I have a small corridor of land that runs down the side of my house to the back door. It is covered with grass. I run a series of ropes from the security bars on the windows of my house across to the boundary fence to hang out my washing. I have a gardener that shows up twice monthly to attend to my lawn and gardens. Under no circumstances will he walk under these clothes line ropes to trim the small patch of lawn that lies in front of my back door. He is a 30 something lad from upcountry.

Occasionally, in the wet season, I also run a clothes line inside my house across the hallway in front of the kitchen. A number of my Thai friends who have visited me will not walk under this rope. Unlike my gardener, several of these friends are wealthy and well educated "hi-so" Thais. So it would seem that this superstitious fear about walking under a rope is held by people in all levels of Thai society.

So there you have it. If you have a back door or window that you want to improve the security on, simply purchase some rope and string it across the relevant access points.

And yet...

Edited September 7, 201312 yr by chickenslegs

It's not a superstitious 'fear', but a religious one - especially a male wearing a 'phra-khruang' (Buddhist amulet)...

You aren't supposed to put your head lower than clothes hanging above you, as the clothes are all worn below your head and it is not the 'done' thing. Even more so if women hang their undies out on these lines too!

Not the best security against an atheist thief...!?

Edited September 7, 201312 yr by mistephenso

It's not a superstitious 'fear', but a religious one - especially a male wearing a 'phra-khruang' (Buddhist amulet)...

You aren't supposed to put your head lower than clothes hanging above you, as the clothes are all worn below your head and it is not the 'done' thing. Even more so if women hang their undies out on these lines too!

Not the best security against an atheist thief...!?

Exactly, how many thieves are deeply religious?

Steel security bars are much better.

Surprised that Hi-So Thais would even have friends who did their own washing.

Aren't you the guy that doesn't like Hi-so Thais ?

It's not a superstitious 'fear', but a religious one - especially a male wearing a 'phra-khruang' (Buddhist amulet)...

You aren't supposed to put your head lower than clothes hanging above you, as the clothes are all worn below your head and it is not the 'done' thing. Even more so if women hang their undies out on these lines too!

Not the best security against an atheist thief...!?

You are on the right track ... but not precise.

Maybe I can rouse MissFarmGirl to comment.

Mightn't happen till tomorrow though as I'm upstairs drinking beer and she's downstairs wagging her chin with the future outlaws ...

It's not a superstitious 'fear', but a religious one - especially a male wearing a 'phra-khruang' (Buddhist amulet)...

You aren't supposed to put your head lower than clothes hanging above you, as the clothes are all worn below your head and it is not the 'done' thing. Even more so if women hang their undies out on these lines too!

Not the best security against an atheist thief...!?

Exactly, how many thieves are deeply religious?

Steel security bars are much better.

Surprised that Hi-So Thais would even have friends who did their own washing.

I do have steel bars...as a back up...and an attack cat...

I reckon a few old-fashioned double-edged razor blades inserted (discreetly) into the ropes would deter just about anyone--atheist or not...

Just put up signs in Thai saying your house is haunted and people should enter at their own risk.

Edited September 8, 201312 yr by lapd

It's all you need.

theyre likely to be high on yaaBaa or other narcotics so wont take any notice of any devices you use. desperate men out there