Mugged On Sukhumvit - Friendly Warning

[RudieTheFoodie]

^^ The Police force is there to make money - not save it

Edited May 6, 2012 by RudieTheFoodie

[katana]

Wonder how the OP had more success with the police actually catching the muggers. Maybe money changed hands in that case?

[osten]

Reading half these responses, anyone would think it's just not safe to go out with more than 100 baht in your pocket and that just isn't true.

As the OP said, wrong place, wrong time. Could've happened anywhere.

Personally, there's no f***ing way I'd've given up my shit like that but I can understand why an older guy might've been inclined to do so.

Just dont forget the demographics here most guys are old and out of shape. But i am in shape and younger... but i wont argue much against someone with a knife.

For what it"s worth, i was 38 when it happened and i am not overweight. I just didn't see the point of being a hero against FOUR guys with at least 1 of them showing a knife....risk my life as a family man...to save my laptop, smartphone, ring, and some cash?

I don't regret for a second the way i handled the situation. Furthermore, for those who think i was flaunting and such, I wasn't walking around with valuables at that time of night...i was at my private club for 6 hours before that and merely walking the 100 meters to Suk to catch cab...the error in judgment was stopping along the way for a few minutes. Lesson well learned.

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Edited May 6, 2012 by osten

[osten]

I was mugged today on Sukhumvit.

I was walking from Sukhumvit 22 soi 2, trying to get to Sukhumvit 16 (as the two are connected by side streets) at 6.10am, when I motorcycle cam up behind me and the guy ripped my cross-body bag from me. It was daylight, I was wearing tatty-looking clothes and shoes (my shirt even has a hole in the arm), no jewellery or accessories or anything valuable on display. The bag was small and cheap-looking. I chased him down the street shouting as loud as I could and several people nearby followed him on their motorbikes, but couldn't catch him.

I ran back to my hotel and they phoned the police. After an hour and a half of waiting for the police to turn up, they called again and this time the police said I had to go to the police station. I took a taxi to Thong Lo police station (luckily I still had some money in my hotel room, as nobody was helping me). The police didn't seem like they were expecting me or anything. I tried to explain what happened to one police officer. He wanted me to name the soi I was on - I explained I didn't know the name (I had never been in the area before and it was a network of sois) but that I could point to it on a map or show them exactly where it happened in real life. I said this several times while I was there and kept asking for a map, trying to mime a map but they weren't interested. I tried to sketch a map of the area as best I could. I also explained that there were a lot of witnesses, some of whom chased the guy, and could provide a description of him and of the bike, perhaps even the licence plate, and where he went. Again they weren't interested.

They sent me to another police officer who hadn't even been in the room when I explained what happened. This one wrote for a while in a book and then pushed the book towards me for me to sign. I had no idea what the statement said and none of them could tell me. They just ignored me when I explained this and went back to doing other things. Eventually I persuaded one of them to call the tourist police (the '1155' number doesn't work from my mobile or from a payphone) who told me to just sign it. When I showed it to the manager of my hotel later, she told me it said that I didn't know the type of motorcycle or the colour - they never even asked me about the motorcycle, or any questions about the man at all.

I asked the tourist police to convey to a police officer that I could show them on a map where it happened, that there were witnesses and that the same thing had happened to a Thai woman in the same area last week (my hotel manager told me this). The police officer took me to another building where he spoke to a detective for a few seconds but the detective seemed annoyed and sent him away. I was then taken to another room where another conversation happened in Thai and both police officers laughed together for a while. I have no idea what they were saying. I gave them my phone number and address - they told me to wait at my hotel and someone would call me. No-one has.

I need to contact the tourist police but the '1155' number doesn't work from a payphone or mobile, the hotel cannot get me an outside line for some reason, and all the other numbers I have found on the internet for contacting them are 'incorrect' when I call them.

I think the experience with the police was probably more stressful and traumatic than the robbery itself. I called them straight away when it happened and with all the witnesses and the CCTV footage from the hotels and condos which make up the area they had a decent chance of catching him. They couldn't have been less interested in what happened, sitting around in the overstaffed, otherwise empty police station, drinking coffee, smoking and laughing at me.

Hey coco88,

I understand your frustration. If my Thai wife (whose family has a few police contacts) had not accompanied me to the station, i may have been in the same situation as you.

Just take the same attitude as me...learning experience and at least you were not physically harmed. Stressfull mentally nonetheless...especially when weapon involved.

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[osten]

Wonder how the OP had more success with the police actually catching the muggers. Maybe money changed hands in that case?

Combination of wife's family having a few high ranking police connections (who phoned Thong Lor police) and we indeed VOLUNTARILY offered a cash reward (it was never asked for by police). I just knew it would create a bit of motivation.

If you are going to have a happy life here, you don't have to like the way everything works around here, BUT you must accept it. From reading this forum, at times it seems i am the only member here who gets that (though the quiet ones who don't bitch about everything are more likely to be similar in thought).

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Edited May 6, 2012 by osten

[meand]

Reading half these responses, anyone would think it's just not safe to go out with more than 100 baht in your pocket and that just isn't true.

As the OP said, wrong place, wrong time. Could've happened anywhere.

Personally, there's no f***ing way I'd've given up my shit like that but I can understand why an older guy might've been inclined to do so.

Just dont forget the demographics here most guys are old and out of shape. But i am in shape and younger... but i wont argue much against someone with a knife.

For what it"s worth, i was 38 when it happened and i am not overweight. I just didn't see the point of being a hero against FOUR guys with at least 1 of them showing a knife....risk my life as a family man...to save my laptop, smartphone, ring, and some cash?

I don't regret for a second the way i handled the situation. Furthermore, for those who think i was flaunting and such, I wasn't walking around with valuables at that time of night...i was at my private club for 6 hours before that and merely walking the 100 meters to Suk to catch cab...the error in judgment was stopping along the way for a few minutes. Lesson well learned.

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When you were in that private club, i'd guess somebody called out and told these guys you were coming. I could be wrong of course. Were you using all of your goodies in the club? Stopping and texting perhaps had nothing to do with it all, that may have just been incidental (ie they maybe would have got you at some point anyway).

[DLock]

I was mugged today on Sukhumvit.

I was walking from Sukhumvit 22 soi 2, trying to get to Sukhumvit 16 (as the two are connected by side streets) at 6.10am, when I motorcycle cam up behind me and the guy ripped my cross-body bag from me. It was daylight, I was wearing tatty-looking clothes and shoes (my shirt even has a hole in the arm), no jewellery or accessories or anything valuable on display. The bag was small and cheap-looking. I chased him down the street shouting as loud as I could and several people nearby followed him on their motorbikes, but couldn't catch him.

I ran back to my hotel and they phoned the police. After an hour and a half of waiting for the police to turn up, they called again and this time the police said I had to go to the police station. I took a taxi to Thong Lo police station (luckily I still had some money in my hotel room, as nobody was helping me). The police didn't seem like they were expecting me or anything. I tried to explain what happened to one police officer. He wanted me to name the soi I was on - I explained I didn't know the name (I had never been in the area before and it was a network of sois) but that I could point to it on a map or show them exactly where it happened in real life. I said this several times while I was there and kept asking for a map, trying to mime a map but they weren't interested. I tried to sketch a map of the area as best I could. I also explained that there were a lot of witnesses, some of whom chased the guy, and could provide a description of him and of the bike, perhaps even the licence plate, and where he went. Again they weren't interested.

They sent me to another police officer who hadn't even been in the room when I explained what happened. This one wrote for a while in a book and then pushed the book towards me for me to sign. I had no idea what the statement said and none of them could tell me. They just ignored me when I explained this and went back to doing other things. Eventually I persuaded one of them to call the tourist police (the '1155' number doesn't work from my mobile or from a payphone) who told me to just sign it. When I showed it to the manager of my hotel later, she told me it said that I didn't know the type of motorcycle or the colour - they never even asked me about the motorcycle, or any questions about the man at all.

I asked the tourist police to convey to a police officer that I could show them on a map where it happened, that there were witnesses and that the same thing had happened to a Thai woman in the same area last week (my hotel manager told me this). The police officer took me to another building where he spoke to a detective for a few seconds but the detective seemed annoyed and sent him away. I was then taken to another room where another conversation happened in Thai and both police officers laughed together for a while. I have no idea what they were saying. I gave them my phone number and address - they told me to wait at my hotel and someone would call me. No-one has.

I need to contact the tourist police but the '1155' number doesn't work from a payphone or mobile, the hotel cannot get me an outside line for some reason, and all the other numbers I have found on the internet for contacting them are 'incorrect' when I call them.

I think the experience with the police was probably more stressful and traumatic than the robbery itself. I called them straight away when it happened and with all the witnesses and the CCTV footage from the hotels and condos which make up the area they had a decent chance of catching him. They couldn't have been less interested in what happened, sitting around in the overstaffed, otherwise empty police station, drinking coffee, smoking and laughing at me.

Coco, what did you actually lose that was in the bag?

And what did you actually expect the Police to do for you?

[osten]

Reading half these responses, anyone would think it's just not safe to go out with more than 100 baht in your pocket and that just isn't true.

As the OP said, wrong place, wrong time. Could've happened anywhere.

Personally, there's no f***ing way I'd've given up my shit like that but I can understand why an older guy might've been inclined to do so.

Just dont forget the demographics here most guys are old and out of shape. But i am in shape and younger... but i wont argue much against someone with a knife.

For what it"s worth, i was 38 when it happened and i am not overweight. I just didn't see the point of being a hero against FOUR guys with at least 1 of them showing a knife....risk my life as a family man...to save my laptop, smartphone, ring, and some cash?

I don't regret for a second the way i handled the situation. Furthermore, for those who think i was flaunting and such, I wasn't walking around with valuables at that time of night...i was at my private club for 6 hours before that and merely walking the 100 meters to Suk to catch cab...the error in judgment was stopping along the way for a few minutes. Lesson well learned.

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When you were in that private club, i'd guess somebody called out and told these guys you were coming. I could be wrong of course. Were you using all of your goodies in the club? Stopping and texting perhaps had nothing to do with it all, that may have just been incidental (ie they maybe would have got you at some point anyway).

Highly unlikely. First of all, it's probably not the kind of place you are thinking of. But moreover, if someone was waiting, they would have needed to show up within the 2 minutes it takes to walk to Suk. The perps did not arrive until about 10 minutes later...but I guess I will never know for sure.

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[Nisa]

I was mugged today on Sukhumvit.

I was walking from Sukhumvit 22 soi 2, trying to get to Sukhumvit 16 (as the two are connected by side streets) at 6.10am, when I motorcycle cam up behind me and the guy ripped my cross-body bag from me. It was daylight, I was wearing tatty-looking clothes and shoes (my shirt even has a hole in the arm), no jewellery or accessories or anything valuable on display. The bag was small and cheap-looking. I chased him down the street shouting as loud as I could and several people nearby followed him on their motorbikes, but couldn't catch him.

I ran back to my hotel and they phoned the police. After an hour and a half of waiting for the police to turn up, they called again and this time the police said I had to go to the police station. I took a taxi to Thong Lo police station (luckily I still had some money in my hotel room, as nobody was helping me). The police didn't seem like they were expecting me or anything. I tried to explain what happened to one police officer. He wanted me to name the soi I was on - I explained I didn't know the name (I had never been in the area before and it was a network of sois) but that I could point to it on a map or show them exactly where it happened in real life. I said this several times while I was there and kept asking for a map, trying to mime a map but they weren't interested. I tried to sketch a map of the area as best I could. I also explained that there were a lot of witnesses, some of whom chased the guy, and could provide a description of him and of the bike, perhaps even the licence plate, and where he went. Again they weren't interested.

They sent me to another police officer who hadn't even been in the room when I explained what happened. This one wrote for a while in a book and then pushed the book towards me for me to sign. I had no idea what the statement said and none of them could tell me. They just ignored me when I explained this and went back to doing other things. Eventually I persuaded one of them to call the tourist police (the '1155' number doesn't work from my mobile or from a payphone) who told me to just sign it. When I showed it to the manager of my hotel later, she told me it said that I didn't know the type of motorcycle or the colour - they never even asked me about the motorcycle, or any questions about the man at all.

I asked the tourist police to convey to a police officer that I could show them on a map where it happened, that there were witnesses and that the same thing had happened to a Thai woman in the same area last week (my hotel manager told me this). The police officer took me to another building where he spoke to a detective for a few seconds but the detective seemed annoyed and sent him away. I was then taken to another room where another conversation happened in Thai and both police officers laughed together for a while. I have no idea what they were saying. I gave them my phone number and address - they told me to wait at my hotel and someone would call me. No-one has.

I need to contact the tourist police but the '1155' number doesn't work from a payphone or mobile, the hotel cannot get me an outside line for some reason, and all the other numbers I have found on the internet for contacting them are 'incorrect' when I call them.

I think the experience with the police was probably more stressful and traumatic than the robbery itself. I called them straight away when it happened and with all the witnesses and the CCTV footage from the hotels and condos which make up the area they had a decent chance of catching him. They couldn't have been less interested in what happened, sitting around in the overstaffed, otherwise empty police station, drinking coffee, smoking and laughing at me.

You don't mention what was stolen but based on your story I am guessing you had valuables (cash) in the pack. Also based on your story, I have a suspicion you were at a bar or somewhere that you pulled out the money from your bag. These guys often work with somebody who tips them off ... not a lot of people carry money in knapsack (body bag?) and these guys generally target somebody who they believe is going to pay off given the risk involved and a farang in tattered clothes is usually not a prime target. Point being is you may want to consider who knew you had money or valuables in the bag.

[Kananga]

I was mugged today on Sukhumvit.

I was walking from Sukhumvit 22 soi 2, trying to get to Sukhumvit 16 (as the two are connected by side streets) at 6.10am, when I motorcycle cam up behind me and the guy ripped my cross-body bag from me. It was daylight, I was wearing tatty-looking clothes and shoes (my shirt even has a hole in the arm), no jewellery or accessories or anything valuable on display. The bag was small and cheap-looking. I chased him down the street shouting as loud as I could and several people nearby followed him on their motorbikes, but couldn't catch him.

I ran back to my hotel and they phoned the police. After an hour and a half of waiting for the police to turn up, they called again and this time the police said I had to go to the police station. I took a taxi to Thong Lo police station (luckily I still had some money in my hotel room, as nobody was helping me). The police didn't seem like they were expecting me or anything. I tried to explain what happened to one police officer. He wanted me to name the soi I was on - I explained I didn't know the name (I had never been in the area before and it was a network of sois) but that I could point to it on a map or show them exactly where it happened in real life. I said this several times while I was there and kept asking for a map, trying to mime a map but they weren't interested. I tried to sketch a map of the area as best I could. I also explained that there were a lot of witnesses, some of whom chased the guy, and could provide a description of him and of the bike, perhaps even the licence plate, and where he went. Again they weren't interested.

They sent me to another police officer who hadn't even been in the room when I explained what happened. This one wrote for a while in a book and then pushed the book towards me for me to sign. I had no idea what the statement said and none of them could tell me. They just ignored me when I explained this and went back to doing other things. Eventually I persuaded one of them to call the tourist police (the '1155' number doesn't work from my mobile or from a payphone) who told me to just sign it. When I showed it to the manager of my hotel later, she told me it said that I didn't know the type of motorcycle or the colour - they never even asked me about the motorcycle, or any questions about the man at all.

I asked the tourist police to convey to a police officer that I could show them on a map where it happened, that there were witnesses and that the same thing had happened to a Thai woman in the same area last week (my hotel manager told me this). The police officer took me to another building where he spoke to a detective for a few seconds but the detective seemed annoyed and sent him away. I was then taken to another room where another conversation happened in Thai and both police officers laughed together for a while. I have no idea what they were saying. I gave them my phone number and address - they told me to wait at my hotel and someone would call me. No-one has.

I need to contact the tourist police but the '1155' number doesn't work from a payphone or mobile, the hotel cannot get me an outside line for some reason, and all the other numbers I have found on the internet for contacting them are 'incorrect' when I call them.

I think the experience with the police was probably more stressful and traumatic than the robbery itself. I called them straight away when it happened and with all the witnesses and the CCTV footage from the hotels and condos which make up the area they had a decent chance of catching him. They couldn't have been less interested in what happened, sitting around in the overstaffed, otherwise empty police station, drinking coffee, smoking and laughing at me.

You don't mention what was stolen but based on your story I am guessing you had valuables (cash) in the pack. Also based on your story, I have a suspicion you were at a bar or somewhere that you pulled out the money from your bag. These guys often work with somebody who tips them off ... not a lot of people carry money in knapsack (body bag?) and these guys generally target somebody who they believe is going to pay off given the risk involved and a farang in tattered clothes is usually not a prime target. Point being is you may want to consider who knew you had money or valuables in the bag.

Dear oh dear Clouseau. She said she left her hotel at 6:10am. Its one of the first things she wrote.

Based on the actual information provided, their modus operandi and the time of day I deduce it was a couple of meth heads who ran out of funds and needed cash for their next hit.

Considering the sheer number of drug addicts in Thailand and the fact that it is highly likely the perpetrators did not live in that area it would have been a waste of time for Thailand's finest to track them down. A little more sensitivity wouldn't have gone a miss though. At least in the West the police give the impression they will do something.

[Nisa]

I was mugged today on Sukhumvit.

I was walking from Sukhumvit 22 soi 2, trying to get to Sukhumvit 16 (as the two are connected by side streets) at 6.10am, when I motorcycle cam up behind me and the guy ripped my cross-body bag from me. It was daylight, I was wearing tatty-looking clothes and shoes (my shirt even has a hole in the arm), no jewellery or accessories or anything valuable on display. The bag was small and cheap-looking. I chased him down the street shouting as loud as I could and several people nearby followed him on their motorbikes, but couldn't catch him.

I ran back to my hotel and they phoned the police. After an hour and a half of waiting for the police to turn up, they called again and this time the police said I had to go to the police station. I took a taxi to Thong Lo police station (luckily I still had some money in my hotel room, as nobody was helping me). The police didn't seem like they were expecting me or anything. I tried to explain what happened to one police officer. He wanted me to name the soi I was on - I explained I didn't know the name (I had never been in the area before and it was a network of sois) but that I could point to it on a map or show them exactly where it happened in real life. I said this several times while I was there and kept asking for a map, trying to mime a map but they weren't interested. I tried to sketch a map of the area as best I could. I also explained that there were a lot of witnesses, some of whom chased the guy, and could provide a description of him and of the bike, perhaps even the licence plate, and where he went. Again they weren't interested.

They sent me to another police officer who hadn't even been in the room when I explained what happened. This one wrote for a while in a book and then pushed the book towards me for me to sign. I had no idea what the statement said and none of them could tell me. They just ignored me when I explained this and went back to doing other things. Eventually I persuaded one of them to call the tourist police (the '1155' number doesn't work from my mobile or from a payphone) who told me to just sign it. When I showed it to the manager of my hotel later, she told me it said that I didn't know the type of motorcycle or the colour - they never even asked me about the motorcycle, or any questions about the man at all.

I asked the tourist police to convey to a police officer that I could show them on a map where it happened, that there were witnesses and that the same thing had happened to a Thai woman in the same area last week (my hotel manager told me this). The police officer took me to another building where he spoke to a detective for a few seconds but the detective seemed annoyed and sent him away. I was then taken to another room where another conversation happened in Thai and both police officers laughed together for a while. I have no idea what they were saying. I gave them my phone number and address - they told me to wait at my hotel and someone would call me. No-one has.

I need to contact the tourist police but the '1155' number doesn't work from a payphone or mobile, the hotel cannot get me an outside line for some reason, and all the other numbers I have found on the internet for contacting them are 'incorrect' when I call them.

I think the experience with the police was probably more stressful and traumatic than the robbery itself. I called them straight away when it happened and with all the witnesses and the CCTV footage from the hotels and condos which make up the area they had a decent chance of catching him. They couldn't have been less interested in what happened, sitting around in the overstaffed, otherwise empty police station, drinking coffee, smoking and laughing at me.

You don't mention what was stolen but based on your story I am guessing you had valuables (cash) in the pack. Also based on your story, I have a suspicion you were at a bar or somewhere that you pulled out the money from your bag. These guys often work with somebody who tips them off ... not a lot of people carry money in knapsack (body bag?) and these guys generally target somebody who they believe is going to pay off given the risk involved and a farang in tattered clothes is usually not a prime target. Point being is you may want to consider who knew you had money or valuables in the bag.

Dear oh dear Clouseau. She said she left her hotel at 6:10am. Its one of the first things she wrote.

Based on the actual information provided, their modus operandi and the time of day I deduce it was a couple of meth heads who ran out of funds and needed cash for their next hit.

Considering the sheer number of drug addicts in Thailand and the fact that it is highly likely the perpetrators did not live in that area it would have been a waste of time for Thailand's finest to track them down. A little more sensitivity wouldn't have gone a miss though. At least in the West the police give the impression they will do something.

If you are going to try to be clever at least try to be clever.

First of all, the OP doesn't indicate if they are a male or female.

Second of all it doesn't say he/she just left their hotel but rather says they went back to their hotel. Although one can assume they just left their hotel this statement doesn't mean they did. In fact, somebody can be out all day and visit many places and then say, I am going back to the hotel.

Thirdly, even if the person did just leave their hotel, it doesn't mean they didn't have a visitor there (possibly met at the bar before) and certainly doesn't mean that they didn't pull money out of their bag in front of somebody "somewhere", as I stated

It could have been anybody who did this for various motives but I simply stated a suspicion that this person was likely targeted because somebody knew they had valuables in the bag. This is not only common but goes along with the poster not looking like a good target ...

I was wearing tatty-looking clothes and shoes (my shirt even has a hole in the arm), no jewellery or accessories or anything valuable on display. The bag was small and cheap-looking.

It certainly could have been meth heads (then one got off during the attack since there was only 1 person on the bike) from out of the town that rode their motorbike into town or stole one locally but your opinion is just that as is mine and we know what they say about opinions. However, my post was also a reminder to be careful about flashing money or valuables regardless of where you are.

Clouseau

Edited May 18, 2012 by Nisa

[somtampet]

Bangkok is indeed very dangerous compared to other parts of Thailand,glad u are ok

[Kananga]

I was mugged today on Sukhumvit.

I was walking from Sukhumvit 22 soi 2, trying to get to Sukhumvit 16 (as the two are connected by side streets) at 6.10am, when I motorcycle cam up behind me and the guy ripped my cross-body bag from me. It was daylight, I was wearing tatty-looking clothes and shoes (my shirt even has a hole in the arm), no jewellery or accessories or anything valuable on display. The bag was small and cheap-looking. I chased him down the street shouting as loud as I could and several people nearby followed him on their motorbikes, but couldn't catch him.

I ran back to my hotel and they phoned the police. After an hour and a half of waiting for the police to turn up, they called again and this time the police said I had to go to the police station. I took a taxi to Thong Lo police station (luckily I still had some money in my hotel room, as nobody was helping me). The police didn't seem like they were expecting me or anything. I tried to explain what happened to one police officer. He wanted me to name the soi I was on - I explained I didn't know the name (I had never been in the area before and it was a network of sois) but that I could point to it on a map or show them exactly where it happened in real life. I said this several times while I was there and kept asking for a map, trying to mime a map but they weren't interested. I tried to sketch a map of the area as best I could. I also explained that there were a lot of witnesses, some of whom chased the guy, and could provide a description of him and of the bike, perhaps even the licence plate, and where he went. Again they weren't interested.

They sent me to another police officer who hadn't even been in the room when I explained what happened. This one wrote for a while in a book and then pushed the book towards me for me to sign. I had no idea what the statement said and none of them could tell me. They just ignored me when I explained this and went back to doing other things. Eventually I persuaded one of them to call the tourist police (the '1155' number doesn't work from my mobile or from a payphone) who told me to just sign it. When I showed it to the manager of my hotel later, she told me it said that I didn't know the type of motorcycle or the colour - they never even asked me about the motorcycle, or any questions about the man at all.

I asked the tourist police to convey to a police officer that I could show them on a map where it happened, that there were witnesses and that the same thing had happened to a Thai woman in the same area last week (my hotel manager told me this). The police officer took me to another building where he spoke to a detective for a few seconds but the detective seemed annoyed and sent him away. I was then taken to another room where another conversation happened in Thai and both police officers laughed together for a while. I have no idea what they were saying. I gave them my phone number and address - they told me to wait at my hotel and someone would call me. No-one has.

I need to contact the tourist police but the '1155' number doesn't work from a payphone or mobile, the hotel cannot get me an outside line for some reason, and all the other numbers I have found on the internet for contacting them are 'incorrect' when I call them.

I think the experience with the police was probably more stressful and traumatic than the robbery itself. I called them straight away when it happened and with all the witnesses and the CCTV footage from the hotels and condos which make up the area they had a decent chance of catching him. They couldn't have been less interested in what happened, sitting around in the overstaffed, otherwise empty police station, drinking coffee, smoking and laughing at me.

You don't mention what was stolen but based on your story I am guessing you had valuables (cash) in the pack. Also based on your story, I have a suspicion you were at a bar or somewhere that you pulled out the money from your bag. These guys often work with somebody who tips them off ... not a lot of people carry money in knapsack (body bag?) and these guys generally target somebody who they believe is going to pay off given the risk involved and a farang in tattered clothes is usually not a prime target. Point being is you may want to consider who knew you had money or valuables in the bag.

Dear oh dear Clouseau. She said she left her hotel at 6:10am. Its one of the first things she wrote.

Based on the actual information provided, their modus operandi and the time of day I deduce it was a couple of meth heads who ran out of funds and needed cash for their next hit.

Considering the sheer number of drug addicts in Thailand and the fact that it is highly likely the perpetrators did not live in that area it would have been a waste of time for Thailand's finest to track them down. A little more sensitivity wouldn't have gone a miss though. At least in the West the police give the impression they will do something.

If you are going to try to be clever at least try to be clever.

First of all, the OP doesn't indicate if they are a male or female.

Second of all it doesn't say he/she just left their hotel but rather says they went back to their hotel. Although one can assume they just left their hotel this statement doesn't mean they did. In fact, somebody can be out all day and visit many places and then say, I am going back to the hotel.

Thirdly, even if the person did just leave their hotel, it doesn't mean they didn't have a visitor there (possibly met at the bar before) and certainly doesn't mean that they didn't pull money out of their bag in front of somebody "somewhere", as I stated

It could have been anybody who did this for various motives but I simply stated a suspicion that this person was likely targeted because somebody knew they had valuables in the bag. This is not only common but goes along with the poster not looking like a good target ...

I was wearing tatty-looking clothes and shoes (my shirt even has a hole in the arm), no jewellery or accessories or anything valuable on display. The bag was small and cheap-looking.

It certainly could have been meth heads (then one got off during the attack since there was only 1 person on the bike) from out of the town that rode their motorbike into town or stole one locally but your opinion is just that as is mine and we know what they say about opinions. However, my post was also a reminder to be careful about flashing money or valuables regardless of where you are.

Clouseau

Thanks. I assumed she was female as she talks about jewelry and accessories. Men dont wear that shit where I'm from.

Drefyus (Chief Inspector)

[Nisa]

Thanks. I assumed she was female as she talks about jewelry and accessories. Men dont wear that shit where I'm from.

Drefyus (Chief Inspector)

True but where I am from a women calls a purse a purse and a man uses names such as "cross-body bag"

I would say it is a coin toss and not sure we are going to get a confirmation since this poster doesn't list it on their user page and they have only posted to the forum twice ... both on this thread.

[Kananga]

Thanks. I assumed she was female as she talks about jewelry and accessories. Men dont wear that shit where I'm from.

Drefyus (Chief Inspector)

True but where I am from a women calls a purse a purse and a man uses names such as "cross-body bag"

I would say it is a coin toss and not sure we are going to get a confirmation since this poster doesn't list it on their user page and they have only posted to the forum twice ... both on this thread.

Its not a competition. How about we end this now with me saying "you win"?

Do you feel like you have won the toss?

[waza]

Thanks. I assumed she was female as she talks about jewelry and accessories. Men dont wear that shit where I'm from.

Drefyus (Chief Inspector)

True but where I am from a women calls a purse a purse and a man uses names such as "cross-body bag"

I would say it is a coin toss and not sure we are going to get a confirmation since this poster doesn't list it on their user page and they have only posted to the forum twice ... both on this thread.

Its not a competition. How about we end this now with me saying "you win"?

Do you feel like you have won the toss?

I would call it a draw

[nakhonfalung]

Thanks osten for this reminder that when we are in thailand bad things can happen,

[Nisa]

Thanks. I assumed she was female as she talks about jewelry and accessories. Men dont wear that shit where I'm from.

Drefyus (Chief Inspector)

True but where I am from a women calls a purse a purse and a man uses names such as "cross-body bag"

I would say it is a coin toss and not sure we are going to get a confirmation since this poster doesn't list it on their user page and they have only posted to the forum twice ... both on this thread.

Its not a competition. How about we end this now with me saying "you win"?

Do you feel like you have won the toss?

I would call it a draw

That is kind of what I thought I was saying when I said it was a coin toss (who knows - 50/50 either way) but I never had a position either way except for saying we don't know. However, I did assume it was a male on first read as the other poster seemed to think it was a female ... that is what made me realize we don't know.

I can't even use the argument that it is more likely a male because he chased after the bike because he/she also said they did it while screaming. While easy to visualize a dude chasing down a mugger, just as easy to visualize a shocked male/or female chasing after one while yelling to get other people's attention.

Even when they talk of the women who got mugged the same way there, the poster doesn't say "another" women but at the same time, I think most guys would have said "another person" and left out that it was a women to prevent feeling as helpless as a women in this situation (not that this is a right or true view in terms of women vs. men but most of us dudes tend to have some kind of macho image to uphold)

Just find it kind of interesting that in this detailed story, there really is no telling if the victim is male or female. Not like we are going to solve the crime but the mystery of male or female is one that might be solvable.

But if I was forced to guess ... I'd say it is a gay male or a male who is very secure in their heterosexuality. A number of things make me leans towards male (walking early hour alone, chasing the motorbike and appearing to be alone in BKK but there are some non-typical (stereotype) masculine qualities in the story including the purse (body bag or whatever term was used) and jewelry comment.

Edited May 18, 2012 by Nisa

[Nisa]

Thanks osten for this reminder that when we are in thailand bad things can happen,

Unlike other countries? ... or for that matter other big cities (this happened in Bangkok).

Edited May 18, 2012 by Nisa

[cobra]

Any other time I'd assume this was a troll post but it's obvious this is just an idiot post.

Strolling soi's at 3am, texting, valuables on hand, ....

Only two explanaitons:

1. Charles Bronson in town filming Death Wish 6,

2, Darwinism at work,

[katana]

See post 66 in the thread. The OP talks about having a wife.

[Bangkokhatter]

Any other time I'd assume this was a troll post but it's obvious this is just an idiot post.

Strolling soi's at 3am, texting, valuables on hand, ....

Only two explanaitons:

1. Charles Bronson in town filming Death Wish 6,

2, Darwinism at work,

Why you think it's a troll post ? bottom line is the OP got mugged with some valuables on him at stupid o'clock, he's said many times he's learnt a lesson, he's just giving a heads up for <Snip!> sake.Most people would say cheers mate, hope your ok

Edited May 19, 2012 by metisdead

[Nisa]

See post 66 in the thread. The OP talks about having a wife.

http://www.thaivisa....50#entry5279045

Thanks - mystery solved. Now what to focus on for the next 45-minutes before I finish work.

Edit: Mystery not solved. That is from the first poster who got mugged. We are talking about the other poster who claimed they were mugged the day of their posting. See

Edited May 18, 2012 by Nisa

[losworld]

The fact that some people are a bit careless in Bangkok does show that the city is overall safe. I don't know any person who would carelessly walk around with a BB and a laptop in Quito or Managua in DAY time, let alone night.

But considering a BB in Thailand is the luxury equivalent of a 3000$ Macbook Pro in the Western world (the only reason so many Thai have a BB is due to credit cards, no way so many people can afford it), there is no 1mil+ city in the world where you can safely walk at night with a 3000$ item visible.

BS you can in Tokyo, Toronto, Munich, Stockholm, Oslo, Calgary...

[katana]

See post 66 in the thread. The OP talks about having a wife.

http://www.thaivisa....50#entry5279045

Thanks - mystery solved. Now what to focus on for the next 45-minutes before I finish work.

Edit: Mystery not solved. That is from the first poster who got mugged. We are talking about the other poster who claimed they were mugged the day of their posting. See http://www.thaivisa....50#entry5278611

Ah. My bad.

[2unique]

I was mugged today on Sukhumvit.

I was walking from Sukhumvit 22 soi 2, trying to get to Sukhumvit 16 (as the two are connected by side streets) at 6.10am, when I motorcycle cam up behind me and the guy ripped my cross-body bag from me. It was daylight, I was wearing tatty-looking clothes and shoes (my shirt even has a hole in the arm), no jewellery or accessories or anything valuable on display. The bag was small and cheap-looking. I chased him down the street shouting as loud as I could and several people nearby followed him on their motorbikes, but couldn't catch him.

I ran back to my hotel and they phoned the police. After an hour and a half of waiting for the police to turn up, they called again and this time the police said I had to go to the police station. I took a taxi to Thong Lo police station (luckily I still had some money in my hotel room, as nobody was helping me). The police didn't seem like they were expecting me or anything. I tried to explain what happened to one police officer. He wanted me to name the soi I was on - I explained I didn't know the name (I had never been in the area before and it was a network of sois) but that I could point to it on a map or show them exactly where it happened in real life. I said this several times while I was there and kept asking for a map, trying to mime a map but they weren't interested. I tried to sketch a map of the area as best I could. I also explained that there were a lot of witnesses, some of whom chased the guy, and could provide a description of him and of the bike, perhaps even the licence plate, and where he went. Again they weren't interested.

They sent me to another police officer who hadn't even been in the room when I explained what happened. This one wrote for a while in a book and then pushed the book towards me for me to sign. I had no idea what the statement said and none of them could tell me. They just ignored me when I explained this and went back to doing other things. Eventually I persuaded one of them to call the tourist police (the '1155' number doesn't work from my mobile or from a payphone) who told me to just sign it. When I showed it to the manager of my hotel later, she told me it said that I didn't know the type of motorcycle or the colour - they never even asked me about the motorcycle, or any questions about the man at all.

I asked the tourist police to convey to a police officer that I could show them on a map where it happened, that there were witnesses and that the same thing had happened to a Thai woman in the same area last week (my hotel manager told me this). The police officer took me to another building where he spoke to a detective for a few seconds but the detective seemed annoyed and sent him away. I was then taken to another room where another conversation happened in Thai and both police officers laughed together for a while. I have no idea what they were saying. I gave them my phone number and address - they told me to wait at my hotel and someone would call me. No-one has.

I need to contact the tourist police but the '1155' number doesn't work from a payphone or mobile, the hotel cannot get me an outside line for some reason, and all the other numbers I have found on the internet for contacting them are 'incorrect' when I call them.

I think the experience with the police was probably more stressful and traumatic than the robbery itself. I called them straight away when it happened and with all the witnesses and the CCTV footage from the hotels and condos which make up the area they had a decent chance of catching him. They couldn't have been less interested in what happened, sitting around in the overstaffed, otherwise empty police station, drinking coffee, smoking and laughing at me.

You don't mention what was stolen but based on your story I am guessing you had valuables (cash) in the pack. Also based on your story, I have a suspicion you were at a bar or somewhere that you pulled out the money from your bag. These guys often work with somebody who tips them off ... not a lot of people carry money in knapsack (body bag?) and these guys generally target somebody who they believe is going to pay off given the risk involved and a farang in tattered clothes is usually not a prime target. Point being is you may want to consider who knew you had money or valuables in the bag.

Dear oh dear Clouseau. She said she left her hotel at 6:10am. Its one of the first things she wrote.

Based on the actual information provided, their modus operandi and the time of day I deduce it was a couple of meth heads who ran out of funds and needed cash for their next hit.

Considering the sheer number of drug addicts in Thailand and the fact that it is highly likely the perpetrators did not live in that area it would have been a waste of time for Thailand's finest to track them down. A little more sensitivity wouldn't have gone a miss though. At least in the West the police give the impression they will do something.

If you are going to try to be clever at least try to be clever.

First of all, the OP doesn't indicate if they are a male or female.

Second of all it doesn't say he/she just left their hotel but rather says they went back to their hotel. Although one can assume they just left their hotel this statement doesn't mean they did. In fact, somebody can be out all day and visit many places and then say, I am going back to the hotel.

Thirdly, even if the person did just leave their hotel, it doesn't mean they didn't have a visitor there (possibly met at the bar before) and certainly doesn't mean that they didn't pull money out of their bag in front of somebody "somewhere", as I stated

It could have been anybody who did this for various motives but I simply stated a suspicion that this person was likely targeted because somebody knew they had valuables in the bag. This is not only common but goes along with the poster not looking like a good target ...

I was wearing tatty-looking clothes and shoes (my shirt even has a hole in the arm), no jewellery or accessories or anything valuable on display. The bag was small and cheap-looking.

It certainly could have been meth heads (then one got off during the attack since there was only 1 person on the bike) from out of the town that rode their motorbike into town or stole one locally but your opinion is just that as is mine and we know what they say about opinions. However, my post was also a reminder to be careful about flashing money or valuables regardless of where you are.

Clouseau

Says "my" hotel, go back to "my" room, can't dial out from "my" room I would say they are staying there. They also say shouting not screaming.

I read it as an English as a first language male from shirt rather than blouse, shouting rather than screaming. Men wear jewelry but rarely do we accessorize so who knows!

Sent from Android, please forgive errors in type or judgement.

[meand]

I didn't read what the second victim in this thread had in her bag, but the first guy had a bunch of stuff. I would guess there was something in there. I give thieves more credit than others. A lot more. If they get you, and get away with some "goods" hidden inside of a bag, they probably had a beat on you somehow.

[DP25]

Any other time I'd assume this was a troll post but it's obvious this is just an idiot post.

Strolling soi's at 3am, texting, valuables on hand, ....

Only two explanaitons:

1. Charles Bronson in town filming Death Wish 6,

2, Darwinism at work,

I've been walking aroundhalf drunk at 3am with a phone and cash in Bangkok almost every weekend for years and have never been worried. Never knew I was qualified to be in Death Wish 6

[meand]

Any other time I'd assume this was a troll post but it's obvious this is just an idiot post.

Strolling soi's at 3am, texting, valuables on hand, ....

Only two explanaitons:

1. Charles Bronson in town filming Death Wish 6,

2, Darwinism at work,

I've been walking aroundhalf drunk at 3am with a phone and cash in Bangkok almost every weekend for years and have never been worried. Never knew I was qualified to be in Death Wish 6

Me too, haha. And not just Thailand. I think they go after people who look worried, or who take out their valuables in places they think are safe. Really not trying to harsh/blame anybody here, that is just what I think. As you say, I have walked down many a road in some very not so safe countries without a dollar or as much as a cheap cell on me, never a problem. Plus, you get the added benefit of having to spend all your money in the bar (just beware of this before you go out and take the amount accordingly ).

This subject really reminds me of woman's intuition. In my case, when I hadn't been getting laid in the US, girls would ALWAYS know (through intuition or word of mouth??), and act accordingly. If I had happened to get some (rare), it was like water pouring from a sieve. These criminals know things just as woman do, they figure it out one way or another and act accordingly.

Edited May 19, 2012 by meand

[cobra]

Any other time I'd assume this was a troll post but it's obvious this is just an idiot post.

Strolling soi's at 3am, texting, valuables on hand, ....

Only two explanaitons:

1. Charles Bronson in town filming Death Wish 6,

2, Darwinism at work,

I've been walking aroundhalf drunk at 3am with a phone and cash in Bangkok almost every weekend for years and have never been worried. Never knew I was qualified to be in Death Wish 6

The implication was not that the op would be a victim, but as in the Charles Bronson Death Wish movies, the op would be lying in wait as a night time vigilante for some low-lifes to try to mug him, where he would then dispatch them in a most satisfying way.

Edited May 19, 2012 by cobra