonder about the security guard.

I dont know how to text in thai, how do you get a thai keyboard?

I'll try that if I can

just been to  the police station.

ther was an older english guy there who said  he had a gun pointed at him by his next door neighbour, a senior policeman's wife.

He called the police 4 hours before, they said they were on their way, but never showed up. He wasnt getting anywhere with them though so he left

sorry for your loss but I am guessing that you wouldn't want to change positions with that english guy with the gun pointed at him. 

[rikki]

they found it!<div>I called my number and it was the police that answered</div><div><br></div><div>I wonder how the other guy is getting on</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>

[Buckeye911]

they found it!<div>I called my number and it was the police that answered</div><div><br></div><div>I wonder how the other guy is getting on</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>

Outstanding! You are truly chok dee.

[realthaideal]

Thailand once again redeems itself !

It's easy to argue either way, but generally you will find in life what you're looking for.

[twofortheroad]

they found it! I called my number and it was the police that answered.I wonder how the other guy is getting on.

Congratulations.I'm not in the least bit surprised. As I said before in my deleted comments, Thais will often go to great lengths to return what isn't rightlfully theirs. The staff in a pub that I go to will chase down the road to return bags, wallets, cameras etc that have been left behind. If they can't find them, they are kept safe until they return. Edited July 5, 2010 by twofortheroad

[Ulysses G.]

Congratulations.I'm not in the least bit surprised. As I said before in my deleted comments, Thais will often go to great lengths to return what isn't rightlfully theirs. 

I have often seen the same thing. 

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

good luck indeed.

One does have to wonder about the guy running away with it in the first place and not giving to the security guards. Maybe was worried the security would take it.

Interesting story.

[elektrified]

Excellent news! Congratulations. Maybe give a tip? Keep the good karma alive perhaps.

[cardinalblue]

they found it! I called my number and it was the police that answered.I wonder how the other guy is getting on.

Congratulations.I'm not in the least bit surprised. As I said before in my deleted comments, Thais will often go to great lengths to return what isn't rightlfully theirs. The staff in a pub that I go to will chase down the road to return bags, wallets, cameras etc that have been left behind. If they can't find them, they are kept safe until they return.

You are comparing apples and oranges. A private service place of business whose staff has been trained to turn in/hold items left behind vs various public places or unsecured items like in roads, parks, stadiums, shopping centers...

While I think theft is just part of human existence, I have found Thailand not to be an exception to this...Theft is defiinately a HUGE problem in Thailand like other countries. Talk to thias or see how they lock and sfeguard their cars, houses, personal properties much more than at least more own personal experiences in america..That said I lived in upper-middle class neighborhoods so not a true rep of mainstream america....

You can start with the stolen motorcyle incident rate in Thailand...

CB

[Priceless]

You are comparing apples and oranges. A private service place of business whose staff has been trained to turn in/hold items left behind vs various public places or unsecured items like in roads, parks, stadiums, shopping centers...

While I think theft is just part of human existence, I have found Thailand not to be an exception to this...Theft is defiinately a HUGE problem in Thailand like other countries. Talk to thias or see how they lock and sfeguard their cars, houses, personal properties much more than at least more own personal experiences in america..That said I lived in upper-middle class neighborhoods so not a true rep of mainstream america....

You can start with the stolen motorcyle incident rate in Thailand...

CB

Crime statistics is often fraught with errors, e.g. caused by differences in reporting procedures, police routines etc. Still, one often quoted internet site ( http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_bur_percap-crime-burglaries-per-capita ) gives the number of burglaries per 1,000 people as:

United States: 7.09996

Thailand: 0.205995

This would make burglaries ~35 times more common in the US than in Thailand...

/ Priceless

[anselpixel]

I think it's pretty amazing how much effort many Thais will put into keeping the scales balanced.

My favorite so far was at a small restaurant where I ate with a friend one afternoon. The total check was 180 baht, I gave two hundreds and got two 10 baht coins back.

I left them on the table and we walked away.

About a block down the street, I had a little girl tugging at my elbow.

She had my two coins in her hand, because her parents assumed I forgot them.

I gave her one and pocketed the other.

[rikki]

I got the bag back now, and everything in it.<div>turns out the bag fell off the back of the bike, and the guy was running after it/me, shouting, .He was a policeman</div>

so something got lost in translation

Edited July 5, 2010 by rikki

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Thailand is better than a lot of countries for theft. When I was in Costa Rica if I left anything like groceries on my motorbike for even a few minutes in the city then there was a good chance they could be stolen. That has never happened to me in 5 years in Chiang Mai.

Latin America in particular tends to fortify everything with barbed wire and window bars. Not a good sign if you see that.

As far as burglaries I have heard of more in CM than in the states but hard to form a conclusion. Isn't most of the crime in Thailand in and around BKK where about 40% of the country lives?. One thing I do notice in Thailand is that most households have a lot of members and usually always someone around to pay attention to someone breaking in which might account for a low reported number.

[hiso1956]

I was told that you have had all items returned to you.

The fact was the bag was not stolen however had fallen off the back of the bike as it was not secured.

One of the local Thai Tourist Police officer found the bag notified you and arranged to have the bag returned

I do know that the police interviewed you last night about suspect picturers on your phone !

Full credit to the Tourist Police member who returned the bag and money in full which was left in the bag !

Just the FACTS

[Ulysses G.]

When I first came to Thailand, I was often convinced that i was being purposely cheated because of what other tourists told me. However, I soon started to notice that I was usually wrong and that I was jumping to the wrong conclusions or there was some kind of miscommunication.

It has been my experience over many years that, in general, most Thais are much more honest than they are given credit for. 

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

I was told that you have had all items returned to you.

The fact was the bag was not stolen however had fallen off the back of the bike as it was not secured.

One of the local Thai Tourist Police officer found the bag notified you and arranged to have the bag returned

I do know that the police interviewed you last night about suspect picturers on your phone !

Full credit to the Tourist Police member who returned the bag and money in full which was left in the bag !

Just the FACTS

so you created a new user account to post that? why not post under your normal name?

[Gonzo the Face]

I was told that you have had all items returned to you.

The fact was the bag was not stolen however had fallen off the back of the bike as it was not secured.

One of the local Thai Tourist Police officer found the bag notified you and arranged to have the bag returned

I do know that the police interviewed you last night about suspect picturers on your phone !

Full credit to the Tourist Police member who returned the bag and money in full which was left in the bag !

Just the FACTS

so you created a new user account to post that? why not post under your normal name?

...are you trying to imply that the above poster created an account on the 19th of June, just in case he wanted to write something like this on the 5th or 6th of July ????

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

I was told that you have had all items returned to you.

The fact was the bag was not stolen however had fallen off the back of the bike as it was not secured.

One of the local Thai Tourist Police officer found the bag notified you and arranged to have the bag returned

I do know that the police interviewed you last night about suspect picturers on your phone !

Full credit to the Tourist Police member who returned the bag and money in full which was left in the bag !

Just the FACTS

so you created a new user account to post that? why not post under your normal name?

...are you trying to imply that the above poster created an account on the 19th of June, just in case he wanted to write something like this on the 5th or 6th of July ????

it was his first ever post for that account. I didn't check the creation date. thanks for posting that.

Doesn't really change much. Dollars to donuts this user has a regular account they usually post under.

Is that common to use multiple identities to post different things.

[eek]

Case solved. Bag returned.

//Closed//

[cardinalblue]

You are comparing apples and oranges. A private service place of business whose staff has been trained to turn in/hold items left behind vs various public places or unsecured items like in roads, parks, stadiums, shopping centers...

While I think theft is just part of human existence, I have found Thailand not to be an exception to this...Theft is defiinately a HUGE problem in Thailand like other countries. Talk to thias or see how they lock and sfeguard their cars, houses, personal properties much more than at least more own personal experiences in america..That said I lived in upper-middle class neighborhoods so not a true rep of mainstream america....

You can start with the stolen motorcyle incident rate in Thailand...

CB

Crime statistics is often fraught with errors, e.g. caused by differences in reporting procedures, police routines etc. Still, one often quoted internet site ( http://www.nationmas...ries-per-capita ) gives the number of burglaries per 1,000 people as:

United States: 7.09996

Thailand: 0.205995

This would make burglaries ~35 times more common in the US than in Thailand...

/ Priceless

That is good to know. I would sure hate to see those ugly walls that all Thais of any means build around their homes be 35X higher. Could you imagine the rush to get in security gated compunds. Fortunately, 80% of Thais are poor thus can't afford to move in even though that seems to be the # reason those who can afford it move in...

Statistics can be helpful or misleading especially coming out of developing countries. I prefer to kick the tires for vaildation given a country like Thailand where we all know where policies/procedures/programs are not driven ny numbers unlike our addiction with numbers in the west...

Now if I could get a single Thai person who could confidently tell how many people live in the home-town? I might then have a little more faith in the use of numbers in Thailand

CB

[Ulysses G.]

{It} Is that common to use multiple identities to post different things.

The real pros have multiple accounts ready and sometimes even post a few innocent remarks, so it is not so obvious what they are up to when they actually zap somebody.