Where to keep a copy of my Condo keys?

[gessi2000]

I have a question in regards of recommendations where I can keep a copy (if I loose my own copy) of my Condo keys here and can't access my Condo anymore.

What are you guys doing then?

Yes I can keep a copy at the reception desk but this is not occupied 24hrs!?

No I don't want to give a copy to a Thai girl or any other 3rd party person who knows where my room is and could access it while I am away.

Looking for something like a secured postal box or so, accessible 24hrs and around Jomtien (near Tepprasit/Thappraya road) area?

Just any tipps warmly welcome what to do for such case(s)...

[donnybay]

I hide mine the corridor ceiling, keep another one hidden in my motorbike

[rak sa_ngop]

See if you have an access hatch in the wall to the water pipes and water meter outside the condo. Maybe you can find a hidey-hole there.

But what I do now is tape the keys to the inside back of my mail-box and leave the box unlocked. So far nobody has spotted it and it has come in useful many times. Mail box theft is not a problem in my condo and many owners do not lock their mail boxes.-

[angy]

you can rent a safebox at T&T in soi 5 near beach road jomtien, they are open almost all time but if you lost the key of the safebox is another problem but this key you can put some place different from the condo keys

[Junkyarddog]

I worried about this as well. I live alone and frankly don't know anyone I would trust in Pattaya to leave keys to my home with. I do in Bangkok and if I lost my keys I could jump in the car and drive to Bangkok and get my keys. But what if my friends are out of the counyry. Then what? So after much thought to this problem I did as one of the other posters suggested. I found a place in the building that I could hide a copy of my keys. It does not need to be in your condo. It just needs to be a good hiding place. You just need to decide where this place is.

[Fookhaht]

I keep one in my office. (A natural for we peasants who are still slogging it out.)

[JSixpack]

See if you have an access hatch in the wall to the water pipes and water meter outside the condo. Maybe you can find a hidey-hole there.

+1. You can glue a magnet to your key for sticking it onto pipes or other metal.

[Suradit69]

Is there no one in the building who you know well enough to have a reciprocal agreement ... you keep a copy of his/her keys and s/he keeps a copy of yours? Undoubtedly requires some degree of trust on both sides.

If you were to hide them somewhere in your building, I wouldn't put them directly outside your condo or in the access to your condo's water pipes. If discovered by someone else ... someone doing maintenance or cleaning, for example ... it would be fairly obvious which door to try them on first.

[Mrjlh]

Some good ideas but if I told you it wouldn't be a secrete location anymore would it? So you just need to be creative and zip the lips when you decide.

[Duncan Donut]

In the past, I've dug a small hole nearby my front door, and buried an 'emergency' key, e.g. 5 paces forward from the door, and 5 paces to the right. Also, in a car accessory shop, I bought a small plastic box with an incredibly strong magnet....it was designed for storing a spare car-key underneath your car, and it worked a treat.

[Fookhaht]

See if you have an access hatch in the wall to the water pipes and water meter outside the condo. Maybe you can find a hidey-hole there.

+1. You can glue a magnet to your key for sticking it onto pipes or other metal.

Brilliant! Then you could even stick it to the backside of your padlock!

[PhotoJohn]

An alternate idea, that I'm considering myself, is to replace the door lock with a keyless entry system. Then you won't have to worry about keys at all.

You can do this without modifying the door, and if you move, just reinstall the original lock and take your keyless system with you.

HomePro has a good selection of them. I think they start around 5000 baht.

[bino]

Last time I was locked out, I called a 24 hour locksmith that opened two locks for 500 THB.

Maybe find a locksmith service and keep their number on a card in your wallet.

[little mary sunshine]

I am on the 4th floor, keep a key hidden

On the 6th floor, in access box to pipes.

Check it once in the while no problem, I

Have used it twice in six years. No name

Or number on key, of course!

[KittenKong]

Would I trust anyone in Thailand with my keys? Never.

If I lose my key a locksmith will open the door in no time.

[HampiK]

An alternate idea, that I'm considering myself, is to replace the door lock with a keyless entry system. Then you won't have to worry about keys at all.

You can do this without modifying the door, and if you move, just reinstall the original lock and take your keyless system with you.

HomePro has a good selection of them. I think they start around 5000 baht.

If it is your condo, I would think to replace with a keyless entry system... For about 10'000 baht you already can have some nice ones from epic for example. Most have 2 or even 3 access ways (smart card, pin code, fingerprint)

Of course if you stay in a rented condo, there is probably no chance to replace they lock... On the other site.. how you ever know if the previous rentner not made some extra keys for they doors and still have one??

[HampiK]

Would I trust anyone in Thailand with my keys? Never.

If I lose my key a locksmith will open the door in no time.

If you stay in a rented condo, then you never can know if the previous renter not made some extra keys and still have them.......

[Fookhaht]

Would I trust anyone in Thailand with my keys? Never....

Must be miserable to live in such a state of paranoia.

Over 15 years, I have trusted a half-dozen Thais with my keys, most of whom with I'd trust my life. When I go on an extended vacation to my home country, I have trusted Thai friends who keep the garden watered, check inside the house to see that all is well, etc. All willing to do this for free, although I always reward them for their help. Never anything amiss. Rather, often a "welcome home" gift of fruit, evidence that the floors had been swept, or a nice note awaiting me.

You frequent the wrong circles, my friend. Or maybe you don't frequent any circles at all.

[gessi2000]

Honestly... I don't think it's paranoia and I'd trust Thais even more but they change their live, work, location and SIM cards even more often than Westeners do... BUT having said I would like nearby my Condo 24hrs access to those keys and friends won't be just around when I loose those... Just keep in mind...

I'd say the keyless option is a good catch and hidding the key is a good catch as well. I will keep my eyes open and look around as I do believe cleaning and maintenance in my Condo do not even look nearby any hidden places :-)

[Fookhaht]

Honestly... I don't think it's paranoia and I'd trust Thais even more but they change their live, work, location and SIM cards even more often than Westeners do... BUT having said I would like nearby my Condo 24hrs access to those keys and friends won't be just around when I loose those... Just keep in mind...

I'm guessing we're highlighting the differences between city living and country living? I'm more mobile than most of my Thai friends at my age! ;-)

[Fookhaht]

.... hidding the key is a good catch as well. I will keep my eyes open and look around as I do believe cleaning and maintenance in my Condo do not even look nearby any hidden places :-)

I'd say that's a safe bet!

[tomwct]

I have a box at the bank. I would store for you at 1000 THB per year!

[richard_smith237]

Change to a fingerprint reading door lock... then you only have to worry about not getting into your condo if your fingers are chopped off...

example: http://dornob.com/fast-secure-sleek-fingerprint-scanning-door-handle-lock/

Not this specific brand, but I have seen these types of locks available in Thailand... Not cheap at about THB 10,000 but they are the answer if your concerns are genuine enough to take such steps.

[Fookhaht]

Change to a fingerprint reading door lock... then you only have to worry about not getting into your condo if your fingers are chopped off...

Yes, don't join the Yakuza after your installation.

[quandow]

Could someone be phishing for where you keep YOUR spare key?

[mike324]

depending on your mail box layout, you can tape it to the top bottom where ever its hidden from view and if you are able to slip your finger in. Every floor will have a place for water meter, perhaps you can hide your key there away from view, if you can access a different floor, its even better to hide it on a different flloor.

[anfh]

I keep a set hidden in my car, i then have a key for the car hidden in a small magnetic box underneath the car.

A number of friends have a small keysafe fixed to a point outside their condos. I thought about that, but as they are on show, they could be accessed etc.

[richard_smith237]

I keep a set hidden in my car, i then have a key for the car hidden in a small magnetic box underneath the car.

A number of friends have a small keysafe fixed to a point outside their condos. I thought about that, but as they are on show, they could be accessed etc.

A key safe is a good idea... it could be placed in a well hidden location..

[thaitero]

Many heavy drinkers we have here, i quess.

[gsinter]

I keep my spare key in a lock box...locked on a hidden water pipe in the building somewhere.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Kidde-Portable-3-Key-Box-with-Pushbutton-Combination-Lock-Clay-001404/100653157