Who To Call ?

[lemoncake]

There are a few issues to gun ownership. You need to show that you have the right business that you are protecting along with a few other things. Then there is the issue of what rights you have to shoot anyone who breaks into your house. The degree of danger to you or family members comes into play, the degree of threat from the intruder comes into play and under most circumstances everything is very difficult to prove so ....

You forgot the main issue

Would you be willing to pull the trigger? Sure behind the keyboard you could fire a nuke, but when pointing the gun at a person and looking into his face and eyes, it s a totally different ball game

[yoslim]

Learn how to say in Thai you know someone is dealing with illegal substances and give your house address, I'm sure the cops will be there in no time even at 4am

[Soutpeel]

There are a few issues to gun ownership. You need to show that you have the right business that you are protecting along with a few other things. Then there is the issue of what rights you have to shoot anyone who breaks into your house. The degree of danger to you or family members comes into play, the degree of threat from the intruder comes into play and under most circumstances everything is very difficult to prove so ....

You forgot the main issue

Would you be willing to pull the trigger? Sure behind the keyboard you could fire a nuke, but when pointing the gun at a person and looking into his face and eyes, it s a totally different ball game

Having lived in country were carrying concealed firearms was the norm (not the US)...your correct if you point a firearm at someone you had better be prepared to pull the trigger, if there is any doubt in that regard, better you dont own one...they are not "fashion statement" or a toy as some people think they are...ie the macho sh*t boys..."I will slot someone in the head, one shot one kill BS"

when I carryed a firearm, I had the benefit of military training behind me, as did most of the males my age, and I did discharge the firearm in "anger" a few times, and trust me, even with the training its still not a easy decision to make.

Based on my experiences to date, I have personally never felt the need to own/carry a firearm in Thailand

[LeCharivari]

There are a few issues to gun ownership. You need to show that you have the right business that you are protecting along with a few other things. Then there is the issue of what rights you have to shoot anyone who breaks into your house. The degree of danger to you or family members comes into play, the degree of threat from the intruder comes into play and under most circumstances everything is very difficult to prove so ....

You forgot the main issue

Would you be willing to pull the trigger? Sure behind the keyboard you could fire a nuke, but when pointing the gun at a person and looking into his face and eyes, it s a totally different ball game

For once I'd agree with lemoncake. If you aren't 100% confident you could kill someone, face to face, forget it - and lots of people can't, so you just end up going from having a dangerous intruder to having a dangerous armed intruder.

Who to call? Not the police - on the two occasions I have tried (from Pattaya and from Naklua, in reasonably easy locations to access) it took 20 minutes and 25 minutes just to get an answer. When I had an intruder in my house in Pattaya, while I was on the phone to the police, they said that they couldn't come to me but could I come to the police station to report it - and that was in the middle of the afternoon, and I'm not joking!

Other options (and I know its not the question)? Get a dog or two, or re-wire your alarm with the sound of barking dogs.

[eddie61]

get a gun

[pattayadingo]

get a gun

What is all this with guns?

How about non-lethal methods such as mace, tasers and others.

[BarnicaleBob]

This question of who to call might be answered by asking your Thai nieghbors what number they would call. When you get that number look for a back up number to call from other nieghbors. I know this next part is a bit off topic but burglars look for easy targets, they will pass by fortified targets in most cases and hit the easy ones. So a little outward appearence of being well fortified should cut down the number of attempts and you will not need a number to call.

[Soutpeel]

get a gun

What is all this with guns?

How about non-lethal methods such as mace, tasers and others.

Maybe a colonial cousin...

[jbrain]

get a gun

I said already that it is an option, although I don't fancy a 10 - 15 year stay in prison because of self defence.

[SteveH]

I remember when we got burgled a few years ago my wife called our Puyai Bahn, he, the police and some local police volunteers were here pretty quickly, it was about 9pm,not early in the morning so I don't know whether she would have still called him at that sort of time. We live in a fairly rural area,perhaps in the city it would be different.At the time I asked why she called Puyai and not the Police, she said that is the way it should be done.

[bangkokpoppys]

It seems you knew the answer to your question already and the posts are validating that.

Questionable, unreliable support from authorities - give it a go call them anyway if there is an issue. However it seems the best deployed strategy is improved physical security ie use bushed in front of your fences, lock your gates etc.

[khaowong1]

I agree with one of the other posters on here. Get a dog. Preferably a Rottweiler. I'm a monk.. I had one someone gave me at my temple in Khoksamrong, Lopburi. Slept on the porch of my kuti (monks hut). The only people who could get near my kuti was guys in orange robes. Worked good. I never scolded him for barking or growling at people.. Only told him to go sit down or lay down. He was a great dog. People who weren't monks walked way around my kuti.

[jbrain]

I agree with one of the other posters on here. Get a dog. Preferably a Rottweiler. I'm a monk.. I had one someone gave me at my temple in Khoksamrong, Lopburi. Slept on the porch of my kuti (monks hut). The only people who could get near my kuti was guys in orange robes. Worked good. I never scolded him for barking or growling at people.. Only told him to go sit down or lay down. He was a great dog. People who weren't monks walked way around my kuti.

I like your suggestion, and I would love to have a dog, but I'm afraid that I don't have the time and persistency to take decent care of the dog.

[ThaiMouse]

Soutpeel you know why they were banned. Too damn effective. Chap in a Beemer in Randburg fried two street kids at a set of robots on the Linden side. I saw the results. It was intended for carjackers, not naughty street kids.

[Phronesis]

Ghost Busters...

[Beardog]

Most theives will have bolt cutters & wire snips(insulated along with picks & tools . The one huge problem with electric fences are they are very easy to get around. A buddy had a dynamite settup with 5 wires & laser sensors from end To end . This time the stupid dipshits put it right next to his telephone poll. I showed Dave his infallible weakness in his very expensive settup. Fence was 3.5 meters high & another 1/3 of a meter for the wires. I put 2 bolts in the pole & grabbed them with my feet & moved them up the pole & just jumped over the wire. Kinda hurt a bit coming down on cement but I was in in very short time. Owner not home- 2 minutes shimmy over the wires & a thief is in like flynt. A rubber mat works just as well or cut the power line & throw wire to cover on the fence grid till batteries are discharged. Most of the lines are only hot on the top anyway. I used to work in security systems in So. Cal back in the states. Unless you have aa James Bond old school laser like in Goldfinger, most electric fences are a joke.

The companies that pitch the fences know there is always a weakness somewhere & in Thailand being able to just cut one electrical line wire at a time & short the backup batteries your basicaly pissing in the wind. But it is a great feel good. My last house after I was robbed at gunpoint had an aushavitz style(coined by one of the moderators)

And that worked pretty good. Till 4 years later when the exploited the section where the fence wasn't raised to 2 meters with government style 45% bars & barbwire.

You can get a gun & it isn't hard at all . You have to go through a basic gun course & upon completion the officers on the shooting will offer you a piece or rifle for a huge markup. I bought a nice American style Mossburg riot gun & if I ever have to point it at someone I will use it. Hopefully it will never come to that. Sattahib police told me make sure it is a kill shot(its a shotgun so it wouldnt be a problem) And make sure they are on your property defined by a fence.The bottom line if you shoot someone in any country you will be going to court Guarenteed even if you are in the right. What happens commonly in Thailand if you do kill or maim someone you can be sure the cop that sold you the gun will be coming back for 50,000 baht tea money.......every time the 50 runs out you probably see him again.

Sorry both ideas are not at all what the poster was looking for but calling the cops ....They will be there tomorrow unless you are robbed at gunpoint. Then they have to respond.......an hour or 2 later. Our old neighbor & friend is a cop & he was there within 2 minutes from our call. He lives down the road. The only deterent about an electric fence is a thief may just go for an easier mark. But then again the thieves are not to bright. The first robbers got 11 years prison or will probably be released at Songran.

And it still is a waste of time There is no restitution just endless court dates & expense. They will give you 200 baht at the end of it & thats all you will see from the courts.

Getting a gun is as easy as getting a Thai drivers license. And if your house is to secure they just go up on the roof & remove the panels & viola they are in. I think Mr. Naams house may be quite a bit more difficult!

[doggie888888]

There are a few issues to gun ownership. You need to show that you have the right business that you are protecting along with a few other things. Then there is the issue of what rights you have to shoot anyone who breaks into your house. The degree of danger to you or family members comes into play, the degree of threat from the intruder comes into play and under most circumstances everything is very difficult to prove so ....

You forgot the main issue

Would you be willing to pull the trigger? Sure behind the keyboard you could fire a nuke, but when pointing the gun at a person and looking into his face and eyes, it s a totally different ball game

For once I'd agree with lemoncake. If you aren't 100% confident you could kill someone, face to face, forget it - and lots of people can't, so you just end up going from having a dangerous intruder to having a dangerous armed intruder.

Who to call? Not the police - on the two occasions I have tried (from Pattaya and from Naklua, in reasonably easy locations to access) it took 20 minutes and 25 minutes just to get an answer. When I had an intruder in my house in Pattaya, while I was on the phone to the police, they said that they couldn't come to me but could I come to the police station to report it - and that was in the middle of the afternoon, and I'm not joking!

Other options (and I know its not the question)? Get a dog or two, or re-wire your alarm with the sound of barking dogs.

When I discovered my house had been broken into, I called the Thai neighbour to ask who I should call, and she said leave it to her...police arrived in 10 minutes..I was shocked and then vowed never to believe theories on thaivisa without a large pinch (busload?) of salt.. She is a housewife and is not particularly connected I don't think.

I am in Naklua too. And over a year ago some police colonel came around the area and stuck his sticker with his photo and telephone number all over the area. English and Thai.

once you get a Thai to deal with another Thai, things do happen most of the time.

[Soutpeel]

Soutpeel you know why they were banned. Too damn effective. Chap in a Beemer in Randburg fried two street kids at a set of robots on the Linden side. I saw the results. It was intended for carjackers, not naughty street kids.

Personally I always thought that kit would go down very well in Thailand with the Hi-So's...lastest fashion accessory for the car...personal flame thrower...

but yes remember the case you are talking about, when they first came the police warned people if they started braai'ing people they would prosecute them.. ....lekker dag

[pattayapip]

I have an electric fence installed by wasp security, nobody has ever tried to break into my house in then three years I've lived there, both my neighbours have been burgled.

What kind of costs for this Electric Fence Please ? Approximate

Have found their website

Edited April 7, 2013 by pattayapip

[Beardog]

Most theives will have bolt cutters & wire snips(insulated along with picks & tools . The one huge problem with electric fences are they are very easy to get around. A buddy had a dynamite settup with 5 wires & laser sensors from end To end . This time the stupid dipshits put it right next to his telephone poll. I showed Dave his infallible weakness in his very expensive settup. Fence was 3.5 meters high & another 1/3 of a meter for the wires. I put 2 bolts in the pole & grabbed them with my feet & moved them up the pole & just jumped over the wire. Kinda hurt a bit coming down on cement but I was in in very short time. Owner not home- 2 minutes shimmy over the wires & a thief is in like flynt. A rubber mat works just as well or cut the power line & throw wire to cover on the fence grid till batteries are discharged. Most of the lines are only hot on the top anyway. I used to work in security systems in So. Cal back in the states. Unless you have aa James Bond old school laser like in Goldfinger, most electric fences are a joke.

The companies that pitch the fences know there is always a weakness somewhere & in Thailand being able to just cut one electrical line wire at a time & short the backup batteries your basicaly pissing in the wind. But it is a great feel good. My last house after I was robbed at gunpoint had an aushavitz style(coined by one of the moderators)

And that worked pretty good. Till 4 years later when the exploited the section where the fence wasn't raised to 2 meters with government style 45% bars & barbwire.

You can get a gun & it isn't hard at all . You have to go through a basic gun course & upon completion the officers on the shooting will offer you a piece or rifle for a huge markup. I bought a nice American style Mossburg riot gun & if I ever have to point it at someone I will use it. Hopefully it will never come to that. Sattahib police told me make sure it is a kill shot(its a shotgun so it wouldnt be a problem) And make sure they are on your property defined by a fence.The bottom line if you shoot someone in any country you will be going to court Guarenteed even if you are in the right. What happens commonly in Thailand if you do kill or maim someone you can be sure the cop that sold you the gun will be coming back for 50,000 baht tea money.......every time the 50 runs out you probably see him again.

Sorry both ideas are not at all what the poster was looking for but calling the cops ....They will be there tomorrow unless you are robbed at gunpoint. Then they have to respond.......an hour or 2 later. Our old neighbor & friend is a cop & he was there within 2 minutes from our call. He lives down the road. The only deterent about an electric fence is a thief may just go for an easier mark. But then again the thieves are not to bright. The first robbers got 11 years prison or will probably be released at Songran.

And it still is a waste of time There is no restitution just endless court dates & expense. They will give you 200 baht at the end of it & thats all you will see from the courts.

Getting a gun is as easy as getting a Thai drivers license. And if your house is to secure they just go up on the roof & remove the panels & viola they are in. I think Mr. Naams house may be quite a bit more difficult!

Beardog,

Your electric fence experiences and mine are very different.

Firstly, if you put an electric fence next to something like a telegraph pole, or overhanging tree without taking special precautions for that area of course people can get around it. In that case you would probably want to use poles that slant back into the property on a 45 degree angle so that jumping off the pole becomes much harder, or if installed correctly totally impossible.

Secondly, any electric fence of any quality has two things. One is a massive battery that makes what you are saying above about running battery down a mute point, but the second and most important feature is a feature that if a wire is cut, or there is a connection made between any two wires a bloody great alarm goes off.

I have this facility in my house and it works great, I would never install a conventional alarm again, you are 100% NOT getting into my property without setting the alarm off.

Only downside I would say is that if there is allot of vegetation around the fence, sometimes things can fall on the wires and set the alarm off. Other than that they are super effective.

Cost wise I'm on a 800 sqm metre plot and the fence was 67k, worth every baht and more. I had a quote on a 600 sqm plot as well and it was around 55k, that should give you a rough idea.

Mike from Wasp security is excellent and personally I wouldn't consider using anybody else - there are cheaper Thai companies out there but most use low quality components and don't feature the alarm.

Tom.

Actually Tom I worked for the Palm Springs police dept as a consultant for their yard that was continually getting hit. I guarentee unless you spent 3 million baht on the fence I could breach it easily A battery is a battery is a battery even if it is hooked to many cells it will discharge at a very rapid rate if a nice aluminum or copper is laid acrossed the wire. You just think you are safe. The fence companies no damn well if a theif wants in an electric fence sure as hell not gonna stop him.

The electric pole is non mutable point it was there first but overlooked. Unless you are running a very top end system(not what you paid for) it won't stop a persistant thief. It took a whole 1/2 an hour to figure out a decent size flaw in the counties maintainence yard. They wanted proof & had sounded like 6 or more hungry dogs in the building. My team unhinged the gate & filled 220 gallons of gas by removing the pump since the gas was on. We avoided the dogs inside & got the contract.

Since most of the thefts are inside jobs the fence company installer can opt to leave a backdoor in the system & visit on their own time. I charge $1500.00 U.S. for a consultation I highly doubt you paid anywhere near that in consultation fees.Like I said it makes you feel good but the installer or locksmith can Always Do You at a later date. This is a very common known fact in the business. Don't mean to be harsh on your asses,ent but you would be better off seeing the reality of theft. Especially in Thailand! A rubber mat also works perfect for insulating the shock anyway Eh? Otherwise the electricians that hook up the 220 & 440 hugh voltage lines would fry if they didn't use a hotstick that insulates the rod from the holder. A good rubber mat & your over the fence. That is why when your auto gets hit by lightning & you don't fry if you stay in the car & not grouns yourself. The rubber on the tires prevent electrical shock. same as a rubber mat. 7th grade science course teaches the basic principals of electricity

Edited April 7, 2013 by Beardog

[Beardog]

Beardog,

Can you explain the aluminum or copper across the wire? How does that work - do you mean you stand on a rubber mat and touch the metal to the wire and it discharges?

Or you short the wires together therefore setting off the alarm?

I'm going to try this and see what happens!

Cheers,

Tom.

Pm'd you to keep the off topics off the post.

[Phil Conners]

Can we please try to stay on topic - who do you call if you are burgled in Pattaya.

Thank you.

[jbrain]

Can we please try to stay on topic - who do you call if you are burgled in Pattaya. Thank you.

Thanks for the reminder but actually it is strange, or should say scary, that after 56 comments nobody has come up with a concrete answer.

A few posts have confirmed what I actually was afraid of, and that is that the police should be the last one to call. Isn't much encouraging, is it.

[Phil Conners]

I think the answer is as with so many things here, if you're connected and know who to call it is no problem - but obviously that doesn't help those not connected. I wish I could suggest something, but I have no idea. In our gated community we have excellent security who seems to know who to call when needed.

[jbrain]

I think the answer is as with so many things here, if you're connected and know who to call it is no problem - but obviously that doesn't help those not connected. I wish I could suggest something, but I have no idea. In our gated community we have excellent security who seems to know who to call when needed.

But I thought the majority of tv members were married with connections.

[jimmybkk]

For a fee you can arrange for your local police to do a daily drive-by security check of your property. My neighbour has arranged this service. They come by twice a day I think, one of those times is in the early hours (around 4am). They pull up with their lights flashing (no siren) and sign some kind of a log that they keep outside the house next to the mailbox, confirming that they were there. I assume that if you have this service then you will also have the mobile telephone number of at least one cop you could call in an emergency.

Have you tried paying a visit to your local police station and asking the question to someone there, face to face?

On the gun front, I reckon the best solution is a pump-action 12-gauge loaded with those bean bag cartridges. The sound of a pump-action being pumped/cocked (whatever is the correct term) is distinctive and most likely tells any intruder that they are out-gunned and they've probably picked the wrong house. If they haven't scarpered already and you have to confront them you will not appear to be someone who is reluctant to pull the trigger, because unless you are unlucky you're unlikely to kill them with one of those bean bags.

If you want to go the whole 9 yards (and have a good memory) then set it up so that the first round that enters the chamber is a regular 12-gauge cartridge and the rest are bean bags, and get one of those red laser beam sights fitted. When you hear the sound of an intruder downstairs and wander out to confront him/them, pump your shotgun, fire a regular round warning shot into the ceiling/wall/air/whatever, then level your laser sight on him while his ears are still ringing and the dust is settling.... I don't care what he's been smoking, he's gonna be looking for an exit.

Of course, this will not work in every scenario, but for the "My alarm has just been activated" or "I heard a noise downstairs" scenarios I reckon it's as good as it gets.

[mad mary]

I ring me mum..

[guzzi850m2]

I also don't have any good advises since OP lives isolated. If you have noticed any police volunteers that's in your area you can maybe contact them and get a phone No?

It was my main reason why we choose a Moo Baan (gated community) as my wife stays alone for app. 6 month a year, we can call the guards and they will come quickly.

I am also thinking about getting 2 large sirens fitted in front/back outside of the house and then have panic bottom fitted in the bedrooms. That would wake everybody up in the houses near by and the guards are close by too.

That will also act as preventive measure.

A shot gun with bean bags? I don't have any experience on the subject so I can't give any advise there, but it would be nice having one if 2 punks with machetes enter your property.

Dogs are good but if you are not a dog lover, no.

[Phil Conners]

A shotgun with beanbags sounds nice, but I don't think you can get those things here, certainly not legally.

We have the patrol service in our gated community too, I think it's 1,000-1,500 baht per month, and it may be part of why they come when we (rarely) need them. They put up this small red mailbox on the outside, usually with some sort of police sticker. Try driving around your neighborhood and see if you spot any.

[jbrain]

A shotgun with beanbags sounds nice, but I don't think you can get those things here, certainly not legally.

We have the patrol service in our gated community too, I think it's 1,000-1,500 baht per month, and it may be part of why they come when we (rarely) need them. They put up this small red mailbox on the outside, usually with some sort of police sticker. Try driving around your neighborhood and see if you spot any.

If this is what you mean with a shotgun with bean bags. Then yes they are available and legal in Thailand. I was actually considering to buy one.Seller is by the way a member of this forum. But no, you can't fit them that the first shot is a regular gauge and the next one beanbags.

http://www.thailandairsoft.com/airsoft-guns/shotguns/218/a-k-pump-action-m870-detail#enlarge