Thieves

[egeefay]

On my last visit to Thailand I noticed that most houses had security bars on the windows...even in some of the gated communities.

With so many farangs owning houses in Thailand but staying only part of the year I was wondering if they had problems leaving their houses unattended for several months at a time..

Are thieves a big problem in Thailand...even in the nicer areas?

What measure do people take in order to protect their property when they are gone?

Are gated communities that much safer from thieves than houses along the soi's?

Can you protect your belongings with insurance in Thailand?

[jdinasia]

yes thieves can be a problem

Depends on where

security systems are a good start ... as are good doors and window locks

even some gated communities with secuty guards have had problems

yes and no ... protecting your stuff can be problematic ... get a security system ... live in nicer areas and ... pay for good insurance :-)

[Old Man River]

On my last visit to Thailand I noticed that most houses had security bars on the windows...even in some of the gated communities.

With so many farangs owning houses in Thailand but staying only part of the year I was wondering if they had problems leaving their houses unattended for several months at a time..

Are thieves a big problem in Thailand...even in the nicer areas?

What measure do people take in order to protect their property when they are gone?

Are gated communities that much safer from thieves than houses along the soi's?

Can you protect your belongings with insurance in Thailand?

Egeefay, I hope your trip to HH went well for you and you got the TT3 amended as discussed. On security, nothing beats having someone you can trust watching the house full time. Since you will, apparently, only be in your house part time if your wife has family that she can trust (i.e. no wild parties etc.), then perhaps you could arrange for a house sitter when you are out of the country. Security guards are more for show and if you are not going to be around, not a good idea. A security system makes sense and I have one myself, but there are always war stories of alarms going off and thieves still getting what they came for. Nothing beats having someone you can trust watching the house for you.

[ashacat]

Although I stay in what is supposably a very secure condo block with electronic key cards, vdo cameras and a 24hr security presence, I was burgeled only 2 weeks ago. Me and the missus were asleep in bed, when the <deleted> broke in and took all our expensive stuff: I pod, laptop, cameras etc.

The front door was locked, although the thief managed to pick it somehow. Now we use a deadlock, door chain, normal lock on the front door, as well as locking the kitchen/living room door (which has to be used to enter the main section of the condo)

In my experience although violent crime is fairly rare in LOS ie pissed up brawls (common in other places worldwide - uk, oz etc), the less confrontational crimes such as burgelry are prevalent in BKK.

Just got to be carefull and take precautions, I know I will from now on...

[Maigo6]

Dead Locks are certainly a good piece of Advice, also make sure you can lock your own bedroom door from the inside and don't leave a bunch of keys hanging on a hook anywhere.

Just make entry as difficult as possible and the guy will probably go elsewhere where it's easier.

Most break-ins are done by people you know, so they know exactly what they are after, so never ever go into the bedroom to get money, always keep money in your pocket and if a larger sum is needed, tell people you will have to go to the bank later to get it, even if you have it in your pocket or in the bedroom draw, don't let on that you keep money in the house.

[astral]

A wonderful turn of language here.

How do you steal a house??

Sounds like the Thai mentality that foreigners will buy up their land

and "steal" it.

[moonoi]

A wonderful turn of language here.

How do you steal a house??

Sounds like the Thai mentality that foreigners will buy up their land

and "steal" it.

I get your point, however it is a correct terminology

Ahh the wonderful idiosyncrasys of the english language

[astral]

A wonderful turn of language here.

How do you steal a house??

Sounds like the Thai mentality that foreigners will buy up their land

and "steal" it.

I get your point, however it is a correct terminology

Ahh the wonderful idiosyncrasys of the english language

Not if you speak the Queen's English.

Housebreakers or Burglars would be correct in the UK,

it depends on the time of day, one is in daylight and the other at night,

but cannot remember which is which.

[Gary A]

I visited a friend of mine who had just purchased a condo. I took a look at his front door and after inside I noticed that his deadbolt wasn't keyed on the inside. There was a jalousie window right beside the front door. The window did have burglar bars on it but there was enough room to stick your arm through. I showed him how easy it would be to stick an arm through, push out the screen and then to unlatch the deadbolt and the door lock. He went directly to the store and bought a double keyed deadbolt.

[moonoi]

A wonderful turn of language here.

How do you steal a house??

Sounds like the Thai mentality that foreigners will buy up their land

and "steal" it.

I get your point, however it is a correct terminology

Ahh the wonderful idiosyncrasys of the english language

Not if you speak the Queen's English.

Housebreakers or Burglars would be correct in the UK,

it depends on the time of day, one is in daylight and the other at night,

but cannot remember which is which.

Well I'm from up North, not the home counties Never heard the term housebreaker before......

[Maigo6]

:

Sounds like the Thai mentality that foreigners will buy up their land

and "steal" it.

I think it's the Farang mentality that thinks it's the Thai mentality that thinks farangs will steal land, when in fact, they are doing the right thing by keeping Thai land for Thai people, and it seems to work very very well, judging by the ammount of Thai women who now own houses and land who would otherwise have owned nothing.

Keep Thailand Thai.

Bit off Topic I know.

[Neeranam]

Thieves are a big problem in Khon Kaen city.

The best way to keep them out is to have lots of dogs.

[Neeranam]

Thieves are a big problem in Khon Kaen city.

The best way to keep them out is to have lots of dogs.

[meadish_sweetball]

Somebody snatched both my digital cameras, must have been an inside job though - either family, maid, gardener or the TV aerial installers. The problem is I have no clue which it is, and so am getting paranoid.

[Boon Mee]

Kemoys are probably the biggest problem Farang have in LOS.

Everything, I mean everything must be locked down and even then, you're gonna get ripped off at some point.

One example: If you have a window-unit A/C, it must have a burgler cage mounted on the condensor (outside) portion with the rods well-embeded in the block.

[sramkok-pratum]

Be careful some security guards have connection with thief and gang. he/she notices what time and how long you gone from home and tells his/her friends pay a visit . Do not keep any valuable things in your house NNaa they take everythings even picture frames or napkins anyway..

[cobra]

... The best way to keep them out is to have lots of dogs ..

Preferably ones that are still capable of barking,

[egeefay]

One of the housing developments we looked at in Thailand advertised an "open" living room concept. A living room without walls. In fact a lot of the rooms seemed rather open to the outside..no bars or locks.

It has a very attractive look but my first thought was...the only thing between thieves and an open floor plan like this is the guards at the entrance of the gated community.

It's in a very nice area of Hua Hin but a plan like this doesn't seem to be an appropriate design in a country where , as some are saying , deadbolts and alarm systems are a must and even with security thieves can sometimes be in cahoots with the guards.

Anyone know if there are similar type houses in Thailand?

And, would you feel secure living in a place like this in your neighborhood?

[papaya9]

My TGF says if you have dogs the bad guys will just feed them a sedative or poison.

[wamberal]

A few years ago I was at a cocktail party with a few expats and some Thais.

One of the expats, fairly new to BKK, asked one of the Thais "Are the kamoy bad around here?"

He knew what he meant. The Thai looked at him in puzzlement, until I put the question into proper English.

[sting01]

:

Sounds like the Thai mentality that foreigners will buy up their land

and "steal" it.

I think it's the Farang mentality that thinks it's the Thai mentality that thinks farangs will steal land, when in fact, they are doing the right thing by keeping Thai land for Thai people, and it seems to work very very well, judging by the ammount of Thai women who now own houses and land who would otherwise have owned nothing.

Keep Thailand Thai.

Bit off Topic I know.

The more moronic comment ever read in 4 years in that foeum.

Think about what imply your comment, and what can be the result of your comment, think about your own country and how thai people live there/act there .... Just think, rather to drink

[phibunmike]

My TGF says if you have dogs the bad guys will just feed them a sedative or poison.

My dog was stolen.... luckily the house was not broken into though....

[coldcrush]

Hiya

your a lovely lad..

dont trust anyone except your Nana...

Goodluck

[Maigo6]

The more moronic comment ever read in 4 years in that foeum.

Think about what imply your comment, and what can be the result of your comment, think about your own country and how thai people live there/act there

What does how Thai people live in other countries have to do with Farangs owning land in Thailand ?

The results of my comments ? Tell me the result of my comment, and what would have been the result if I had never made the comment.

Would farangs have been magically able to buy land in Thailand if I had never made such a comment ?

Sting, you really are confused, good luck with that land deal....

[StateSix]

A wonderful turn of language here.

How do you steal a house??

Sounds like the Thai mentality that foreigners will buy up their land

and "steal" it.

I get your point, however it is a correct terminology

Ahh the wonderful idiosyncrasys of the english language

Not if you speak the Queen's English.

Housebreakers or Burglars would be correct in the UK,

it depends on the time of day, one is in daylight and the other at night,

but cannot remember which is which.

If you enter a building, or any part of a building, as a trespasser with the intention to steal you are guilty of burglary. Housebreaking is a slang term for it, and it does not matter if it is day or night.

[Neeranam]

If you enter a building, or any part of a building, as a trespasser with the intention to steal you are guilty of burglary.

So can you get done for burglary without actually taking something away?

[Maigo6]

Many U.S. states treat burglary as a more serious crime when it occurs at night; California formerly prosecuted night-time burglary as "burglary in the first degree" and daytime burglary as "burglary in the second degree."

[astral]

A wonderful turn of language here.

How do you steal a house??

Sounds like the Thai mentality that foreigners will buy up their land

and "steal" it.

I get your point, however it is a correct terminology

Ahh the wonderful idiosyncrasys of the english language

Not if you speak the Queen's English.

Housebreakers or Burglars would be correct in the UK,

it depends on the time of day, one is in daylight and the other at night,

but cannot remember which is which.

If you enter a building, or any part of a building, as a trespasser with the intention to steal you are guilty of burglary. Housebreaking is a slang term for it, and it does not matter if it is day or night.

See this definition for more details.

BTW bars on the window do not always help.

A long pole with a hook can be used to retrieve items like cameras and handbags from a room

without every entering.

This used to be a technique used by thieves in Sri Lanka a few years back.

[meadish_sweetball]

Generally there are no foolproof systems of protection. My best suggestion is a comprehensive insurance. It will be worth it.

[Jai Yen Yen]

If you enter a building, or any part of a building, as a trespasser with the intention to steal you are guilty of burglary.

So can you get done for burglary without actually taking something away?

Yes.

A wonderful turn of language here.

How do you steal a house??

Sounds like the Thai mentality that foreigners will buy up their land

and "steal" it.

I get your point, however it is a correct terminology

Ahh the wonderful idiosyncrasys of the english language

Not if you speak the Queen's English.

Housebreakers or Burglars would be correct in the UK,

it depends on the time of day, one is in daylight and the other at night,

but cannot remember which is which.

If you enter a building, or any part of a building, as a trespasser with the intention to steal you are guilty of burglary. Housebreaking is a slang term for it, and it does not matter if it is day or night.

See this definition for more details.

The offence is still "burglary", irrespective of time of day.