Phuket Hotel Ponies Up Bt200.000 To Robbed Aussie Tourists

[Mxcross]

Its illegal by Australian law to travel with more than 10,000 aud without declaring it.

sounds fishy to me.

Per Person ! Do people on here only ever think the worst of others ?

10,000 is not a great sum to have as cash for a holiday when, as someone else has pointed out on here ATM's are charging more and more to get your own money whilst abroad.

If you think they have made a fraudulent claim contact the bloke personally and tell him to his face, instead of stabbing people in the back!

[landslide]

In October of this year, I made the mistake of leaving my passport, spare credit cards and $1000 in US currency in our room safe at our hotel in Chiang Mai, checked out and headed to Chiang Khong to visit friends. When we reached Chiangrai, my wife asked if I had my passport. Realizing my mistake, I did a quick u-turn, and headed back to Chiang Mai. My wife called the hotel, and was informed that the maid had found the items in the safe, and that the hotel had sent an e-mail to our e-mail address to inform us. After an 7 hour round trip, we arrived back at the hotel. The receptionist retrieved an envelope from the manager's office. Everything I had left in the safe was accounted for. I tipped the receptionist and was able to track down the maid who found my items and tipped her 2000 baht. I was lucky in this case, despite my carelessness. However, I have found Thais to be generally more honest than individuals I have dealt with in other countries. As for the safe, I always punch the keys with a closed ink pen or the stylus from my iPad. That way, there is no trace of which number is pressed. And generally never carry that amount of cash.

[fire and ice]

Agreed, I never use hotel safes. Carry my valuables about (passport & tabloid PC) and use ATM when I need a small cash top-up.

I have met so many fools that use this logic to their demise.

The chances of your hotel safe being robbed (in Thailand) are maybe 1 in 20,000

The changes of you losing it carrying it on your person by:-

--- leaving it somewhere (shop, tuk-tuk, TAXI, thai massage, bar, nightclub, toilet)

--- having it stolen from about your person (mugged, pick pocketed)

--- police (or fake police) nabbing you for something and greedily helping themselves

--- being drugged and having it stolen

--- being scammed and stupidly paying a lot (not as easy to be an idiot if its not on your person)

chances of any of the above are maybe 1 in 500

Far far more likely to lose it if you have it on you than in the safe.

I'll admit my figures here are educated guesstimates, but they point in the right direction nonetheless. I've only even met one person in my life who had their hotel room safe broken into but maybe ~40 who have had one of the above incidents occur.

When I've not trusted hotel staff or their room safe, I've usually found a hiding spot in the room to stash it (or some of it).

Notably I have met 3 people who have had stuff robbed from a safety box at reception as opposed to a room safe.

[Orgathai]

Why would anyone travel with A$12,000 in cash anyway, in Thailand or in any country? I guess they don't believe in credit or debit cards.

probably they should take fingerprints of the misdirected CCTV, so they will know who misdirected it

And indeed, if I have 3000 thb in my wallet, it is a LOT!!!

Gee

[fire and ice]

Its illegal by Australian law to travel with more than 10,000 aud without declaring it.

sounds fishy to me.

Per Person ! Do people on here only ever think the worst of others ?

10,000 is not a great sum to have as cash for a holiday when, as someone else has pointed out on here ATM's are charging more and more to get your own money whilst abroad.

If you think they have made a fraudulent claim contact the bloke personally and tell him to his face, instead of stabbing people in the back!

And even if one of them had the money on them, maybe they DID declare it.

I believe I have this right: It's actually illegal in Australia to give/pay anyone $10K in cash or more (ie: within the country) without filing a cash transaction reporting form. But you can pay an unlimited amount in cash if you file the form. Its purely to make it that little bit little harder for money launderers. All bank transactions $10K or more get reported by your FI to the Fed Govt (same principle but automatically done by bank's computers).

[borisloosebrain]

Its illegal by Australian law to travel with more than 10,000 aud without declaring it.

sounds fishy to me.

$12,500 carried by a couple - that's $6,250 each-well within the legal limit.

[eastlight]

Why would anyone travel with A$12,000 in cash anyway, in Thailand or in any country? I guess they don't believe in credit or debit cards.

But then they probably read about the credit / debit card scams pulled here and decided it was safer to bring cash

[eastlight]

Agreed, I never use hotel safes. Carry my valuables about (passport & tabloid PC) and use ATM when I need a small cash top-up.

I have met so many fools that use this logic to their demise.

The chances of your hotel safe being robbed (in Thailand) are maybe 1 in 20,000

The changes of you losing it carrying it on your person by:-

--- leaving it somewhere (shop, tuk-tuk, TAXI, thai massage, bar, nightclub, toilet)

--- having it stolen from about your person (mugged, pick pocketed)

--- police (or fake police) nabbing you for something and greedily helping themselves

--- being drugged and having it stolen

--- being scammed and stupidly paying a lot (not as easy to be an idiot if its not on your person)

chances of any of the above are maybe 1 in 500

Far far more likely to lose it if you have it on you than in the safe.

I'll admit my figures here are educated guesstimates, but they point in the right direction nonetheless. I've only even met one person in my life who had their hotel room safe broken into but maybe ~40 who have had one of the above incidents occur.

When I've not trusted hotel staff or their room safe, I've usually found a hiding spot in the room to stash it (or some of it).

Notably I have met 3 people who have had stuff robbed from a safety box at reception as opposed to a room safe.

Totally agree with all of that

[Fookhaht]

Why would anyone travel with A$12,000 in cash anyway, in Thailand or in any country? I guess they don't believe in credit or debit cards.

But then they probably read about the credit / debit card scams pulled here and decided it was safer to bring cash

Has anyone heard of the 20th-century invention called the "traveler's check?" Yes, they really do accept them in Thailand.

[harrry]

Hotels are liable for losses in Thailand. I do not think they would have paid up unless they already knew who did it and it was someone that they could not afford to upset....a relative of one of the owners maybe.

[Asianrider]

a lot of the cheap safes have a manufactures master code too ,,,,

[blackthorn2005]

I always take $10,000.00 in cash to Thailand. If you think hotel safes are unsafe, what do you think happens with your cards. I left 30000 baht in hotel safe this year and the hotel sent me email. I picked it up on next visit to Bangkok. Never stayed at hotel before. Cape House near Chitlom.

I arrange a telegraphic transfer of cash from my bank in the UK direct to my Thai Foreign Currency Deposit Account. Never looked back at that move.

[queanbeyan]

Its illegal by Australian law to travel with more than 10,000 aud without declaring it.

sounds fishy to me.

There are two people in the photo - that makes the amount that is legal $20,000 between them - or is it $5000 each?

[brianb1944]

Its illegal by Australian law to travel with more than 10,000 aud without declaring it.

sounds fishy to me.

2 people, is only $6000 each. Anyway, many people travel with cash now, because of the bank rip off with ATM. I always do, can always change it at advantageous rates too.

[JohnPolo]

Several posters have declared how many possible combinations there are of 4 numbers - none of which were correct, or even close to correct. Furthermore, those errors don't appear to have registered with anyone reading the posts. So much for the superior education ferangs supposedly enjoy ....

[TantraMantra]

I never use hotel room safes. There is a scam used world-wide that lets hotel workers open your safe if it has numbered buttons.

They first clean all the buttons, touch their finger to the side of their nose and then rub all the buttons with this light "grease".

When the safe is used, they can see which four numbers have been used. With only four numbers, it doesn't take long for them to find the combination using trial and error.

Trial and error? They would have to try 1,000s of times. There must be an easier way.

[TantraMantra]

Agreed, I never use hotel safes. Carry my valuables about (passport & tabloid PC) and use ATM when I need a small cash top-up.

I have met so many fools that use this logic to their demise.

The chances of your hotel safe being robbed (in Thailand) are maybe 1 in 20,000

The changes of you losing it carrying it on your person by:-

--- leaving it somewhere (shop, tuk-tuk, TAXI, thai massage, bar, nightclub, toilet)

--- having it stolen from about your person (mugged, pick pocketed)

--- police (or fake police) nabbing you for something and greedily helping themselves

--- being drugged and having it stolen

--- being scammed and stupidly paying a lot (not as easy to be an idiot if its not on your person)

chances of any of the above are maybe 1 in 500

Far far more likely to lose it if you have it on you than in the safe.

I'll admit my figures here are educated guesstimates, but they point in the right direction nonetheless. I've only even met one person in my life who had their hotel room safe broken into but maybe ~40 who have had one of the above incidents occur.

When I've not trusted hotel staff or their room safe, I've usually found a hiding spot in the room to stash it (or some of it).

Notably I have met 3 people who have had stuff robbed from a safety box at reception as opposed to a room safe.

Totally agree with all of that

My spaced out friend left £4,000 in a taxi in India...never saw it again.

[chooka]

It's a bit like "tourists" who rather frequently in the past claimed they were walking on Beach Road in Pattaya at 2:00 in the morning and that they were robbed of 4 mobile phones, $10,000 in bearer bonds , two 10 baht gold necklaces, B 250,000 cash, a Faberge egg and a diamond tiara while being attacked by a deranged Khatoey.

Entirely believable.

I suppose this will be the next trend. Tourists claiming their hotel safe was burgled, with grainy newspaper photos showing them pointing out the nose "grease" on the keyboard of their room safe.

Farangs, eh? You gotta love 'em.

Farang is the term for western foreigners. Did you look at the pic and see thier names hardly fit the profile of farang and according to my Thai wife they are not farang by thai terms. Maybe you should of used the term tourists. Yes they are still Aussies I'm not disputing that fact.

[TantraMantra]

I'm sure the staff have already thought of every possible hiding place in the room. I sometimes put valuables in my big luggage with a good lock and then use a cycle type lock to secure it to the desk or somewhere.

[DieterWiehe]

I never use hotel room safes. There is a scam used world-wide that lets hotel workers open your safe if it has numbered buttons.

They first clean all the buttons, touch their finger to the side of their nose and then rub all the buttons with this light "grease".

When the safe is used, they can see which four numbers have been used. With only four numbers, it doesn't take long for them to find the combination using trial and error.

You are incorrect... there are 10,000 possible combinations when using a 4 digit code !!!!!!!

Not if you know the 4 numbers, then its factorial 4, or 24 possible combinations.

If the 4 greasy numbers were 2,5,6,7, for example and you allowed things like 2-2-2-2 ( which implies the finger hit three additional numbers that were not actually used), then it would by 4X4X4X4 possibilities or 256. If the finger prints were found on 4 separate numbers and none was used twice it would be 4! =4X3X2X1 = 24

why even try the have a master key don't the?

[louse1953]

Its illegal by Australian law to travel with more than 10,000 aud without declaring it.

sounds fishy to me.

There were two of them you know.How do you know they didn't declare 2k.

[louse1953]

The Aussie looked like the sort of person who would scam the hotel. He may have had nothing in the safe!

What look is that.

[fred110]

I never use hotel room safes. There is a scam used world-wide that lets hotel workers open your safe if it has numbered buttons.

They first clean all the buttons, touch their finger to the side of their nose and then rub all the buttons with this light "grease".

When the safe is used, they can see which four numbers have been used. With only four numbers, it doesn't take long for them to find the combination using trial and error.

Just clean all the buttons before you use it.

[fred110]

The Aussie looked like the sort of person who would scam the hotel. He may have had nothing in the safe!

What look is that.

Maybe you're looking in a mirror???

[GOLDBUGGY]

I never use hotel room safes. There is a scam used world-wide that lets hotel workers open your safe if it has numbered buttons.

They first clean all the buttons, touch their finger to the side of their nose and then rub all the buttons with this light "grease".

When the safe is used, they can see which four numbers have been used. With only four numbers, it doesn't take long for them to find the combination using trial and error.

You are incorrect... there are 10,000 possible combinations when using a 4 digit code !!!!!!!

Yes! It is 10,000 possible numbers. Now if you consider trying one number takes you 5 seconds, then with non stop trying the maximum amount of time to open the safe would be 14 hours. The average time would be half that, so 7 hours of non-stop trying. However, you could get lucky and get it your first try, which would take you 5 seconds. But if that happened, better to leave the money and rush out and buy a Lotto Ticket. All hotel management have the ability to open this safe from a certain combination of numbers, and I beleive a key. For people who forget there numbers and for people who love to leave the safe locked when they check out. But I have never ever had any problems leaving my cash and passport in any hotel safe, and I have been travelling for years. Closer to Decades!.

For cash, going to the bank with your Passport and Visa Card works great. No fee's charged for that although the exchange rate is a little less than the bank rate. But I found not very much different and thus well worth it. Pulled 200,000 Baht a couple of times but most times less, as I don't like having too much cash on me. Had my ATM Card stuck in a machine once in Pattaya, and "He No Cum Back!". The bank wouldn't give it back to me and said they have to send the card back to my bank in my country. Which doesn't help when you are far away. My Visa Card saved my life, and in this way no chance of losing it.

[chooka]

The Aussie looked like the sort of person who would scam the hotel. He may have had nothing in the safe!

What look is that.

Maybe he is refering to the asian look, who knows

[pastitche]

I never use hotel room safes. There is a scam used world-wide that lets hotel workers open your safe if it has numbered buttons.

They first clean all the buttons, touch their finger to the side of their nose and then rub all the buttons with this light "grease".

When the safe is used, they can see which four numbers have been used. With only four numbers, it doesn't take long for them to find the combination using trial and error.

You are incorrect... there are 10,000 possible combinations when using a 4 digit code !!!!!!!

No - there are four known numbers involved; how many permutations are there of eg 1234?

[12DrinkMore]

Several posters have declared how many possible combinations there are of 4 numbers - none of which were correct, or even close to correct. Furthermore, those errors don't appear to have registered with anyone reading the posts. So much for the superior education ferangs supposedly enjoy ....

Great Post

Pity you couldn't take the time to offer the correct solution.

There are 24 permutations of four known but different numbers.

There are 12 permutations when two of the numbers are the same.

There are 4 permutations when three of the numbers are the same

There is obviously only one permutation when all the numbers are the same.

And there is only one combination of four known but different numbers.

Edited December 20, 2011 by 12DrinkMore

[12DrinkMore]

Its illegal by Australian law to travel with more than 10,000 aud without declaring it.

sounds fishy to me.

Per Person ! Do people on here only ever think the worst of others ?

10,000 is not a great sum to have as cash for a holiday when, as someone else has pointed out on here ATM's are charging more and more to get your own money whilst abroad.

If you think they have made a fraudulent claim contact the bloke personally and tell him to his face, instead of stabbing people in the back!

Well out of my league.

His budget was 20,000 Baht for each of the 17 odd days spent in Thailand; the hotel bill was already paid and he had his female companion already.

[housepainter]

Can anyone make sense of this moronic headline?

Lost in translation it isn't but lost in the pathetic attempt at using idomatic speech it surely is. The problem with wishing to be 'hip' with the us eof language is that idioms do not travel. Hence on your bike means go cycling; croggy would leave you totally confused and ponies are for little girls in Berkshire.

Edited December 20, 2011 by housepainter