Thailand and window "bars"

[Asheron]

I have never actually got a good answer as to why thai people seem to put "window bars" (that can't be opened) on all their windows. I can kind of understand if you do it on the first floor for security reasons but not on the second, third and so on floors. Imagine if a fire starts on the first floor and blocks you from escaping that route, with window bars you (and your family) would most likely burn up inside.

And in my eyes it's ugly as hell to have these "bars"... houses look like fancy prisons.

[thehelmsman]

We have bars on first floor, none on second floor. It's all about security. Wouldn't take much for someone to enter second floor.

[lopburi3]

Most homes of two stories have a balcony with door access so windows would be unlikely to case issues. How many homes have you seen burn here (outside of slums where a group burn)? Cement does not go up in flames like wood construction of USA and some other countries.

As for not needing on second floor - how hard is it to gain access to upper floors? Not very. Many thefts are from roof access actually. As for the reason - just like a lock - to delay access and with luck have the thief pick another target.

[stoneyboy]

In fairness if you've got bars on your windows for security purposes or not,thieves who are desperate enough will come tooled up to enter no matter what your security measure are.

Window bars aren't that difficult to remove if you know how.

[Asheron]

My point was kind of that, the bars do not give even close the protection people think they do but they still put them everywhere. With correct bolt cutters anyone can enter any place, quietly, within seconds.

I haven't seen any fires but neither have i heard of any burglaries... but logic dictates that there are plenty of both in Thailand.

[petermik]

The bars on my windows are to keep the missus in.

[bendejo]

People with long poles with a hook on the end come around when you're sleeping, they lean through the bars and try to grab your valuables.

Quite popular in the Carribean.

[lostoday]

In fairness if you've got bars on your windows for security purposes or not,thieves who are desperate enough will come tooled up to enter no matter what your security measure are.

Window bars aren't that difficult to remove if you know how.

I always carry one of these tools on my Honda Wave.

[lostoday]

People with long poles with a hook on the end come around when you're sleeping, they lean through the bars and try to grab your valuables.

Quite popular in the Carribean.

I'm worried about them hooking my 500 pound safe through my bars with my dog (trained to only accept food from me) chewing off their behind.

[lostoday]

My point was kind of that, the bars do not give even close the protection people think they do but they still put them everywhere. With correct bolt cutters anyone can enter any place, quietly, within seconds.

I haven't seen any fires but neither have i heard of any burglaries... but logic dictates that there are plenty of both in Thailand.

Of course you are correct.

So... please enlighten me what this clips has to do with my post.

The average Thai bugler does not carry bolt cutters on his motorcycle. Burglary is a crime of opportunity. You don't have to make your house safe as a bank you only have to make it safer than the house next door. Your theory is all wet.

Buglers don't want to be noticed. Cutting through bars and barking dogs and sirens and flashing light all get a robber noticed.

Lets say you live next to me. I have TV cameras, signs, alarm system, bars and dogs. You have nothing. Do you think your house is safe because the robber thinks you are poor?

Put up bars and every other method you can think of to stop or make crime difficult and you will be safer than the man who does nothing.

I'll huff and puff and blow your house down! Not my house.

[a99az]

These are used a lot in Spain and sadly many have died being trapped inside unable to get out. I have seen this on Spanish TV years ago. Rejas are good at keeping people out but also keep people in too. So if you use them make sure they can open from inside.

[a99az]

The bars on my windows are to keep the missus in.

In !!! how sad. I was thinking to get some to keep mine out.

[lostoday]

These are used a lot in Spain and sadly many have died being trapped inside unable to get out. I have seen this on Spanish TV years ago. Rejas are good at keeping people out but also keep people in too. So if you use them make sure they can open from inside.

I think that fact became obvious when the first caveman invented the first bolt lock. I lock my doors from the inside when I am inside and when I go out I lock them from the outside. How dumb do you have to be not to know how to open a bolt lock?

For a list of the top American cities with bars on windows check out.....http://www.ibtimes.com/which-us-cities-have-most-bars-capita-1499880

Pittsburgh is #1.

Edited August 24, 2015 by lostoday

[slipperylobster]

strangest thing...damn bars on the window..but a swift kick by the doorknob gains immediate entry (splinters the door jam near the lock).

Most locks are crap here. The doors in most houses in my subdivision are reinforced with cardboard...yes....cardboard!!!

Edited August 24, 2015 by slipperylobster

[thehelmsman]

No worries in my house - I got me a Donk aka MIL.

[Thongkorn]

Your so wrong, i have had window bars fitted in a couple of houses and rooms, They can be opened from the inside only so you can get out in a fire, also never once had a burglary.

[Robroona]

The OP surely cannot have travelled much. It is not a "Thai People" thing at all.

I lived in a quite civilised ex British colony in the middle of Africa and in 1977-1983 and window bars were a fact of life

[questionsreplies]

But most robbers here are brainless balless monkeys under meth, so 99% of the time they wont mess with window bars...

In fairness if you've got bars on your windows for security purposes or not,thieves who are desperate enough will come tooled up to enter no matter what your security measure are.

Window bars aren't that difficult to remove if you know how

Edited August 24, 2015 by questionsreplies

[questionsreplies]

I was thinking like you before i started to use my brain....

My point was kind of that, the bars do not give even close the protection people think they do but they still put them everywhere. With correct bolt cutters anyone can enter any place, quietly, within seconds.

I haven't seen any fires but neither have i heard of any burglaries... but logic dictates that there are plenty of both in Thailand.

[metisdead]

Some non helpful posts have been removed.

[lostoday]

But most robbers here are brainless balless monkeys under meth, so 99% of the time they wont mess with window bars...

In fairness if you've got bars on your windows for security purposes or not,thieves who are desperate enough will come tooled up to enter no matter what your security measure are.

Window bars aren't that difficult to remove if you know how

It takes 32 individual cuts with a large bolt cutter to remove my bars and all the while you are cutting a loud siren will sound and an emergency light will be flashing alternating blue, red and clear. Yes my alarm system is on a battery back up and my phone will have been called alerting me to the break in and we have not even started talking about my dogs.

I don't have cheap window bars. I don't think you can say with any certainty that window bars aren't that difficult without knowing what kind of bars you are talking about. Window bars are not all the same. My next door neighbor four cuts with a bolt cutter gets you in. Mine 32 cuts. My home is completely air conditioned and it runs 24/7 so I don't care if the bars block air flow as the windows are never opened anyway.

[Asheron]

I was thinking like you before i started to use my brain....

My point was kind of that, the bars do not give even close the protection people think they do but they still put them everywhere. With correct bolt cutters anyone can enter any place, quietly, within seconds.

I haven't seen any fires but neither have i heard of any burglaries... but logic dictates that there are plenty of both in Thailand.

Still haven't i see.

[stoneyboy]

My point was kind of that, the bars do not give even close the protection people think they do but they still put them everywhere. With correct bolt cutters anyone can enter any place, quietly, within seconds.

I haven't seen any fires but neither have i heard of any burglaries... but logic dictates that there are plenty of both in Thailand.

Of course you are correct.

So... please enlighten me what this clips has to do with my post.

The average Thai bugler does not carry bolt cutters on his motorcycle. Burglary is a crime of opportunity. You don't have to make your house safe as a bank you only have to make it safer than the house next door. Your theory is all wet.

Buglers don't want to be noticed. Cutting through bars and barking dogs and sirens and flashing light all get a robber noticed.

Lets say you live next to me. I have TV cameras, signs, alarm system, bars and dogs. You have nothing. Do you think your house is safe because the robber thinks you are poor?

Put up bars and every other method you can think of to stop or make crime difficult and you will be safer than the man who does nothing.

I'll huff and puff and blow your house down! Not my house.

Are you or were you a smoker you seem awfully paranoid.

[stoneyboy]

But most robbers here are brainless balless monkeys under meth, so 99% of the time they wont mess with window bars...

In fairness if you've got bars on your windows for security purposes or not,thieves who are desperate enough will come tooled up to enter no matter what your security measure are.

Window bars aren't that difficult to remove if you know how

It takes 32 individual cuts with a large bolt cutter to remove my bars and all the while you are cutting a loud siren will sound and an emergency light will be flashing alternating blue, red and clear. Yes my alarm system is on a battery back up and my phone will have been called alerting me to the break in and we have not even started talking about my dogs.

I don't have cheap window bars. I don't think you can say with any certainty that window bars aren't that difficult without knowing what kind of bars you are talking about. Window bars are not all the same. My next door neighbor four cuts with a bolt cutter gets you in. Mine 32 cuts. My home is completely air conditioned and it runs 24/7 so I don't care if the bars block air flow as the windows are never opened anyway.

The 10 ft wall is a big enough deterrent where I live also. Edited August 24, 2015 by stoneyboy

[stoneyboy]

No mention of Burglary here either.

Must be a myth.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Thailand

[willyumiii]

There are many poor people and people with drug problems in Thailand, and they do take what is not theirs if they can.

If you have bars on your windows, thieves will pass up your home for one that is easy to get into.

Most newer houses in Thailand, and those wirth contents worth taking are made of cinder block and concrete.

Concrete and cinder block do not burn.

How often have yo seen a house fire in a newer house in Thailand?

I am an ex firefighter and I do pay attention to these things.

[lostoday]

No mention of Burglary here either.

Must be a myth.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Thailand

Where in that report do they compare 10 ft walls and bugler bars? Aren't you afraid that the wall just adds privacy to the burglar who can jump or climb?

[stoneyboy]

No mention of Burglary here either.

Must be a myth.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Thailand

Where in that report do they compare 10 ft walls and bugler bars? Aren't you afraid that the wall just adds privacy to the burglar who can jump or climb?

Not at all,my infra red facial recognition cameras,and number plate recognition cameras are a huge deterrent as is the barbed wire and machine gun turrets.

[lostoday]

No mention of Burglary here either.

Must be a myth.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Thailand

Where in that report do they compare 10 ft walls and bugler bars? Aren't you afraid that the wall just adds privacy to the burglar who can jump or climb?

Not at all,my infra red facial recognition cameras,and number plate recognition cameras are a huge deterrent as is the barbed wire and machine gun turrets.

The pay for our machine gunner was eating up my wife's household budget so we replaced him with Claymore mines. You might want to consider it as the gunners have a tendency to sleep it the turret is too comfortable.

[oneday]

In fairness if you've got bars on your windows for security purposes or not,thieves who are desperate enough will come tooled up to enter no matter what your security measure are.

Window bars aren't that difficult to remove if you know how.

But in all likelihood thieves will only mess with homes using security bars if they know something worth their while is inside otherwise they are going to go for the unsecured homes...wouldn't you?