Mugging......

[NoshowJones]

Something like neversure - I am 6'6" 225Lbs and never feel too bad anywhere, but over the last couple of years in Bangkok I have several friends suffered from motorbike drive-by handbag snatchers.

Oh - I forgot to say - my friends are all Thai

---

On the note of street-fighting - farang street-fighters REALLY need to be deported ON THE NEXT PLANE !!!!!!

Yes, if they are troublemakers, but don't condemn anyone if it's self defence.

Yep, that's why we learn it. Not for trouble but to take care of us and ours.

No matter what the provocation, a violent response is ALWAYS wrong.

If a person I do not know deliberately provokes me in any way where violence is concerned, I will lift the nearest thing I can put them down with, and then I will make sure they do not get back up. But here in Thailand I will just walk away.

[jpinx]

What difference does it make if you know the person or not?

What constitutes "violent provocation" in your mind? A finger waved at you, or poked in your chest?

As I said - I had a scottish pub for 11 years -- trust me -- violence is NEVER the answer. My local police in those days were about 30 minutes away (west coast) - plenty of time for the pub to be demolished, as the previous owners knew to their cost.

[theblether]

I can back my claims up with statistics besides those everyone knows that alcohol fuels agression like no other drug on this planet. So your chances of getting attacked in places like that are a lot higher. I dare to bet my life on it.

Be careful, I doubt you can provide any reliable statistics on the incidence of violence around Thai bars.

The argument that alcohol 'fuels violence' is not yet proven.

Alcohol might remove the inhibitions of violent people but there is no evidence that alcohol turns non violent people into violent people.

I beg to differ Guesthouse, I have known a few guys back in Scotland who were very mild mannered people who would not say boo to a goose, but when they started drinking, they wanted to take on everybody.

More than a few --- I used to own a pub in Scotland

My family owned a busy pub for 9 years. Barrelage 650 a year, you were in the trade, you know that's busy. We had 6 fights in 9 years. Three things were at play. One being because of my Dad's reputation the nutters wouldn't come in. The people that did come in loved the safe environment and policed themselves, and thirdly it was the staff.

That brings us back on topic......these mamasams here in Thailand are as tough as nails, they've all seen it all, done it all. There are many well run bars in Thailand that won't see a fight from one year to the next because like our staff, once they saw a guy was getting OTT or edgy, they jump on it. It doesn't mean violence, it means marking their cards that they are being watched, or if need be ushering them out, which is a lot different from throwing them out.

Good staff and door staff get people out without touching them at all.

The problem these days is that we dealt with drunkards, and cannabis users. They're not noted for being violent. These days far too many people are on mind altering drugs, especially aggressors like Cocaine. People in the bar trade now have it tougher than we did.

A couple of posters mentioned earlier about good staff and making yourself known to them. That's excellent advice. Find a place where the management is strong and you'll ordinarily not only be fine, but looked after above and beyond.

A wee simple technique for that is, and it might sound pathetic, make a point of remembering the staff's names, they won't forget yours. It's a lot safer and easier to relax in pubs where not only are you known by name, but the staff have got your back.

It doesn't do any hard with any licensed premise you go to, even your favourite restaurant will warm to you if you remember their names.

Just sayin'

[ttthailand]

18 years coming to Thailand 15 of which living here. One house break in attempt, three dogs killed, guys on motor bike tried to take my mobile phone off my belt, three motorbike helmets taken, lady mugged in plan site of me and others of her pocketbook, four guy on motorbikes tried to circle me in late one evening but managed to get away, almost had it out with a baht bus driver one evening, .... I am sure there are others but have forgotten.

[jpinx]

No matter what the provocation, a violent response is ALWAYS wrong.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeell, rather your funeral than mine. AND, this is LOS,''Land of Soooooooooooooo'' little fuzz protection.

The police in UK and other parts of the world have an unwritten policy of responding to pub brawls in slow time so that the heat has gone out of the situation before they get there.

[transam]

No matter what the provocation, a violent response is ALWAYS wrong.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeell, rather your funeral than mine. AND, this is LOS,''Land of Soooooooooooooo'' little fuzz protection.

The police in UK and other parts of the world have an unwritten policy of responding to pub brawls in slow time so that the heat has gone out of the situation before they get there.

Do a youtube.

[jpinx]

No matter what the provocation, a violent response is ALWAYS wrong.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeell, rather your funeral than mine. AND, this is LOS,''Land of Soooooooooooooo'' little fuzz protection.

The police in UK and other parts of the world have an unwritten policy of responding to pub brawls in slow time so that the heat has gone out of the situation before they get there.

Do a youtube.

After 11 years of doing it for real -- why would I look at youtube ?

[Metapod]

I've been assaulted once in Thailand and it was by another foreigner. Funny story, didn't end too well for him lol.

[benalibina]

Like anywhere in the world, fear is in the eye of the beholder. Scum who are out to harm somebody unknown can smell it from a distance if you are a person like that. If however you stride with confidence, no matter what size you are, fat chance of something happening. This aplies to thailand as well.

[impulse]

Some parts of the USA is better avoided:

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/politics/2013/01/gun-violence-us-cities-compared-deadliest-nations-world/4412/

Disturbing statistics, but to put it in perspective, in the worst of the worst places (NOLA), the chance of getting killed by a firearm is less than 0.1% per year.

And if you drilled down into the demographics, you'd find that a middle class employee that doesn't deal drugs, live off the spoils of crime or borrow from loan sharks has probably less than 0.01% chance of dying by gunshot..

And if that middle class employee stays out of bars after 1:00 AM and stays away from other guys' women, the risks go down even more. Kind of like Thailand.

[glassdude007]

My mate was mugged in Rawai while walking home alone...

Hit in the head with a metal pipe...

Beat down and robbed lucky not killed,

Never knew what hit him, sneak attack,

Now I think twice about walking around here at night

be careful out there lads...

[transam]

Yesterday in London, 2 girls having for a night out were shot in the street, one died. Seems for no reason, wrong place, wrong time. I will not post here what the offenders were but are being tracked down as l write..

Update.

Two have been arrested.

[Head Snake]

A few years back during songkran, I wore a Darth Vader hat while enjoying a stroll down soi cowboy. It was in the afternoon. Not at night.

enjoying some friendly exchange of water with the strolling aqualaunchers .

Things were good. I was with my gf who later turned out to be my wife.

Then...

without warning, some stupid falang came over and hit me on top of my head. What an idiot!!

What did Darth Vader ever do to him??

[transam]

A few years back during songkran, I wore a Darth Vader hat while enjoying a stroll down soi cowboy. It was in the afternoon. Not at night.

enjoying some friendly exchange of water with the strolling aqualaunchers .

Things were good. I was with my gf who later turned out to be my wife.

Then...

without warning, some stupid falang came over and hit me on top of my head. What an idiot!!

What did Darth Vader ever do to him??

Might have thought you were a left over from WW2. (the hat)........... ............

[giggles]

attempted mugging on a rental bike on phuket ,guy waved me down and tried to drag me off the bike ,when i slowed down .just had enough momentum to gun the throttle and escape with torn shirt.

i could have ended up a deaden statistic but for my quick thinking ,as many have been killed for their bike over the years on Phuket .

it was dusk and was heading back from phuket town to karon .

never stop if a thai waves you down

[GuestHouse]

I beg to differ Guesthouse, I have known a few guys back in Scotland who were very mild mannered people who would not say boo to a goose, but when they started drinking, they wanted to take on everybody.

You knew a few violent people who presented a persona of being mild mannered, the facade fell away when they got drunk.

[GuestHouse]

I beg to differ Guesthouse, I have known a few guys back in Scotland who were very mild mannered people who would not say boo to a goose, but when they started drinking, they wanted to take on everybody.

You knew a few violent people who presented a persona of being mild mannered, the facade fell away when they got drunk.

[rwdrwdrwd]

I beg to differ Guesthouse, I have known a few guys back in Scotland who were very mild mannered people who would not say boo to a goose, but when they started drinking, they wanted to take on everybody.

You knew a few violent people who presented a persona of being mild mannered, the facade fell away when they got drunk.

Embarrassed to write this but I have to disagree with this.

Unfortunately I suffer from strong personality alteration after too many drinks, and I believe it to be a form of alcoholism more than anything else. Since a teenager, having hit a certain point of intoxication I quite suddenly switch. I get belligerent and offensive until someone rises to the bait.

For me it's verbal aggression, I'm don't go around throwing physical punches (though I certainly trigger others to do so). I have no idea why I do this - it's completely illogical, but I will state opinions that I don't hold simply to provoke conflict. There have been some serious incidents along the way.

Thankfully I've learnt to get better at stopping before I hit this point, and loved ones know the signs and help me away from the situation, but to this day I regularly have sleepless nights thinking back ashamed about things I've done under the influence of alcohol. It's debilitating to be honest.

I'm not on a sympathy-trawl here though, my point is, I strongly believe that for some people alcohol triggers strong personality alteration, and that this is a form of alcoholism. I can accept that this type of behaviour could be symptomatic of a disorder (APSD perhaps) however I believe that in many of the cases of the 'mild-mannered sober person to violent drunk person', it's the addition of alcohol that causes the right chemical conditions in the brain for the disorder to exist. For many, without the introduction of alcohol, it is not there.

Edited August 25, 2013 by rwdrwdrwd

[britgent]

 

I beg to differ Guesthouse, I have known a few guys back in Scotland who were very mild mannered people who would not say boo to a goose, but when they started drinking, they wanted to take on everybody.

 

 

You knew a few violent people who presented a persona of being mild mannered, the facade fell away when they got drunk.

 

 

Embarrassed to write this but I have to disagree with this.

 

Unfortunately I suffer from strong personality alteration after too many drinks, and I believe it to be a form of alcoholism more than anything else. Since a teenager, having hit a certain point of intoxication I quite suddenly switch. I get belligerent and offensive until someone rises to the bait. 

 

For me it's verbal aggression, I'm don't go around throwing physical punches (though I certainly trigger others to do so). I have no idea why I do this - it's completely illogical, but I will state opinions that I don't hold simply to provoke conflict.  There have been some serious incidents along the way.

 

Thankfully I've learnt to get better at stopping before I hit this point, and loved ones know the signs and help me away from the situation, but to this day I regularly have sleepless nights thinking back ashamed about things I've done under the influence of alcohol. It's debilitating to be honest.

 

I'm not on a sympathy-trawl here though, my point is, I strongly believe that for some people alcohol triggers strong personality alteration, and that this is a form of alcoholism. I can accept that this type of behaviour could be symptomatic of a disorder (APSD perhaps) however I believe that in many of the cases of the 'mild-mannered sober person to violent drunk person', it's the addition of alcohol that causes the right chemical conditions in the brain for the disorder to exist. For many, without the introduction of alcohol, it is not there.

I believe the condition you mention is more commonly known as <deleted>.

Carry on.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6A using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[benalibina]

I beg to differ Guesthouse, I have known a few guys back in Scotland who were very mild mannered people who would not say boo to a goose, but when they started drinking, they wanted to take on everybody.

You knew a few violent people who presented a persona of being mild mannered, the facade fell away when they got drunk.

Embarrassed to write this but I have to disagree with this.

Unfortunately I suffer from strong personality alteration after too many drinks, and I believe it to be a form of alcoholism more than anything else. Since a teenager, having hit a certain point of intoxication I quite suddenly switch. I get belligerent and offensive until someone rises to the bait.

For me it's verbal aggression, I'm don't go around throwing physical punches (though I certainly trigger others to do so). I have no idea why I do this - it's completely illogical, but I will state opinions that I don't hold simply to provoke conflict. There have been some serious incidents along the way.

Thankfully I've learnt to get better at stopping before I hit this point, and loved ones know the signs and help me away from the situation, but to this day I regularly have sleepless nights thinking back ashamed about things I've done under the influence of alcohol. It's debilitating to be honest.

I'm not on a sympathy-trawl here though, my point is, I strongly believe that for some people alcohol triggers strong personality alteration, and that this is a form of alcoholism. I can accept that this type of behaviour could be symptomatic of a disorder (APSD perhaps) however I believe that in many of the cases of the 'mild-mannered sober person to violent drunk person', it's the addition of alcohol that causes the right chemical conditions in the brain for the disorder to exist. For many, without the introduction of alcohol, it is not there.

My admiration for your comment. Eventhough anonymus still an other insight of possible negative effects of consuming to much alcohol. Bravo !!

[barrybankruad]

I beg to differ Guesthouse, I have known a few guys back in Scotland who were very mild mannered people who would not say boo to a goose, but when they started drinking, they wanted to take on everybody.

You knew a few violent people who presented a persona of being mild mannered, the facade fell away when they got drunk.

Embarrassed to write this but I have to disagree with this.

Unfortunately I suffer from strong personality alteration after too many drinks, and I believe it to be a form of alcoholism more than anything else. Since a teenager, having hit a certain point of intoxication I quite suddenly switch. I get belligerent and offensive until someone rises to the bait.

For me it's verbal aggression, I'm don't go around throwing physical punches (though I certainly trigger others to do so). I have no idea why I do this - it's completely illogical, but I will state opinions that I don't hold simply to provoke conflict. There have been some serious incidents along the way.

Thankfully I've learnt to get better at stopping before I hit this point, and loved ones know the signs and help me away from the situation, but to this day I regularly have sleepless nights thinking back ashamed about things I've done under the influence of alcohol. It's debilitating to be honest.

I'm not on a sympathy-trawl here though, my point is, I strongly believe that for some people alcohol triggers strong personality alteration, and that this is a form of alcoholism. I can accept that this type of behaviour could be symptomatic of a disorder (APSD perhaps) however I believe that in many of the cases of the 'mild-mannered sober person to violent drunk person', it's the addition of alcohol that causes the right chemical conditions in the brain for the disorder to exist. For many, without the introduction of alcohol, it is not there.

I believe the condition you mention is more commonly known as asshol_e.

Carry on.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6A using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Google 'Tourette's Disease'. A couple of people I know have this and display symptoms such as you describe occasionally.

[GuestHouse]

I beg to differ Guesthouse, I have known a few guys back in Scotland who were very mild mannered people who would not say boo to a goose, but when they started drinking, they wanted to take on everybody.

You knew a few violent people who presented a persona of being mild mannered, the facade fell away when they got drunk.

Embarrassed to write this but I have to disagree with this.

Unfortunately I suffer from strong personality alteration after too many drinks, and I believe it to be a form of alcoholism more than anything else. Since a teenager, having hit a certain point of intoxication I quite suddenly switch. I get belligerent and offensive until someone rises to the bait.

For me it's verbal aggression, I'm don't go around throwing physical punches (though I certainly trigger others to do so). I have no idea why I do this - it's completely illogical, but I will state opinions that I don't hold simply to provoke conflict. There have been some serious incidents along the way.

Thankfully I've learnt to get better at stopping before I hit this point, and loved ones know the signs and help me away from the situation, but to this day I regularly have sleepless nights thinking back ashamed about things I've done under the influence of alcohol. It's debilitating to be honest.

I'm not on a sympathy-trawl here though, my point is, I strongly believe that for some people alcohol triggers strong personality alteration, and that this is a form of alcoholism. I can accept that this type of behaviour could be symptomatic of a disorder (APSD perhaps) however I believe that in many of the cases of the 'mild-mannered sober person to violent drunk person', it's the addition of alcohol that causes the right chemical conditions in the brain for the disorder to exist. For many, without the introduction of alcohol, it is not there.

The conclusion you have come is logically incomplete.

You are assuming the alcohol is changing your personality, perhaps because you do not like the personality that reveals itself when you drink.

It is commendable that you recognise the effect alcohol has on you and moderate your drinking to avoid the effect, but the anger and aggression did not come out of the bottle.

Anger and aggression do have causes, often hidden or forgotten.

[transam]

Why should anyone be born perfect. We are just things given life on a planet. Folk are killing folk on our planet for nothing. Intoxicated by religion and nothing else. Food for thought.

[rwdrwdrwd]

The conclusion you have come is logically incomplete.

You are assuming the alcohol is changing your personality, perhaps because you do not like the personality that reveals itself when you drink.

It is commendable that you recognise the effect alcohol has on you and moderate your drinking to avoid the effect, but the anger and aggression did not come out of the bottle.

Anger and aggression do have causes, often hidden or forgotten.

I agree that for some it may be the case that they repress (consciously or unconsciously) anger and aggression when sober, but my viewpoint is that for some the anger and aggression arises due to chemical changes in the brain via the introduction of a certain level of alcohol.

It's a bit of a Schrodinger's Cat, if we have an individual who has never thrown a punch or angry words in their life, yet will if they drink too much, if this person never touches a drop of alcohol in their life, are they an angry and violent individual? I'd consider them to not be.

Anyway this is derailing the topic slightly, I just wanted to express an alternative opinion.

As an aside, to the poster @britgent - your comment is of exactly the sort I'd make to a complete stranger when I'd had too much.

Edited August 26, 2013 by rwdrwdrwd

[theblether]

I used to do a lot of drinking, and I mean a lot, on US military bases. I reckon any US ex-serviceman will recognize what I'm going to say here.

Far too often for me to recall, I would be sitting with American friends, real drinking men, and we would be joined by a latecomer. The guy would reach out for his first beer and be fine, by the time he got to his second or third he was a complete and utter *sshole. I used to sit there amazed, staggered at what I was witnessing. His behaviour could range anywhere from being outrageously obnoxious, to aggressive.

The worst one I saw involved an E8, ( Senior NCO ) who put on a performance I will never forget. The sight of him standing there being roasted by the E9's I was drinking with will live with me forever. Full Command voice mode, all this to a guy that had only drunk three Budweisers.

I wrote it off to stress, excessive tiredness, play acting, anything than thinking the guy was actually drunk on three beers. I was along with a US Medic friend of mine the other week, he's another drinking man. This guy can put away a bottle of whisky and be the same guy he was when he started. The subject I mentioned came up. This guy worked for years as a medic in Houston and he would go out mainly with medic pals.

He reckoned it was play acting, he said that these guys don't have the courage to speak their mind sober, and they can't wait to get a couple of beers over their neck so they can call everybody out. Okay, being a medic in any US metropolis must be a scarring job at times, I can see similarities between that and the US military. maybe it is stress and over tiredness that's behind it.

Have you ever seen the same thing?

[jpinx]

I used to do a lot of drinking, and I mean a lot, on US military bases. I reckon any US ex-serviceman will recognize what I'm going to say here.

Far too often for me to recall, I would be sitting with American friends, real drinking men, and we would be joined by a latecomer. The guy would reach out for his first beer and be fine, by the time he got to his second or third he was a complete and utter *sshole. I used to sit there amazed, staggered at what I was witnessing. His behaviour could range anywhere from being outrageously obnoxious, to aggressive.

The worst one I saw involved an E8, ( Senior NCO ) who put on a performance I will never forget. The sight of him standing there being roasted by the E9's I was drinking with will live with me forever. Full Command voice mode, all this to a guy that had only drunk three Budweisers.

I wrote it off to stress, excessive tiredness, play acting, anything than thinking the guy was actually drunk on three beers. I was along with a US Medic friend of mine the other week, he's another drinking man. This guy can put away a bottle of whisky and be the same guy he was when he started. The subject I mentioned came up. This guy worked for years as a medic in Houston and he would go out mainly with medic pals.

He reckoned it was play acting, he said that these guys don't have the courage to speak their mind sober, and they can't wait to get a couple of beers over their neck so they can call everybody out. Okay, being a medic in any US metropolis must be a scarring job at times, I can see similarities between that and the US military. maybe it is stress and over tiredness that's behind it.

Have you ever seen the same thing?

Yes -- I had my share of Jekyll/Hyde customers in my bar. The one's we all knew were ok - you can see it coming and get him sorted, but the strangers were more tricky.

[Norrad]

I haven't personally been mugged but I have personally witnessed and then supported the victims of 2 bag snatchings. One happened to a young Russian woman on Samui and the last happened a few days ago to a South African woman in Bangkok.

[MegaRanter]

Never been mugged, hard to find me where such scenarios might happen.

I asked a new squeeze out for coffee one Sunday afternoon, and mentioned starbucks silom. She said we can do afternoon tea at the sukhothai on sathorn. Her reason is she don't want an angry wife or ex gf seeing us and making a scene. She said it's hard to make a scene in some establishments.

[smokie36]

Moss nailed it sooo much earlier.

[Mossfinn]

Thank you Smokes, and I said that after a few fine single makes, brings on my personality disorder.