I see many Thai men with metal detectors on the beaches of Pattaya and Jomtien do you think they find enough coins, rings, gold chains to make it worth the effort..can I join them without getting wacked?..Where to buy Metal Detectors in Thailand ? Cost to import ? Anyone do this Hobby ? Any luck?

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It seems that this too, is mafia controlled, for the paltry finds you're going to unearth, better

not to run fowl with the local lads as it's it a turf war of some sort, not worth the hassle

and the rewards, on a very remote beaches around Thailand, maybe, but live Pattaya and alike

well alone.....

Geez, get a day job or just go to the local hotels and start searching the sofas and chairs for pin money...?

on a very remote beaches around Thailand

but nothing to be found there

No I would recommend a foreigner to try this.

They will quickly find this working without a permit or you will simply be beaten up.

I heard the guys in Pattaya make good money. So, yeah - it's pretty "regulated"

I saw a westerner at a Phang-Nga waterfall with a snorkel, gloves and rubber boots turning over rocks for hours on end. If your searching for gold maybe try that.

I have a metal detector and have gone to beaches with it without incident Did not find much but no one bothered me

And its a hobby not work

Metal Detectors..Gold on them thar beaches ?

for thems that sell them yes.

A couple of good books on this subject by PeterJaggs. Can get from Amazon.com

I don't know about Thailand, but I know of one person in his home country that does this for about 1/3rd of his income (and two other niche markets) that allows him to spend 6 months of the year here.

I wouldn't personally feel too comfortable doing it here, though I'm not sure if you would call it work or a hobby in terms of needing paperwork.

Most findings I'm told are in the shallow sea rather than the sand btw (so I'm told, which kind of makes sense to me).

Head down early before the local get up................like before 10 am

It seems that this too, is mafia controlled, for the paltry finds you're going to unearth, better

not to run fowl with the local lads as it's it a turf war of some sort, not worth the hassle

and the rewards, on a very remote beaches around Thailand, maybe, but live Pattaya and alike

well alone.....

Do you actually know for a fact that "this too is mafia controlled" or are you assuming? If factual, how do you know?

Geez, get a day job or just go to the local hotels and start searching the sofas and chairs for pin money...?

Well done OP for dragging out the usual couch potato responses.Apart from finding anything it is a good form of exercise and gets you out in the fresh air.I brought one with me from home and have used it a few times on the beaches,never had a problem if you use it where there are lots of people.I have found they are curious to what you find.Ignore the ( blank ) posters,just look at youtube to see how much fun you can have.

I have a metal detector and have gone to beaches with it without incident Did not find much but no one bothered me

Edited October 11, 201510 yr by Pdavies99

I knew a guy......He brought two over decades ago......one of the first to do it.....He found 100's of rings, antigue rolled coins....and amulets....very valuable amulets that were old when they were lost. He met a Thai guy that was curious and in no time this Thai was doing it full time as job.

Since weve been here we have lost a gold earring and a necklace in the garden. I also found an earring that my wife lost long ago and A Buddha amulet supposed to be worth ฿30 000.

The author, Peter Jaggs, went almost everyday for several months on the beaches of Cha-Am. No problems. He listed what he found each day. Lots of interesting stuff, but lots of slow days too. It's a hobby.

I use my M/D at the fair grounds after the fair is gone

find all kinds on neat stuff,people drop a lot of stuff

Get a proper job.

Buy a dress.

Learn to apply make-up.

.

Learn to say "hey sexy man, you so hansum" in a deep and husky voice.

The do like the locals do and steal the gold rings, necklaces etc.

And as a bonus you don't have to get up early in the morning to do it.

I was strolling along a beach in southern Europe late in the day

when on one beach i noticed 2 men walking up and down the

beach with metal detectors, every so often bending down getting

up, interesting i thought, as i finished my ice cream an decided to

move on i noticed also watching the guys were 2 local police men

looking around i also noticed a police car in the parking lot, i'm

sure they were called by the locals, when the two guys finally came

up to the parking lot they were stopped by the cops, some talk, arms

waving in the air, put in the car and driven away, I on the other

hand had a good nights sleep.

I knew a guy......He brought two over decades ago......one of the first to do it.....He found 100's of rings, antigue rolled coins....and amulets....very valuable amulets that were old when they were lost. He met a Thai guy that was curious and in no time this Thai was doing it full time as job.

You make an excellent point.

Metal detecting isn't worthwhile anymore because Thailand's beaches are no longer virgin territory.

Beachcombers are like dinosaurs.

Whatever you might find would be almost certainly things that were lost within the past few days.

Be careful if you want to metal detect off limits, there are 1000s of old munitions about in Thailand, you never know you could be unearthing bomb or un spent bullet.

I have to revoke.

It is possible.

See this screenshot from a youtube video.

"Falang look money"

I would leave Pattaya beaches well alone !

I have a White m/d which I purchased here in Thailand. I didn't get to use it much but when I did I never had a problem from locals, mostly they were inquisitive and happy to help you dig when you got a contact. I have had a slight stroke which prevents me from walking a lot and My White is sitting in my cupbooard. Perhaps I can help you to acquire one if you check my profile and get my e-mail address

I have seen a farang doing this on Jomtien beach on occasions. Last time I saw him he appeared to have a Thai bodyguard.

May be the law consider that also as a job in the country and require work permit

I knew a guy......He brought two over decades ago......one of the first to do it.....He found 100's of rings, antigue rolled coins....and amulets....very valuable amulets that were old when they were lost. He met a Thai guy that was curious and in no time this Thai was doing it full time as job.

You make an excellent point.

Metal detecting isn't worthwhile anymore because Thailand's beaches are no longer virgin territory.

Beachcombers are like dinosaurs.

Whatever you might find would be almost certainly things that were lost within the past few days.

I ran one for years but not in Thailand. Best finds are in the water with a waterproof machine (Fisher), shovel scoop, and a wet suit with a frontal zipper. The water is reseeded annually as a lot of folks leave their bling on when they jump in. Found a fair bit of paper money too but the water has to be clear for that like first thing in the morning. You look for the wavy things floating close to the bottom. Working the beach sand can be hectic full of pull tabs and bottle caps and assorted junk. If the wave action is heavy its a lost day. I found small out of the way little swimming holes the best like in parks etc. . The real old good stuff on land is long dug up and gone. I was doing it when one could still find a lot of old silver coinage in public parks. Great excersize up and down up and down. I can get down still but getting up is a B***h

It seems that this too, is mafia controlled, for the paltry finds you're going to unearth, better

not to run fowl with the local lads as it's it a turf war of some sort, not worth the hassle

and the rewards, on a very remote beaches around Thailand, maybe, but live Pattaya and alike

well alone.....

I wonder if 'that section of beach' belongs to the deck chair vendor who was there all day?

After stacking they put on an anorak and get to it.

I am sure they will return lost valuables they uncover to their rightful owners!

Edited October 11, 201510 yr by jacko45k

I knew a guy......He brought two over decades ago......one of the first to do it.....He found 100's of rings, antigue rolled coins....and amulets....very valuable amulets that were old when they were lost. He met a Thai guy that was curious and in no time this Thai was doing it full time as job.

years ago, when i was a tourist, i found a wallet at Jomtien Beach with credit cards, and a nice wad of Dollars, Deutsch Marks and Baht. just when i was dreaming of a nice finder's fee i the disappointment was big as i found out it was my wallet which slipped out of my shorts when i took them off.

Antiques are long gone, that doesn't mean Rolex, Seiko, and the newer jewelry are not there. With the mass influx of asian tourist who wears a lot of bling, you may be surprise with what you may find. I've seen falangs and thai on Pattaya beach with no incident. Most folks just mind their own business. Its a treasure hunt after all...