Have You Ever Been Robbed Or Mugged?

[tuky]

I like to wander around, take in the sights and smells.

Sometimes neither are pleasant but that is half the fun of it.

When I go out I normally take my muggers watch and wallet, this is just a habit I have picked up from being in some less than safe places.

I would like to know how other people protect themselves against attack.

I guess the story Violent ‘kateoys’ rob Dutch couple on Second Road has got me to wondering what precations we all take, and what we have learnt from past experiences.

We all have 20/20 vision through hindsight, perhaps some of us can learn something from other peoples bad experiences, or positive ones.

What do you do?

[Up2U]

Yes, I've been robbed several times, when I go into a bar and ask for a decent draft beer, getting a thimble-full of Chang in return.

But apart from that, and sunglasses bought at eleven at night, when pissed, no.

[monty]

Never one problem in the 11 years i'm living here!

Guess it's common sense... What I see some tourist (and expats!!) do over here makes me wonder if they just want to be robbed...

just two days ago saw a bloke pay a 120 Baht bill in an open bar, pulling out a huge wad of 1000 Baht bills, very visible so everybody could see how well off he was (during his 2 weeks holiday for which he probably saved 11 1/2 months anyway)...

Unfortunately, it seems that Thaksin made it well known that decenttourists (like the Dutch couple) are always very very rich....After all how could they aford themselves a 25000 US$ elite card...

[manfromoz]

I have been cleaned up on a motor bike drive by incident. Not much you can really do about it. Police not interested and unless you have eyes in the back of your head you can;t see them coming.

Best thing to do is not have anything that is "grabbable". Or not ride a bike

[markt]

I do know of several naive chaps who have fallen for the old "Invest in my bar and share the profits" line.

Then, a couple of months later the original owner starts to make life very uncomfortable for his new "partner".

Met a few like these. Is that being mugged or being a mug ?

[britmaveric]

Robbed in my hotel- actually first visit to Pattaya a number of years ago. Hotel Staff (bell boy) was definitely involved in some fashion.

First Night I checked into hotel and was off with my mates for the nite out. I came back and was going to put my digital camera away in my locked up rucksack. I noticed the zipper was screwed up. 35mm Camera, Lens, MP3 Player, and mobile were all gone.

My own fault should have locked them away in the safe deposit box. I was lil off guard since I was coming off a 2month business trip to Tokyo. I literally left dosh laying around in my hotel and not a yen was ever touched. (guess difference between Japanese and Thais- honour more important to the Japanese then dosh or items)

Now when I visit Thailand, everything valuable is either in a safe deposit box, taken w/me or left at home!

[mouse]

Yeah got mugged (I was knocked out by her beauty) and robbed (she stole my heart) one time but she was so cute that I married her, stole her virginity and since then she gave me three beautiful kids.

[wilson steer]

I've never been mugged in Thailand, but I know people who have, stay away from quiet Soi's at night. In the daytime it must be rare because people would come to your aid.

The story of the Dutch couple I find hard to believe, they say it happened at 8.00pm outside Mikes Mall on 2nd Road. I believe a snatch and run is possible at this time but not a mugging. This area is too busy, Kiss restaurant is opposite, motorcycle taxis and tourists are everywhere, why were they not shouting for help?

I guess they were snatch victims and have exaggerated the whole story to get more insurance money and sympathy.

If you get mugged in Pattaya it will be a quiet, secluded place. Not on the second Road.

Wearing gold and big money belts is just stupid now in Pattaya, there are a lot of desperate druggies out there, particularly at night.

I feel far safer in Pattaya than in the U.K. If you shout when attacked, Thais will always rush to help, in the U.K. people won't get involved. If you shouted for help on Beach Road or second Road Thais would come running with sticks from nowhere. They love to beat wrongdoers, I've seen reports in the Pattaya Mail.

Be sensible, particularly at night and I'm sure you will all be safe!

[Spellbound]

I got stung by a Bee in Thailand

( charged me 1000 baht for a jar of honey )

[astral]

Sorry to hear that.

It never used to ba problem, ANYWHERE in Thailand

[boNita aPPlebuM]

I was robbed 3 times in a day while at Pattaya

Morning

Late afternoon

and Night

Those yellow grilled chicken were soooo goooddddd

and overpriced

[Moving]

I have never had a problem. I take the normal precautions...don't leave valuables lying around and lock up them up if possible, don't flash baht, stay away from areas that look suspect, slow or stop the booze at midnight.

However, there have occasions where I have violated all of the above in a single night and still came out OK...just lucky I guess.

[WISteve]

I nearly lost a new camera when I was parked in a dark beer bar at the corner of Soi 8 and Beach Road having a late night brew about 4 am in November. I was foolish enough to bring it with me when I left the hotel an hour earlier looking for some late night action. I was chatting with a BB girl with the camera sitting on the table and a late teens/early twenties Thai guy rounded the corner behind me off Beach Road. When he paused and lingered nearby for a few seconds I figured out I might be in trouble so I stood up, put the camera strap over my head and asked him if there was a problem. He was looking right at me and said something in Thaiglish about me having a nice camera and promptly moved on down the Soi.

The whole thing reminded me that I need to use common sense at all hours when in a foreign country. I also feel very lucky for still having $1,000+ worth of camera safe at home!

-- WISteve

[dtoodnut]

Anybody ever been robbed in their hotel?

[et33.com]

i had walked the streets ((without lights)) of cambodia and vietnam // no problem // and i done it alone by myself //

i think the trick is to act like a local / keep your mouth shut and dress like them...

this can only apply to asian i suppose..

too bad for the others...

[thailien8]

Watch out for the katoeys on the beachfront promenade late at night. Some of these ladyboys will come at you aggressively so that you must take evasive action to get away from them. Police protection is never seen there.

[wcr]

We'll soon see them driving up and down there in the new electric police cars they have been given

In the meantime the moral is don't walk there late at night.

[Yohan]

I never had any problem in Thailand, just using old clothings, have a Thai cash card and almost no cash money with me.

No valuables..... not very much what I could offer.....

Johann

[lumply]

I am pleased to say I've never been mugged or hassled in Pattaya. Adopt common sense precautions, jewelry not on show, expendable watch or no watch, no wallet bulge in trousers, valuables in hotel safe and cash only for a few drinks and some fodder. Certainly don't flash big notes when making a purchase. This may all sound rather obvious and restrictive but it does reduce the likelyhood of problems. By contrast, here in the Gulf (Middle East) the consequences of a mugger getting caught, jailed, then deported are so lifechanging for the culprit and his family that 80% of the population that is made up of expats, is pretty well behaved.

Once in BKK after having over indulged I didn't check out the goods thoroughly enough until we got to the hotel room. He/she generously let on, I said thanks, handed over B300 and we parted the best of buddies.. sort of anyway. Physical mugging is very traumatic and since it happened to me in Istanbul, I have never wanted to return again.

[guzzi850m2]

I never been physical mugged here but once in Phuket I fell asleep in a bar (forehead on bar desk, he-he) and my money in my shirt pocket was gone expect funny enough the money necessary for paying the bar bill.

What I learned from that: Never get too drunk if you are out alone, or if you want to get really wasted start earlier and don't bring too much money.

Nowadays (I live in Pattaya now) when going out for beers in the evenings, I bring max 5000 bath in cash and a cheap mobile phone and no plastic cards expect a copy of my passport.

As other posters also mention: have your wits with you and don't trust anybody, don't dress/look like you are loaded. If you want a woman, BUY one out from a bar or go-go and stay far away from the beach girls.

[Ulysses G.]

I have been spending time in Pattaya for many years and the only problem that I have ever had was when i gave a baht bus driver the finger on beach road and he reversed his vehicle and chased me 4 or 5 blocks going backwards. He then parked the vehicle, stood on the side of the road and searched every other baht bus going South so I had to walk a few blocks and take another route to avoid him. It was kind of embarrassing, but better than getting my azz kicked by a psycho baht bus driver likely trained in Moi Thai and possibly loaded on Ya Ba.

[Rimmer]

2004 Topic

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