Scared And Being Chased By Soi Dogs

[wellred]

Oweing to me being lazy my TGF had to fly out to Krabi a day earlier than me just so she could be there when I get there tomorrow. I dropped her off at the airport today. First thing is going there we only paid 200 bhat but coming back I had to pay 400. I said to them song loy dai khap and they said no 400 minimum.

Anyway once I got off at Asoke I had to cross the bridge to where the lexus dealership is to get to my hotel. Coming down the stairs I could see some dogs trying to attack someone. I pegged it back up the stairs so I could see down the road till it was clear. I saw one of the offending dogs running along and it went past the stairs so as I made my way down it made a u turn, looked at me and started running up the stairs towards me. I ran down stairs to the other side and ended up bursting into some restaurant to eat something just to get out of it's way. What's with these dam_n dogs? When im with tilak they all seem friendly and just sleep on the street most of the time but this morning it seemed they were all after me.

Also this was around 0500 so it was still dark. When I finally ventured out to the hotel I got lost and couldn't find my hotel. I asked one taxi guy to take me there and he looked really dodgey and asked how much I would pay. I said on neung loy bhat.. he chatted to his mate in thai for a bit and then just looked at me. Sensing trouble I just said mai pen rai ill walk, he said ok and I walked around the block. Once the sun came up I managed to find my hotel. I've not been alone so far in Bangkok till today but fk me I felt shit scared.

Maybe it's just me but I find people friendlier in Chiang Mai. What a numpty I am. I need to go to chatuchak market to get some slippers as they are asking for too much on sukhumvit but I think id rather just stay in the hotel. Xmas day locked in my hotel room. At least I have a decent selection of channels to watch here in the room.

Merry crimbo everyone.

Edited December 25, 2011 by wellred

[benbear]

Anyway once I got off at Asoke I had to cross the bridge to where the lexus dealership is to get to my hotel. Coming down the stairs I could see some dogs trying to attack someone. I pegged it back up the stairs so I could see down the road till it was clear. I saw one of the offending dogs running along and it went past the stairs so as I made my way down it made a u turn, looked at me and started running up the stairs towards me. I ran down stairs to the other side and ended up bursting into some restaurant to eat something just to get out of it's way. What's with these dam_n dogs? When im with tilak they all seem friendly and just sleep on the street most of the time but this morning it seemed they were all after me.

Also this was around 0500 so it was still dark. When I finally ventured out to the hotel I got lost and couldn't find my hotel. I asked one taxi guy to take me there and he looked really dodgey and asked how much I would pay. I said on neung loy bhat.. he chatted to his mate in thai for a bit and then just looked at me. Sensing trouble I just said mai pen rai ill walk, he said ok and I walked around the block. Once the sun came up I managed to find my hotel. I've not been alone so far in Bangkok till today but fk me I felt shit scared.

I love this story, it's funny and so true. Once got chased by some dogs and ran into bar were most people were laughing hard. I must admit I started to laugh as well. It's just one of them amazing Thailand moments

[Fookhaht]

I suggest the effective technique demonstrated (to my amazement) by my 5'2" Thai friend who simply faces the dogs with a fierce look, puts his hand out in a policeman's gesture of stopping traffic, and barks "YOOT!!!" (stop) in a most authoritative voice.

Every time, the dogs respond with a confused expression, followed by cowardly fear, turn tail, and run.

[ignis]

I need to go to chatuchak market to get some slippers

No idea why you need to go there for slippers [Tesco Lotus and Big C have slippers for 65 baht] but if you do get to chatuchak market then go into a dog suppliers, buy bag of 100 stick treats cost 35 baht, that dog will be your friend and protect you as long as you have a teat to give it of course

Edited December 25, 2011 by ignis

[Abduljabbar01]

If they are male dogs. Aim for the Balls and kick them there.

Always stops them here.

[wellred]

I need to go to the market later, considering buying some street food to use as 'bait' in case they come back for more.

[wellred]

I need to go to chatuchak market to get some slippers

No idea why you need to go there for slippers [Tesco Lotus and Big C have slippers for 65 baht] but if you do get to chatuchak market then go into a dog suppliers, buy bag of 100 stick treats cost 35 baht, that dog will be your friend and protect you as long as you have a teat to give it of course

Thanks. I don't know where either of those places are tbh. Im alone today so might venture out but it's my first time in bangkok and up until now i've let my tgf do most of the navigating around.

[jalansanitwong]

You never buy anything along Sukhumvit road because its one of Thailands main tourist traps.Even street vendors charge absurd prices. Always shop where the locals shop. Markets and weekend temple flea markets . Not necessarily Chatuchak. Too many tourists.

Dogs.? soi dogs think they own Bangkok because theyre pampered by Thais with nothing better to do with their time.

Easy solution if youre a farang. Stare at the dog and point your index and middle finger at it . then say in thai "khun pai Sakorn Nakhon"

end of problem...if that doesnt work then feed it a bunch of grapes laced with brake fluid.

Edited December 25, 2011 by jalansanitwong

[wellred]

I might be moving to Bangkok next year too so guess i'll have to just get used to them.

As for shopping, ill explore bangkok more when I get back from Ubon but ill just stick with chatuchak today. I've been there already so know how to get there from the station. But yes your right the street vendors on sukhumvit charge stupid prices. I got a pair of those flip flops with the brazil flag in walking st chiang mai for 95 bhat and they want 280 on sukhumvit. All indians too, never knew there were so many here. They hassle me at 7/11's to buy watches too. I must have said mai ow khap around 100 times since I got to bangkok.

Also I bought some DVD's from sukhumvit market yesterday. Got some tv ones I didn't have time to watch in the UK (californication, sopranos ect...) and some films for me and the gf to watch, she wanted happy feet. Anyway happy feet was not even happy feet, it was some dodgey porno with girls who I don't think were old enough to be doing that. Needless to say I smashed it up and threw it away. <deleted>..

[ignis]

I need to go to the market later, considering buying some street food to use as 'bait' in case they come back for more.

If you do go to chatuchak market the dog snacks [100 long hard sticks in a pack] are called OKIKO Snacks, they cost 35 to 45 baht per pack..... Supermarkets have a different brand name but are the same but cost 150 baht, pet stores sell the same brand from 65 - 100 baht depends on shop..... The same size bag 240 baht called MILKY are better but soft and would be eaten in no time, so better would be the cheap hard ones..

Tesco get on the BTS Sky train and go south to 'On Nut' is a big Tesco at that stop, I don't live in Bangkok so maybe one closer.

Edited December 25, 2011 by ignis

[ShopBoy]

why are you bargaining fare to take taxi ?

just hop on it and pay according to the meter if the cab doesn't want to operate by the meter just disembark and hop on another cab

[wellred]

Just got back from pratunam. I feel a bit more comfortable now having taken the BTS. I went to chit lom and pratunam was a 10 min walk from there past central world. Stopped in at central world too but it was pretty much what id see over here so I didn't get anything. No dogs this time either.

Edited December 25, 2011 by wellred

[fstarbkk]

Dogs are territorial and can sense fear/ insecurity. For better or worse, there are too many homeless dogs in Thailand and they have no choice but to choose some public area as their "home". Most soi dogs are not naturally aggressive and their bark is almost always worse than their willingness to get into a fight. When they are approached with a mixture of indifference and clam-assertive dominance. most of them will make way, even if they continue to bark as they retreat.

Direct eye contact is, by the way, a direct challenge to a dog and inevitably triggers the fight-or-flight machanism. Depending on the dog's disposition, this may escalate the situation. If you do feel you have to confront the dog in this manner, be sure that you can project an image that convinces the dog that a fight is not winnable for him. In practice that means to make yourself look a s big and fearsome as possible and always give the dog a safe way to retreat. Any dog (even a toy poodle) that feels backed into a corner is very dangerous. Many more dog bites happen out of fear, than out of real aggression.

[DP25]

Oweing to me being lazy my TGF had to fly out to Krabi a day earlier than me just so she could be there when I get there tomorrow. I dropped her off at the airport today. First thing is going there we only paid 200 bhat but coming back I had to pay 400. I said to them song loy dai khap and they said no 400 minimum.

You know the train goes to the airport now. You could have taken that back for 45 baht, then switch to the subway to Asoke or just take a quick cab to your hotel. Easily under 100 baht

Also maybe you should stay in a different part of the city if you feel uncomfortable. That area of Suhkumvit is by far the dodgiest part of the city.

Edited December 25, 2011 by DP25

[wellred]

Oweing to me being lazy my TGF had to fly out to Krabi a day earlier than me just so she could be there when I get there tomorrow. I dropped her off at the airport today. First thing is going there we only paid 200 bhat but coming back I had to pay 400. I said to them song loy dai khap and they said no 400 minimum.

You know the train goes to the airport now. You could have taken that back for 45 baht, then switch to the subway to Asoke or just take a quick cab to your hotel. Easily under 100 baht

Also maybe you should stay in a different part of the city if you feel uncomfortable. That area of Suhkumvit is by far the dodgiest part of the city.

Thanks for the tip. I think the airport link doesn't start running till 0600 so i would have been waiting around for an hour or so but im going to use it tomorrow. I don't need to check in at the airport till 0730 so I should be able to make it there in an hour if I am at asoke for an hour before.

Also im back in Bangkok in a few weeks and have not booked any hotels yet. My gf says I should stay in Ratchada as it's better around there, but mostly she doesn't want me staying so close to cowboy and nana haha.

[jshorts]

I need to go to chatuchak market to get some slippers

No idea why you need to go there for slippers [Tesco Lotus and Big C have slippers for 65 baht] but if you do get to chatuchak market then go into a dog suppliers, buy bag of 100 stick treats cost 35 baht, that dog will be your friend and protect you as long as you have a teat to give it of course

If you give me a teat, I'll be your friend, too.

[jmdf103]

never run, this triggers an evolutionary chase instinct. A remnant of when dogs used to be wolves. In most cases you cant outrun a dog any way. Also always face any aggressive dog head on, as when dogs confront each other to turn tail is a sign of submission to them and they will pursue you. Back away still facing them is the safest way.

Edited December 25, 2011 by jmdf103

[wellred]

It's ok I got a little stun thing at the market tonight. If any dogs try it on they will be on the wrong end of 250v.

[trogers]

All beasts are instinctively afraid of fire. That's when a Bt10 cigarette lighter comes in handy. Always carry one when venturing into a forest as well.

[w11guy]

I find that a baseball bat or pepper spray works quite well on dogs. Plenty of dogs in the UK used to chase me, but Bangkok dogs don't seem to have the energy; they are mostly asleep on the floor. I good hefty kick in the ribs should also sort them out. But only pick fights you can win.

[w11guy]

why are you bargaining fare to take taxi ?

just hop on it and pay according to the meter if the cab doesn't want to operate by the meter just disembark and hop on another cab

If you get in a taxi that's stopped in a tourist area then they probably won't want to use the meter. It's best to stop one in the street, as I've never had one who didn't put the meter on. I once tried to get out of a moving taxi because he refused to put the meter on. He started shouting and asked what I was doing. I said I was getting out. He soon stopped and let me out. I found that the ones stopped always want to charge extortionate rates. One asked the other day where I was going and asked for 200 baht. The normal cost would have been about 50 baht. We told him to stick it.

[colinm]

When I see a dodgy soi dog, I tie my shoelaces. They HATE that, and scarper away!

Give it a go

[Fookhaht]

When I see a dodgy soi dog, I tie my shoelaces. They HATE that, and scarper away!

Give it a go

Dog interpretation: "I think he's picking up a rock to throw at me. Time to move on."

[exeter]

I am not in BKK I am up country but have the same problems, usually on the bike, the dogs run behind yap and and try and catch up. I now hit the brakes and am well prepared for them! At this point they usually stop the chase and yap. NOw the choice is catapult or tap the club. On the resort where I live they know me now and scatter, I have only had to club one dog, all I want to do is move around freely! Dont turn your back on them, face them down. I got may club , well I have 2 one cost 25 bts one 30 bts. I use what thais use for crushing chillis, when the dogs see it, they back off or run for cover. I am not a good shot with a catapult but they seem to know danger when they see it! 20bts, few pebbles in the pocket!

[whybother]

They hassle me at 7/11's to buy watches too. I must have said mai ow khap around 100 times since I got to bangkok.

Say "mai ow" and then ignore them. If they keep hassling you, "f#%k off" works better.

[lumply]

When I see a dodgy soi dog, I tie my shoelaces. They HATE that, and scarper away!

Give it a go

What if you're wearing sandals...oh I get it, you only have to pretend to tie your non exixtent shoelaces. Seriously, I guess this puts you at the same level as the dog, so from being a stick insect (no offence) you are more like a large bull frog to the dog. My vocation a moment ago was to become a dog trainer. Just changed my mind. End of the working day here in the Middle East, silly time.