Theiving Bastards

[BangTaoBoy]

You know the old saying about Rawai.

'If you lay down with dogs, you get up with fleas'

First Time I've heard it and I have lived in Rawai for years and like the place much better than when I lived in Boring Bang Tao and Superficial Surin.

I like Rawai. Mind you there isn't to many places on the island that aren't nice for their own reasons.

However there is no escaping that Rawai, over the last 5-10 years, seems to have been the burglary capital of Phuket.

I would definately think differently when securing my house there than I would in other places.

Just my annoying opinion of course, you don't have to read it or like it.

[ilyelol]

Lets just end the thread on this.

Move away from rawai, drop 90% in chances of getting robbed.

So we've gone from bashing ausinpatong, oops I mean bangtaoboy, to bashing Rawai?

Been in the same house for over five years now, even leave the doors open for when the maid comes, never been robbed.

But.................I believe the reason is that I live pretty minimalist, no dogs or fleas !!! Lotsa a chinchoks and tokays though ;-)

Sorry to hear the story OP, hope you can get the heirlooms back. GOM

that was quite pointless

You're not gonna get robbed if you are poor, thats kind of obvious

[Jimi007]

that was quite pointless

You're not gonna get robbed if you are poor, thats kind of obvious

Poor compared to whom? Burmese? Come on, I agree with Grumpy. If you don't paint a target on your back by driving new fancy vehicles, wearing a lot of gold and living in a hugh house, you aren't as much of a visible target... Common sense? Up to you...

[evanson]

Very sorry to hear that. Having been burgled before in the UK, I know exactly how it feels. Turns you from a non violent man in to someone who wants to slit the throats of every low life scum you can get your hands on.

However, insulting a whole race of people is not on, and I hope you see that when the initial shock and anger subsides.

I know you wont change your mind about leaving, but I hope you can take back what you said about Thais in general.

Good luck with selling your house. I get the feeling you won't be happy until you're out of here.

I agree with your post. In the 13 years I've been here, the worst robbery I had was by another farang. A thieving greedy old man and his Thai wife, whilst I was in hospital.

Here on Phuket the thieving farang are by far the most unscrupulous. At least the Thai has an excuse (poor, no welfare system). But this old English man and his wife were GREEDY and, given the circumstances, downright wicked.

Aided and abetted by the old man's fellow farang.

As posted above, the average Thai wouldn't dream of doing what this ahole did.

[grumpyoldman]

Lets just end the thread on this.

Move away from rawai, drop 90% in chances of getting robbed.

So we've gone from bashing ausinpatong, oops I mean bangtaoboy, to bashing Rawai?

Been in the same house for over five years now, even leave the doors open for when the maid comes, never been robbed.

But.................I believe the reason is that I live pretty minimalist, no dogs or fleas !!! Lotsa a chinchoks and tokays though ;-)

Sorry to hear the story OP, hope you can get the heirlooms back. GOM

that was quite pointless

You're not gonna get robbed if you are poor, thats kind of obvious

There was a time when I was a kid and Dad had left us that I was poor for sure. Older brother, sister and myself had to get jobs, I scrubbed pizza pans at the local pizzaria, I was about 9 years old I guess.

We'd pool our money and cut coupons, could only buy at the supermarket what we had coupons for.

Maybe that's why now I don't feel the need to have a whole bunch of fancy things, happy with my life.

ilyelol, can I buy you a dictionary? There you might learn the difference between minimalist and poor.

Cheers, GOM

[ilyelol]

minimalist: cant afford nice things, tells himself he is happy with crap

real minimalist: lives in a first world country's forest, hunts for pleasure and food, reads books.

if you're one of the 90% of posters in the bar scene, you're again really far from a minimalist.

[F1fanatic]

<BR>]Ahh but it isnt a missquote, because what they do is not tackle the issues people raise, about crime, about greed, about over development, cartels, etc etc.. What they do is attack the poster, compare them to 'born losers' and make it sound like anyone with a negative opinion is someone who has no Thai friends, or is somehow less socially adept as themselves. Deal with the issues, rather than try to attack the poster.. Deal with the murder rate.. Deal with the house break ins... Deal with the news items. Rather than start trying to tar anyone that sees the direction of the place as one they dont like, as being somehow inferior.

The point you constantly miss, is the things you have just listed (and list at least twice a week), the murder, the greed, the over development. They are YOUR issues about Phuket, YOURS not MINE. You try to force people to discuss issues that you care about, and I've got news for you, we don't want to discuss them with you!

That's why people will attack the poster, because a normal person, with a normal, healthly, fulfilling life, will never understand why the poster doesn't just F#CK OFF, instead of staying somewhere they think is so bad.

EDIT: Where was it again you lived, for the lion share of the time you were on Phuket? That's right, Patong wasn't it?

Great choice for a man who has issues with cartels, tuk tuks, over development. What was I saying about logic, or the lack there of?

Yet another dyslexic poster, who can't see the difference between PATONG and PHUKET (The big island not the Town)

About 4 months after moving to Phuket (Rawai) I was burgled...

Phuket has serious problems, but I still prefer to live here rather than England.

Mind you, I went through the normal scenario - first year I loved it, second and third year I hated it, 4th year I finally appreciated the reasons why I came here in the first place.

Many others can't get over the 'dream' from the reality - and leave.

[madmitch]

In every household insurance policy that I have seen which covers loss by fire or burglary you can list certain valuable items & the agent will come to take photos along with a description of such items.

Sad to hear of the OP's burglary, and the increase in such crimes apparently occurring in Rawai.

I used to be heavily involved in the writing of insurance policy wordings and would advise anyone to read and know exactly what is covered and what is not.

Jewellery and similar valuables are often covered for a very low limit on household policies and if you have a large amount you will need to declare it and see if the company will insure it or you buy separate jewellery insurance. The same goes for fine arts, antiques, furs (if anyone in Thailand owns such things) and other valuable collectibles. Independent valuations/appraisals are required for high value items.

Also look for "any one item" limits, which may be well below the value of your more expensive items.

Thai household insurance wordings are, unfortunately, set in stone as they are lodged with the Department of Insurance, therefore you may wish to look for a licensed overseas insurer if you want a more specialist policy. A multi-national broker is your best bet, Aon, Marsh etc.

The majority of people with regular household items and a bit of jewellery will be fine with a standard Thai household policy but still make sure you are buying the coverage you need.

But, back to my original point, whether you have a house full of valuables on Millionaire's row or a rented bungalow in Chalong, read the wording or at least a summary.

One final point: Thai policies are written in Thai. What we farangs may get is a translation. Translations are not always 100% accurate and the original Thai policy prevails.

Maybe this should be posted in the Insurance Forum but as it's relevant to this case I'll just leave it here.

[logbags]

One final point: Thai policies are written in Thai. What we farangs may get is a translation. Translations are not always 100% accurate and the original Thai policy prevails.

This is very true, I was explaining to a Thai today how even dictionairies cannot be trusted to give you a good translation.

For example the word for sentimental is translated into Thai online as "sensitive" rather than the exact meaning understood and used by English speakers.

For sentimental Thais would use a phrase that translates to something like "valued by the heart"

The very interesting distinction I like to point out to people unfamiliar with Thais is Farangs use the word "mind" whereas Thais use "heart" or "mind of heart" more often when talking about how they feel about something.

This could be stressed when telling Thai people about the goods stolen as it would emphasise and explain the gravity of your loss more clearer.

[grumpyoldman]

minimalist: cant afford nice things, tells himself he is happy with crap

real minimalist: lives in a first world country's forest, hunts for pleasure and food, reads books.

if you're one of the 90% of posters in the bar scene, you're again really far from a minimalist.

Don't see where going to a bar fits in, I definitely draw the line at the cheap beers though, no Archer or Leo for GOM.

As far as your definition ilyelol, I think you are off, won't need to get you a dictionary as dictionay.com covers that for us.

My point is, if you don't flash, you don't draw attention.

Definition below doesn't seem to have anything about first world forests.........................................funny......

World English Dictionary minimalist (ˈmɪnɪməlɪst) — n 1. a person advocating a minimal policy, style, technique, action, etc

[BangTaoBoy]

I was listening to some crappy, local readio station in the car today. He was saying that a Canadian was burgled last night in Kamala, and CCTV caught a Farang breaking in.

I have to be honest, I was a bit naive. Before this thread, I had no idea there were so many Farang on the island that would stoop as low as burglary.

[morphious]

I would be looking closer to home if i was you

Care to explain?

Family member, do i need to spell it out?

[fatcatkamala]

I would be looking closer to home if i was you

Care to explain?

Family member, do i need to spell it out?

Do yourself a favour...before going off on a anti thai female rant and getting attackled from all directions...read the originall story in NEWS section first.......IMO it says ''British couple ''

As for the OP couple i hope you have hjad some better luck..anything turn up yet?

I moved out of rawai 8 months ago to kamala....crime is on the increase all opver the globe because of financial doom ans gloom, but i observed rawai increasing in all and every aspect of crime, and would not be surprised if in fact it out rates Patong now..sad but true!

Edited November 27, 2010 by fatcatkamala

[GoodKarma]

I was listening to some crappy, local readio station in the car today. He was saying that a Canadian was burgled last night in Kamala, and CCTV caught a Farang breaking in.

I have to be honest, I was a bit naive. Before this thread, I had no idea there were so many Farang on the island that would stoop as low as burglary.

Actually if you read the Gazette from the CCTV camera they could not see the face of the person. It was people in the neighbourhood who saw a Caucasian hanging around earlier.

[stevenl]

I would be looking closer to home if i was you

Care to explain?

Family member, do i need to spell it out?

Yes, if you make these kind of insinuations I would like to see it spelled out.

Jealous?

[BangTaoBoy]

I was listening to some crappy, local readio station in the car today. He was saying that a Canadian was burgled last night in Kamala, and CCTV caught a Farang breaking in.

I have to be honest, I was a bit naive. Before this thread, I had no idea there were so many Farang on the island that would stoop as low as burglary.

Actually if you read the Gazette from the CCTV camera they could not see the face of the person. It was people in the neighbourhood who saw a Caucasian hanging around earlier.

Well I did say it was a crappy radio station!

Having said that. The PG has been known to get stuff very arse about face as well, so I wouldn't necessarily believe either over the other.

[evanson]

You know the old saying about Rawai.

'If you lay down with dogs, you get up with fleas'

Rawai was beautiful when I rented a simple shack on the seafront just 10 years ago. Now it's full of old dogs and the parasitical fleas who inevitably follow.

[BangTaoBoy]

Can somebody confirm for me (had a quick look back but can't find it) The OP said something about burning through the security window?

I'm interested to know if he had bars on the window, and if anyone else has been burgled with bars, and how did they get in. (obviously it would be through the doors, but how secure where they)

It just seems to me, that if you had bars on the windows, heavily bolted doors, then a burglar would have to cut through with a grinder or smash the way in with a sledge hammer, which isn't their standard OP.

I Guess the question I'm asking, is couldn't nearly all burglaries be provented if the right measures are taken, as nearly all burglers are opertunists.

[Jimi007]

Can somebody confirm for me (had a quick look back but can't find it) The OP said something about burning through the security window?

I'm interested to know if he had bars on the window, and if anyone else has been burgled with bars, and how did they get in. (obviously it would be through the doors, but how secure where they)

It just seems to me, that if you had bars on the windows, heavily bolted doors, then a burglar would have to cut through with a grinder or smash the way in with a sledge hammer, which isn't their standard OP.

I Guess the question I'm asking, is couldn't nearly all burglaries be provented if the right measures are taken, as nearly all burglers are opertunists.

I have bars on my windows, a dog that will bite and several Thai neighbors that keep an eye on things. I haven't been broken into, knock on wood. But I have heard and seen another way of entry. When UBC installed my dish years ago, then removed some roof tiles to access the attic and the guy emerged from my bathroom attic access hole a bit later. But he did have a ladder waiting for him there, otherwise it would be quite a drop to the tile floor from there.

[Ulysses G.]

But I have heard and seen another way of entry. When UBC installed my dish years ago, then removed some roof tiles to access the attic and the guy emerged from my bathroom attic access hole a bit later.

Most break-ins in Chiang Mai seem to be through the roof and it is very difficult to protect against.

[BangTaoBoy]

But I have heard and seen another way of entry. When UBC installed my dish years ago, then removed some roof tiles to access the attic and the guy emerged from my bathroom attic access hole a bit later.

Most break-ins in Chiang Mai seem to be through the roof and it is very difficult to protect against.

That's the second thing I've learnt from this thread. I knew burglers could access the house that way, but it suprises me to know it's a very common entry method.

Surely the vast majority of burglers are oportunists, going through open, or easily forced open doors and windows. I haven't heard many incidents of roof tiles being removed in Phuket. Wouldn't that be hard to do without making a fair bit of noise and being noticed?

I'm fairly sure, with a bit of for thought, a house could be 99% burgler proof. I'd like to think so anyway.

[Ulysses G.]

I have known of quite a few businesses that have been broken into in the Thapae Gate area with this method and some repeatedly.

[Valentine]

I am sure most homes can be made fairly secure against opportunist burglars but a well planned professional burglary is almost impossible to deter. Coming through the roof is pretty simple & even if one were to lock the hatch cover, which is often in the bathroom, it would still be easy to break through the ceiling especially as most of them are made from gypsum.

A couple of years ago my laptop, an old watch & a small amount of cash was stolen from my home. He knew exactly when there would be nobody at home & easily forced open a small window at the back to gain entry (no security bars & pitiful standard window locks). Did not make any mess apart from throwing a few items of clothes on the floor & luckily did not take the external hard drive which was sitting next to the laptop. Police were quick to respond but failed to find a large screwdriver used to open the window which I found the next morning right under the window. I took the screwdriver to the police station but was told the officer who did the report was out of town & would have to wait for him to come back. When he did return I was informed it was too late to get any fingerprints which I thought was a load of &lt;deleted&gt;. One local computer shop guy said he would inform me if someone came to his shop to sell a computer matching mine.

[barka]

Get an electric fence....GIVE THEM A SHOCK...very good deterent

[katabeachbum]

But I have heard and seen another way of entry. When UBC installed my dish years ago, then removed some roof tiles to access the attic and the guy emerged from my bathroom attic access hole a bit later.

Most break-ins in Chiang Mai seem to be through the roof and it is very difficult to protect against.

That's the second thing I've learnt from this thread. I knew burglers could access the house that way, but it suprises me to know it's a very common entry method.

Surely the vast majority of burglers are oportunists, going through open, or easily forced open doors and windows. I haven't heard many incidents of roof tiles being removed in Phuket. Wouldn't that be hard to do without making a fair bit of noise and being noticed?

I'm fairly sure, with a bit of for thought, a house could be 99% burgler proof. I'd like to think so anyway.

Roofs are common entry in Phuket as elsewhere in LOS. Easy to prevent by spraying it underneath with PU foam one inch thick. Also isnulates roof and is claimed to make it waterproof

Bulletproof glass is available, so are good locks

Still prefere my rottweiler though

[BangTaoBoy]

Roofs are common entry in Phuket as elsewhere in LOS. Easy to prevent by spraying it underneath with PU foam one inch thick. Also isnulates roof and is claimed to make it waterproof

Bulletproof glass is available, so are good locks

Still prefere my rottweiler though

That's what we like to hear. I knew there would be a away of doing it, but I was thinking more along the lines of metal or wood to seal the roof, spraying foam sounds much easier and cheaper.

If all home owners spent a few quid making their houses impenetrable, we could start to win the battle against the scum bag burglers.

[naiharn]

I was listening to some crappy, local readio station in the car today. He was saying that a Canadian was burgled last night in Kamala, and CCTV caught a Farang breaking in.

I have to be honest, I was a bit naive. Before this thread, I had no idea there were so many Farang on the island that would stoop as low as burglary.

Then how has this thread changed your viewpoint? I have skimmed through this thread and found just ONE report of a farang committing burglary, and that was a 'British gypo' bragging about it (and who knows whether there was anything behind his bragging?)

For someone so critical of anyone stereotyping one group of people, you seem awfully keen to do so yourself.

[Peterocket]

Ahhh....but there is nothing anyone can do if you get the sophisticated Thai burglers reported from last year who fill your house with sleeping gas through the airconditioning. Then take anything they want whilst you and your dog snooze away.

You've all seen mission impossible too right?

[thaigerd]

Roofs are common entry in Phuket as elsewhere in LOS. Easy to prevent by spraying it underneath with PU foam one inch thick. Also isnulates roof and is claimed to make it waterproof

Bulletproof glass is available, so are good locks

Still prefere my rottweiler though

I have to agree with the Rottweiler.

Only had 1 attempt when a Thai man tried to climb over our wall........was not good at all for him(for the man!).

[BangTaoBoy]

I was listening to some crappy, local readio station in the car today. He was saying that a Canadian was burgled last night in Kamala, and CCTV caught a Farang breaking in.

I have to be honest, I was a bit naive. Before this thread, I had no idea there were so many Farang on the island that would stoop as low as burglary.

Then how has this thread changed your viewpoint? I have skimmed through this thread and found just ONE report of a farang committing burglary, and that was a 'British gypo' bragging about it (and who knows whether there was anything behind his bragging?)

For someone so critical of anyone stereotyping one group of people, you seem awfully keen to do so yourself.

You obviously have a little bee in your bonnet, since we disagreed on a previous thread. I can't think of any other reason for such a lame attempt at picking holes in my post. In your own words, you only 'skimmed' through the post. Shouldn't you make a bit more of an effort if you're going to pull somebody up on something.

The one post you found when skimming, was actually six. And please explain to me, how realising, that being burgled by a Farang is a possibility, as it obviously happens a lot more than I realised before, has anything what so ever, to do with stereotyping??

(1) I once knew a British gypo that claimed to be fond of burgling here in Phuket, so it's not always Thai's that are nicking our stuff.

(2) I would not just be suspecting Thai's. A lot of farang are now resorting to crime to be able to stay here and continue living "the dream."

(3) Renting out apartments and studios to thai and farang, the only thieves have been brits and german

(4) All the bad dealings Ive had in Thailand have been with Farang stealing a scheming. Just saying

(5) I agree with your post. In the 13 years I've been here, the worst robbery I had was by another farang

(6) I was listening to some crappy, local readio station in the car today. He was saying that a Canadian was burgled last night in Kamala, and CCTV caught a Farang breaking in.