Briton victim of armed street robbery in South Pattaya

[biggles45]

You are hard pressed to find a cop at 11pm never mind at 4.30am so the bad guys can feel pretty confident they won't get caught.

[jreidy]

Who published that he was drunk?????????

you think it's the victim who is wrong...........some real moronic posters on this site.

[MrWorldwide]

@freebyrd, I definitely dont think of the PI as 'valhalla' - hence my reference to sarcasm in my earlier response. Far worse places for armed robbery in the region than Pattaya, and I wonder how many sympathetic responses this thread would have received if the victim had been a 58-year old Russian ?

[Yahooka]

This could happen anywhere in the world. Being out that late, by yourself, and probably not completely sober - what would anyone expect? A fool and his money...

A fool and his posts...

[Yahooka]

If you can't even walk around safely in the early hours of the morning near Soi Bukow- then things are getting desperate

You seem to have not around for only a short

time

5-7 years ago Soi 15 was the darkest and quiet Soi's in South Pattaya

With all the new hotel and Condos building there and the Avenue shopping centre it has become very safe

so Soi 15 is 100 time safer toder than it was a short time ago

so not so desperate is it

I live on this Soi and walk along iy every nigh and feel very safe

I think this was a robbery at oppertunity

any one walking down this Soi at this time of the morning with expensive Gold is asking for problem even on Beach Rd

My experience there too living on this Soi for nearly a year now.Wouldnt be surprised if this robbery happened on the shortcut road between Soi Diana and Soi 15.Very dark and no people around there at night.

[bander]

At least this time they have enough money to pay the 500 bath fine if they get caught

[bander]

This could happen anywhere in the world. Being out that late, by yourself, and probably not completely sober - what would anyone expect? A fool and his money...

What you saying is that he had it coming

[bander]

Yes I thought I would just go out for a quite drink-----that's why I only had 10,000 baht left when they set upon me.....................

Not 8,700.......or 6,900............a nice round 10,000

He counted the 1000 bath bills as he was handing them over, happens in every robbery, b.t.w. the robbers didn't accept coins and 20 bath bills

Edited November 25, 2013 by bander

[Colabamumbai]

Now they have to pick on the elderly and frail and maybe they had been keeping an eye on him before he left the bar. 4:30 a.m. walking home anywhere in the world with $300 bucks in your pocket is not safe. Pattaya is not Thailand, it is a foreign place all by itself.

It not only attracts young women who need to make a living for their mothers, unfortunately it attracts people from all over the country both Thai and foreign, for the easy markings. Look at all the unsuspecting people just waiting to be taken.

[JulesMad]

Too much cash, too flashy ring and expensive phone... Easy target at 0430.... Don't feel sorry for the guy (ok, maybe a little bit), but that basically would happen anywhere in the world, in those circumstances....

Som Nam Na Maybe he learned a lesson of life?!

[sabaii69]

Walking the streets at 4:30 a.m. The only thing smart was his phone and it's gone.

[sonar6ca]

Never a dull day in pattya.

[LUSHGOAT]

As I have posted already all time low for Thai's. I had a few problems before I went to the tourist police they only laughed at me they are bloody useless as tits on a bore as I said they need to get of their lazy asses and do what they are paid to do. I doubt if this man will come here on a holiday again and I wouldn't blame him. Again there must be cctv somewhere I hope they catch these scumbags.

[wooloomooloo]

I can't understand what the big deal of having 10,000 baht (£200) in your pocket is and most people own a smartphone these days. Let's face it a 10,000 baht smartphone is almost bottom of the range along with a cheap 26,000 baht gold ring (£520). I think it fair to say that this doesn't warrant the suggestion of an insurance job.

I feel quite sorry for the old boy and glad that he wasn't injured. He's made a police report and hope that he claims on his travel insurance.

[how241]

I'm not out that late at night,or early in morning.Thats the time low life's like to do their business

+1....No real reason to be out that late...Any city this same stuff will happen at 4 am ...

[MrWorldwide]

I'm not about to suggest that an old bloke could ward off two armed men with a cane/walking stick, but I do wonder why we dont see more men carrying canes. Do you need a medical certificate to legally carry a cane in public in Thailand ?

http://www.donrearic.com/cane1.html

I'm not suggesting that we all morph into YouTube warriors, and I can definitely see one of these being taken off someone who doesnt have the strength or ability to use it with intent. but how many of us would risk being slapped in the groin with one of these ?

It may not have saved our friend - he could just as easily have been beaten with it - but for those with an urge to fight back, this is an option IMO.

Edited November 25, 2013 by MrWorldwide

[Briggsy]

Soi 15 (Chalermprakiat) is an unusual choice of street for your average tourist to be walking down at 4:30am. I don't think there are any bars on that street. There are some apartments though. Maybe he was trying to score something, crystal meth, perhaps.

[KittenKong]

None of which accounts for the crass stupidity of wandering around anywhere at 4am with 10KB in cash and a fancy gold ring and a fancy phone.

Then, of course, there's the crass stupidity of a post like yours. He wasn't "wandering around", he was walking back to his hotel;

And the difference is?

where did the report say he was wearing a "fancy" gold ring and carrying a "fancy" phone? Nowhere, only in your weird imagination.

I read this:

"a gold ring worth 26,000 Baht and a Samsung Smart Phone worth 10,000 Baht."

Both of these sound unduly fancy to be carrying around the streets at 4am to me. Not really my problem though as I'm not the idiot who lost them, and I probably never will be as I'm just not stupid enough to wander around at 4am with things like that on me.

[KittenKong]

I can't understand what the big deal of having 10,000 baht (£200) in your pocket is and most people own a smartphone these days. Let's face it a 10,000 baht smartphone is almost bottom of the range along with a cheap 26,000 baht gold ring (£520).

It isn't a big deal as long as you are prepared to lose them. And if you arent prepared to lose them then you should have the sense not to have them on you in the streets at 4am.

Personally my own smartphone (worth 15,000B) stays in my room when I'm out in the evening and if I want to take a phone with me I just put my SIM card into a 400B Tukcom phone. I dont mind losing that and because my SIM is registered I can get it deactivated and replaced straight away. As for gold, if I owned any at all it would be at home permanently and never on my finger.

[MrWorldwide]

Soi 15 (Chalermprakiat) is an unusual choice of street for your average tourist to be walking down at 4:30am. I don't think there are any bars on that street. There are some apartments though. Maybe he was trying to score something, crystal meth, perhaps.

Of course - drug deal gone bad. Case closed, Holmes - good job.

[Ulic]

Tourists have to learn the reason they get robbed in disproportionate numbers is two main reasons.

I/ They tend to carry a lot of cash and expensive phones/ jewelry

2/ If they do not catch the perpetrators before the tourist leaves they are off scott free as there is

no longer a witness or complainant.

This is not unique to Thailand. The state of Florida received so much bad press after several English tourists

were murdered and so many tourists were being robbed with impunity the set up a separate budget to fly

tourists back to the state to be witnesses at court cases. Rental cars were debadged so they could not be identified.

Long term tourists who flock down from Canada to escape the winter can put Florida plates on there cars.

In short the state wanted the tourists to blend in.

Not really sure how effective it has been. But they had to do something as the British press

was printing up unfavourable headlines about vacationing in Florida.

[gmac]

If you can't even walk around safely in the early hours of the morning near Soi Bukow- then things are getting desperate

I think Soi 15 is the extremely dark soi that runs between Buakhao and 2nd Road past the back of the The Avenue shopping area. I don't like walking down there at 7 in the evening let alone at 4.30 in the morning!

[LeCharivari]

(edited)

200 quid and a ring and phone. Not sure where you're from in England, but that's really not a big deal. You can easily spend 200 quid in a night and the ring doesn't need to be much for a 500 quid valuation? And if he's here on his hols, whats up with 4.30? Just cos most folks on here are resident, probably have been for years, and take a more sedate attitude to whats not available to a man like him when he's back home.Leave him alone and I hope they get the <deleted> that robbed him too.

+1.

Despite being variously described here as "drunk" and "an idiot" and even "trying to score something, crystal meth, perhaps" by those who seem to like to blame the victim, all the guy was doing was going back to his hotel in the early hours carrying a not-excessive amount of spending money, an average phone and wearing an inexpensive gold ring (maybe a widower with an old wedding ring).

Let's be honest about what happened and what's happening. When I came here 20+ years ago I was never worried what time of the day or night I was out and about in Pattaya; there was no yaa-baa, no drive-by shootings, no gang fights and shootings, and no gold-snatchers (nor any CCTV or much in the way of "up-market" hotels, condos or even much street lighting). Things have changed and they haven't all been to the good, and just putting a thin veneer of lacquer on things just makes things look better.

Blaming the many victims for what's happening here is a bit like Nelson putting his telescope to his blind eye and saying "I see no ships".

[MrWorldwide]

It could have been worse, 'wandering around' at ~4am.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/womans-body-found-in-a-brisbane-park-20131124-2y3i0.html

Wrong place, wrong time, and her parents are flying in to collect her body. Her crime ? She had to start early AM and found herself in a park at 4am - six weeks in the city and no real understandng of the dangers (her co-workers obviously didnt bother to warn her). Not the Brisbane I spent >20 years living and working in, sadly.

I'd say our Brit friend got off lightly - it could have been a whole lot worse than a ring, a phone and 10K baht.

[jacko45k]

The missing line above is.

Police will check CCTV in the area as they attempt to identify the assailants and arrest them as soon as possible before they are able to strike again.

But I think it is too late......... getting dangerous out there. Couldn't have been far from the entrance to the Mercure Hotel.

4AM and drunk is not a good deal any place. Gold and cash are too big a challenge for the ganster to ignore.

The entertainment zones are going until 3am so that is going home time.

He should have got a M/C taxi but that could be a risk too.

I saw the report on Pattaya One last night, albeit with the completely wrong sound bite, he was big to get on the back of a small bike.

Baht buses don't go directly that way from say Walking St.

It is a tourist place, very much a party town. It needs to be kept safe, rather than a lot of rules and regulations being imposed on the tourists.

'Make sure you are in bed before 12 Goldilocks'........

You wonder whether we are heading to a Filipino style armed guards everywhere resort!

[jacko45k]

If you can't even walk around safely in the early hours of the morning near Soi Bukow- then things are getting desperate

Yes, in an ideal world walking the streets at any time would be safe. However, the world is far from ideal and at 4:30 am it's far more likely any walker will appear as a target to nefarious types.

Showing my prudishness perhaps,, at 58 years old maybe the victim should have been 'tucked up' in bed a few hours prior. On the other hand was he an early riser anticipating a glorious sunrise !!!

I suspect he wouldn't be walking around 'flush' with money and valuables, if he were back home in UK. As always, it pays to exercise a bit of common sense.

I suspect he wouldn't be walking around 'flush' with money and valuables, if he were back home in UK. As always, it pays to exercise a bit of common sense.

200 quid and a ring and phone. Not sure where you're from in England, but that's really not a big deal. You can easily spend 200 quid in a night and the ring doesn't need to be much for a 500 quid valuation? And if he's here on his hols, whats up with 4.30? Just cos most folks on here are resident, probably have been for years, and take a more sedate attitude to whats not available to a man like him when he's back home.Leave him alone and I hope they get the <deleted> that robbed him too.

In the UK, one uses the mobile phone and orders a taxi and gets home.

Most big town have a multitude of competing efficient Taxi companies....

They can speak Urdu very well I have found.

Too cold to be wandering about.

Pattaya, well the once famous and easy baht bus isn't the same any more.

As to the frequent question of 'where is it safe to walk around at 4am drunk'... it used to be Pattaya.

Edited November 25, 2013 by jacko45k

[Ohio]

In an ideal world ,walking around at 4.30am with Cash, Jewellery & a smartphone would be safe to do.

BUT , in the world of Reality , I cannot think of too many places where that would be a sensible undertaking.

Hollywood ,USA? , Downtown NY ,USA , St.Kilda Aust.? , East London ? , Northbridge ,Perth ,Aust. , District 8 Saigon,Vietnam , Downtown Cardiff, Wales?, Rear of Orchard Road ,Singapore?, East Cleveland ? ,

Anywhere in Pattaya .

Regardless of the multiple 'Crackdowns' in Pattaya , I still believe Common Sense should prevail.

I think this is left behind at the Customs Entry on Arrival by Many Visitors. I M O

[KittenKong]

Despite being variously described here as "drunk" and "an idiot" and even "trying to score something, crystal meth, perhaps" by those who seem to like to blame the victim, all the guy was doing was going back to his hotel in the early hours carrying a not-excessive amount of spending money, an average phone and wearing an inexpensive gold ring (maybe a widower with an old wedding ring).

I dont blame the guy at all; I just think he's stupid to have lost so much. A minimum of forethought would have saved him at least 40,000B.

And if the money, phone and gold ring are all "average" or "inexpensive" then presumably it isn't even worth his while complaining about the loss. Yet apparently he thinks it is, so I suppose that means that he values them more than some posters on here do.

Personally when I go out walking late at night I only carry what I can afford to lose and if I do lose it I wont care. It's really very simple.

[Bernard Flint]

Just between you and me ... isn't Bt 10,000 crisp Bills a bit much to be walking around with in the wee hours?

Sure @ 2pm doing some business ... but @ 4.30am doesn't show much Street Smarts.

Sir,Perhaps the happy gent decided to have a beer at 11pm,id does happen in Pattaya.

[Bernard Flint]

Soi 15 (Chalermprakiat) is an unusual choice of street for your average tourist to be walking down at 4:30am. I don't think there are any bars on that street. There are some apartments though. Maybe he was trying to score something, crystal meth, perhaps.

Sir, i believe you are the one on drugs.