English Resident And His Thai Wife Seriously Assaulted In South Pattaya House Robbery

[XXpate48USA]

Sorry to hear about this.

I have FOUR words to describe my feelings about this crime.

INSIDE JOB FAMILY MEMBER

I hope investigators dont think this just happened.

Best of luck to the Farang victim.

My thoughts exactly!! .....You do understand things here!!

[connda]

You know what really pisses me off is if he had had a weapon in his home, and had the opportunity to defend himself, he probably would have ended in in jail for assaulting the robbers with a deadly weapon -- in his own home.

That's one thing I really miss about living in the US. If the perps had broke into my home in America, they would have exited my home horizontally.

I know...crazy, gun-loving Americans. But the fact of the matter is that no matter what country your in, their are no policemen hiding in your closet at the ready to rescue you and your loved ones from bad people who break into your home with the intent of doing you and your family bodily harm. It's just that in some countries, you're afforded the opportunity to avoid criminal prosecution should you be put into the situation of having to defend yourself in your own home. Unfortunately, Thailand is not one of those countries. At least not for Farangs. So the only other option is to make you're home into a fortress for your own protection.

But I agree with one of the other posters...inside job? Perhaps family?

or get the hell out of Dodge, to someplace that does support shooting people who break into your home.

Yeah, but I like it here better than America. So you deal with the reality of the situation. Put your valuable in a bank and lock that house up at night. I like the comment about putting a "panic button" in the bedroom. That's actually a neat idea. Thailand ain't perfect, but we've chosen to make our homes here for a reason. You take the good with the bad.

[connda]

You know what really pisses me off is if he had had a weapon in his home, and had the opportunity to defend himself, he probably would have ended in in jail for assaulting the robbers with a deadly weapon -- in his own home.

That's one thing I really miss about living in the US. If the perps had broke into my home in America, they would have exited my home horizontally.

I know...crazy, gun-loving Americans. But the fact of the matter is that no matter what country your in, their are no policemen hiding in your closet at the ready to rescue you and your loved ones from bad people who break into your home with the intent of doing you and your family bodily harm. It's just that in some countries, you're afforded the opportunity to avoid criminal prosecution should you be put into the situation of having to defend yourself in your own home. Unfortunately, Thailand is not one of those countries. At least not for Farangs. So the only other option is to make you're home into a fortress for your own protection.

But I agree with one of the other posters...inside job? Perhaps family?

Connda, I agree. There are only 2 things I miss, living here; my grand kids, kids, and my small arsenal of hunting and defense weapons. You got that right too,about Gun lovin Americans! Because "an armed society is a polite society" and it works. For all the bad mouthin done about gun ownership in the US, I have noted that most comes from those whose countries have already banned or greatly restricted ownership. The law abiding Thai neighbors and friends I listen to, wish they had America's freedom to choose whether to own or not own guns. I've been here long enough to see that Thai laws restricting guns has not stopped violent crime here. It has only changed the 2 legged predators' choices of weapons, machetes and knives. Ask any surgeon which they would prefer to repair in e.r., bullet wounds in a man, or a man thats been hacked to pieces by a machete.

I truly hope the gentleman makes a full recovery, and his wife is not forever traumatized.

The rest of the Western world make Americans out as a bunch of gun-toting vigilantes. But the people I know who pack are some of the sanest, responsible people I know. Heck, look at Switzerland. The whole country is armed. Who's going to mess with them. Yeah, an armed society IS a polite society, and generally stable too.

You can have a gun here -- well you can't but you wife can. I'm still thinking. But it you light some armed thug up in your own home, you're going to jail unless you can buy your way out. And if I decide not too, the next step once I build my home is multiple security layers: fence, bars, locks, security system, and trained dogs. Probably less likely to see the inside of a cell if one of the German Shepherds does the heavy work. Hong hong.

Edited February 15, 2011 by connda

[manta]

Sorry to hear about this.

I have FOUR words to describe my feelings about this crime.

INSIDE JOB FAMILY MEMBER

I hope investigators dont think this just happened.

Best of luck to the Farang victim.

that's what I thought soon as I read it, think they knew it was there!1

[mikecwm]

I get a sense that a lot of people don't have enough useful things to fill their days - just judging by some of the stupid comments.

Let's hope both make a full recovery and rethink their situation in Pattaya.

[metisdead]

Some troll posts were removed.

[exalll]

You must be a poor man then maybe a pheasant . cos I got at least 100k bhat in my safe . gold . My watch and my wifes watch if were not wearing them .

The question I got to ask is we work for a long time to gather items of Value including cash , HOW DARE SOME PRICK that doesnt want to do a days work in there life just think they can steal it .

I hope they get caught big time , and beaten . Tourism and farrang are the biggest resource of Thailand and its about time they were protected to the fullest extent .. I just hope it wasnt the wifes brothers friend , but that would be steriotyping ./.......

20k Euros at home in the safe? Is the Majestic Residence a higher end complex? I would be extremely nervous about keeping that amount of cash in the home in any country.

TheWalkingMan

I don't get the reference to a game-bird - some sophisticated insult, perhaps, that's way over my head?

But if Fenny99 has ThB 100k in his safe, then that's about one-tenth of what the victim had in his safe. So I don't see why you "accuse" the Walking Man of being poor when he comments that someone who has ten times as much money as you in his safe is taking a risk with so much money.

[Darrel]

I keep money and jewelry in a safe. I don't consider 20K Euro over the top to place in a good safe in a secure house in a secure housing estate.

I keep money in the bank and have never owned jewelry in my life, nor would I.

And from this event clearly a good safe in a secure house in a secure housing estate isnt quite all it's cracked up to be.

I still believe that only a fool or a crook would have 20K Euros in cash for more than the time it takes to get it to a bank.

[metisdead]

An inflammatory post has been removed.

[nikkoid66]

I live in Pattaya and I am in a street where there is no problem.

The reason is very simple:

-DOGS

Yes there are a lot of dogs in Thailand and that's for a reason.

Our neighbors have 5 little dogs, we give food to one nice dog who is sleeping on the road in front of our house, around, many dogs in the houses and many other dogs are passing by.

On day the boyfriend of my girlfriend daughter tried to enter in the house because he forgot something, the dogs made such a mess that everybody had a look and he had to run.

DOGS ARE BETTER THAN GUARDS.

I used to complain a lot about Thai dogs. Now I keep the bones when I eat ribs to reward them for doing their job in our street, so that it is very safe place.

Now about having 20k Eur in a safe is very stupid. Open an account to a bank and get a debit cart. 20k Euro = 800.000 baths!!! Lot of people would kill for such a bunch of money here.

Edited February 16, 2011 by nikkoid66

[Darrel]

I live in Pattaya and I am in a street where there is no problem.

The reason is very simple:

-DOGS

Actually some people (me for one) would consider that a street with dogs is a huge problem in itself. Personally I would rather take my chances with being burgled than have noisy, dirty dogs living around me and making my life a daily hell. I put dogs well and truly on a par with drunks and people who play loud music all the time: none have any merit and the less I see and hear of them the happier I am.

[TheWalkingMan]

To the posters saying that 20k Euro is tiny money, would you mind gifting me 20k Euro each? In your view, it is an insignificant amount and I am sure that with all your cash, watches etc it will not be missed.

A simple case of put up or shut up. I fully expect not to receive any cash just as I do not expect those monied up people to shut up.

TheWalkingMan

[IAMSOBAD]

Only on TVF does the topic always turn from the story to lonely old men posting ridiculous off topic insults and arguments at each other.

The point of the story is about Crime...Victims...Lack of Security...Robbery...Assault...

It doesnt matter it was in Pattaya...dogs or no dogs...how much was in the safe...

Lets look for arrests...how thwy knew who to rob...was it an inside job...have they robbed other farang...will they go to jail...how can farang get justice???

[tropo]

I keep money and jewelry in a safe. I don't consider 20K Euro over the top to place in a good safe in a secure house in a secure housing estate.

I keep money in the bank and have never owned jewelry in my life, nor would I.

Most normal couples own jewelry. Where would you suggest it should be kept? Obviously you've never had that problem, but you're unusual.

[tropo]

To the posters saying that 20k Euro is tiny money, would you mind gifting me 20k Euro each? In your view, it is an insignificant amount and I am sure that with all your cash, watches etc it will not be missed.

A simple case of put up or shut up. I fully expect not to receive any cash just as I do not expect those monied up people to shut up.

TheWalkingMan

You're taking this out of context.

I think 20K Euro is "tiny money" for a wealthy couple living in an expensive estate. That doesn't mean it's pocket change for me.

[mkeebler]

error at line 1 .... farang cannot own house, only give money to the wife and pretend it was a gift...

can one be assaulted gently ? oh, i will rough you up a little bit now...

I hate to be finicky, but "oh yes they can" - in every possible instance.

It's the land on which the house sits that they can't own and, even then, there are legal and regular circumstances that they can.

Or the farung can get a usafuct and have total control of the land for life, but that is beside the point. He should do as we do in the USA, keep a gun and finish it early after they trip a simple alarm coming into the home. But then again, they obviously knew the details about their life and safe and would have known ahead of time if they had an alarm or a gun.

[ryladie99]

These sort of crimes are dramatically increasing in and around Pattaya. I had my property broken into not long ago, fortunately no-one was injured, but it could have quite easily gone like the story above. Best decision I ever made was to move away from Pattaya.

I would say someone employed within the Complex involved with the robbers, guards etc. The victim more than likely liked to flaunt his wealth for all to see.

Thanks for posting and you did make the right decision not to leave town. I am sorry of what happened to the couple. You are right it is the inside job like it or not...sad but, true.

[softgeorge]

I live in Pattaya and I am in a street where there is no problem.

The reason is very simple:

-DOGS

Yes there are a lot of dogs in Thailand and that's for a reason.

Our neighbors have 5 little dogs, we give food to one nice dog who is sleeping on the road in front of our house, around, many dogs in the houses and many other dogs are passing by.

On day the boyfriend of my girlfriend daughter tried to enter in the house because he forgot something, the dogs made such a mess that everybody had a look and he had to run.

DOGS ARE BETTER THAN GUARDS.

I used to complain a lot about Thai dogs. Now I keep the bones when I eat ribs to reward them for doing their job in our street, so that it is very safe place.

Now about having 20k Eur in a safe is very stupid. Open an account to a bank and get a debit cart. 20k Euro = 800.000 baths!!! Lot of people would kill for such a bunch of money here.

If you need to live in a street crawling with thai dogs for protection then you are really living inn the biggest slum on the planet. I could not live like that. maingie animals wondering up and down ready to bite anything that moved. Get out of there call for a copter to airlift you out of Pattaya. You prove how unsafe Pattaya is.

[Chicog]

I have to say it's irrelevant if 20,000 euros is insignificant to the owners, if the knowledge that it was there is what led to this attack, I'd rather keep it in a bank.

Cash might be king on a night out, but you're simply asking for trouble having that around, it's going to attract the more desperate and greedy (and therefore dangerous) Thai criminals like flies round a turd.

And if you can afford to have that sort of cash in your house, surely a few grand on a decent alarm system would not be money wasted?

[indieke]

Well I know this place really well, spend holiday there every year.

First, there is a gate behind the houses, that SHOULD be locked in th evening.Every owner has a key. What is weird, it iS a weak spot, but in the evening guards are not only by the entrance, but sit on different lanes on a chair on different spots.

I do know something. Not everybody got that amount in the house.This is organised, because people knew he took that money there. I was robbed once in a small hotel in Chiang Mai in the room, because at the front desk they saw me get 20.000 baht out of the safe. Stronger, after my excursion, they checked the safe and appointed another room were it was easier to steal it.

Here, it can be somebody who saw the money or saw him take it, even at the bank. But somebody who knew. I will not point my finger to his wife, but it is not impossible.

There is a new direction in the clubhouse, they were very serviceable, so if they have nothing to do with it, very bad for them.

[softgeorge]

Well I know this place really well, spend holiday there every year.

First, there is a gate behind the houses, that SHOULD be locked in th evening.Every owner has a key. What is weird, it iS a weak spot, but in the evening guards are not only by the entrance, but sit on different lanes on a chair on different spots.

I do know something. Not everybody got that amount in the house.This is organised, because people knew he took that money there. I was robbed once in a small hotel in Chiang Mai in the room, because at the front desk they saw me get 20.000 baht out of the safe. Stronger, after my excursion, they checked the safe and appointed another room were it was easier to steal it.

Here, it can be somebody who saw the money or saw him take it, even at the bank. But somebody who knew. I will not point my finger to his wife, but it is not impossible.

There is a new direction in the clubhouse, they were very serviceable, so if they have nothing to do with it, very bad for them.

It is a fool who risks his life by going within 200 kms of Pattaya. People never read the warnings of the place.

[nikkoid66]

I live in Pattaya and I am in a street where there is no problem.

The reason is very simple:

-DOGS

Actually some people (me for one) would consider that a street with dogs is a huge problem in itself. Personally I would rather take my chances with being burgled than have noisy, dirty dogs living around me and making my life a daily hell. I put dogs well and truly on a par with drunks and people who play loud music all the time: none have any merit and the less I see and hear of them the happier I am.

I am not a dog lover, actually I hate stupid dogs which are barking all the time. But the dogs we have here are nice and are barking only when necessary. I must be lucky.

[ericg1953]

20k Euros at home in the safe? Is the Majestic Residence a higher end complex? I would be extremely nervous about keeping that amount of cash in the home in any country.

TheWalkingMan

That's not a lot of cash and jewelry. Once decent diamond ring could soon make it up.

The Majestic Residence is in The Cosy Beach area, and not high end. It does have full security with guards and booms.

You don't know what you are talking about...There are very expensive homes in Magestic Residence...1 being in the 700mill baht range...others in the 50-80 mill baht range

[tropo]

20k Euros at home in the safe? Is the Majestic Residence a higher end complex? I would be extremely nervous about keeping that amount of cash in the home in any country.

TheWalkingMan

That's not a lot of cash and jewelry. Once decent diamond ring could soon make it up.

The Majestic Residence is in The Cosy Beach area, and not high end. It does have full security with guards and booms.

You don't know what you are talking about...There are very expensive homes in Magestic Residence...1 being in the 700mill baht range...others in the 50-80 mill baht range

You must be dreaming. You can rent houses there in the 40,000 THB/month. Please show me some details of this 700 million baht house, and the 50 - 80 million ones too. If the victims were living in houses that expensive 20K Euro would have been peanuts.

[PeterN]

It started off at 20,000 Euro, but some illiterate posters have changed that to both 30,000 Euros and 20,000bt.!!!

The solution. Maximum 10,000bt at home, a bank account with debit card, and a decent Insurance Policy which covers the 10,000bt cash + jewellery.

Then let the bastards help themselves.

Your quiet right, TO MUCH MONEY IN HOUSE, keep smaller sums, and let them have it, and live to fight another day.

[bangkoksimon]

Actually I was the manager of Majestic Residence for a year previously and am in still in contact with the management there so I know exactly how where the thieves entered, they climbed over the wall from the 4 star Cabbages and Condoms Resort which adjoins it, hardly leaves Majestic at fault when it appears that security from the resort next door allowed the robbers to enter and exit via their resort does it ? This does appear to be an inside job, which is normally the case in attacks like this so it's nearly impossible to stop them. My best wishes to David and his wife on a speedy recovery......

The homes at majestics are typically in the range 8 to 15 mil baht.

For me that is a higher range village.

Security at the entry of a village is useless.

No thieves come through the main entry, they will climb the walls.

Quoted reply from deleted post removed

How do you know this??? Are you involved with Majestic Residence Security or maybe you were there watching when it happened (it's alright I'm being sarcastic here just in case you are thinking of sending me a writ for implied complicity in all this). I assume you live (or have lived) in Bangkok as your moniker seems to suggest. Have you also lived in this area in Pattaya before as you are obviously aware of the layout in relation to the vicinity of the surrounding buildings.

Surely the sole function of a security firm is to close and monitor all avenues of entry to unwanted personnel - would you not agree??? If so, they have failed to provide an acceptable level of security in not preventing this serious assault and robbery from taking place. If you somehow knew that entry could be easily gained from an adjacent property, then why on earth didn't the security firm do something about it??? It's their job to close off ,by what ever means, any potential breach such as this, as what use is it if you have electronic sensors (or guarded machine gun turrets even, if it comes to that) on the front entrance if there are big signs at the open, back, of the building saying"please come inside the door's unlocked". So basically, I think you are wrong in your judgement to criticise in the way you have done - with such use of bold text in YOUR reply indicating a certain degree of immaturity in your character when it comes to giving sensible reasoning in your response to someone's posting.

Edited February 18, 2011 by bangkoksimon

[bangkoksimon]

She also has head injuries

Yeah, it points out that the perps were likely aware of the large sum to be had.

The Farang was rushed to hospital with head injuries. A sceptic would enquire into the extent of the wifes injurie?

[bangkoksimon]

Majestic has 72 pool villas ranging from 450m to 10m baht ( average around 20m baht ) and you don't think thats high end ???

20k Euros at home in the safe? Is the Majestic Residence a higher end complex? I would be extremely nervous about keeping that amount of cash in the home in any country.

TheWalkingMan

That's not a lot of cash and jewelry. Once decent diamond ring could soon make it up.

The Majestic Residence is in The Cosy Beach area, and not high end. It does have full security with guards and booms.

[JimsKnight]

These sort of crimes are dramatically increasing in and around Pattaya. I had my property broken into not long ago, fortunately no-one was injured, but it could have quite easily gone like the story above. Best decision I ever made was to move away from Pattaya.

I would say someone employed within the Complex involved with the robbers, guards etc. The victim more than likely liked to flaunt his wealth for all to see.

What are you on?

What about utterly condemning the scum who did this?

Or perhaps there's an element on TV who secretly like it when 'rich farang' get stolen from by 'poor' criminals...

[JimsKnight]

I live in Pattaya and I am in a street where there is no problem.

The reason is very simple:

-DOGS

Actually some people (me for one) would consider that a street with dogs is a huge problem in itself. Personally I would rather take my chances with being burgled than have noisy, dirty dogs living around me and making my life a daily hell. I put dogs well and truly on a par with drunks and people who play loud music all the time: none have any merit and the less I see and hear of them the happier I am.

Personally if I was in that situation I'd have the Thai wife or maid go out and apply for a firearms license from the cops (don't know if that's harder to do in Chonburi Province but hey) and buy a handgun to keep the gun in the house. Doesn't have to be a glock or anything, just a cheap .38 revolver would do.

I can say with certainty that the reason Thai criminals are targeting farang's is because most of them are too pussyfooting or lame to have bars on the windows or defend themselves properly.

Change your perceptions and man-up or this kind of thing will keep happening to farangs.

Right now times are a lot harder, the easy money isn't what it was and burgalry's are on the rise...