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British expat and Thai wife fight off mugger in Pattaya


Jonathan Fairfield

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On 15/01/2017 at 1:33 PM, smotherb said:

Never had anyone doubt my masculinity, and I have worn the same 4 baht gold chain and Vietnamese Buddha in Asia since my Vietnamese gf gave it to me in 1968.

I've worn my 5 baht chain and amulet for years too. Ever since I was given it 20 years ago - originally with a cheaper chain by my then girlfriend, now wife... Over the years, my wife has upgraded the chain a couple of times for my birthday which is how it's now a 5 baht chain (admittedly when the gold price was a lot lower than it is nowadays.)

 

I do tend to make a point of wearing it under my shirt. So people generally don't see it.

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Good thing Thai thugs don't know the value of watches. I used to (stupidly) wear my Patek Philippe Calatrava around town but later decided it wasn't worth the risk just in case someone did know it's value and tipped the local thugs for a cut. I don't even wear a fake one these days. 

 

Back in the day my old business partner got clocked going out of the bathroom in a Warsaw bar and got his wallet and Rolex stolen. 

 

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On 1/15/2017 at 6:59 AM, pattayadude said:

180,000bht chain???these exaggerated values for snatched gold chains keep getting higher and higher in the TV news! what kind of moron wears a kilo of gold hanging from his neck!

Well, maybe you just don't realize the value of gold. B180K is a little more than $5.1k. Gold is a little over $1.2k/oz. So, around 4oz of gold--and don't forget the  jewelry and workmanship value. Our Korean friend may have had an 8baht necklace. Not impossible at all.

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1st time we went to Pattaya we dropped off our bags at the hotel and went out to get a bite to eat, suffice to say across the road this older farang started to stumble, I said to the Mrs, that bike hit him, I could see the rider and a pillion ducked down behind him, couldn't make the plate, too fast, so I yelled out to the bloke across the road, you ok, he said, they took my chain, I looked at the Mrs, she had already removed her chain and was undoing her bracelet on her wrist, she purchased the gold back when it was 12,000 baht, that's her investment and only wears it when I'm around, I keep telling her, people are going to think you have money, and her reply is; I can't hide you 555

 

The only gold I buy is in stocks, no one is going to rip it off my neck, it goes up in value and it goes down in value, but as I buy it and sell it on a daily basis, I am ahead, and I have no need to wear it around for others to want to rip it off my neck. 

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On ‎1‎/‎14‎/‎2017 at 4:46 AM, Briggsy said:

While clearly the bad person in this tale is the mugger, I would urge all people, particularly foreigners not to wear visible gold chains, particularly worth the amount of money stated in this story. There are numerous reported stories of these being ripped off wearer's necks. By wearing a gold chain, the chances of you being mugged increase exponentially.

Warnings like this would seem common sense, but I think do little good.  Either visitors to Pattaya simply fail to see them and read them and are not aware of the risk, or they actually do some homework but here on TV read some dumb cluck going on and on about how Pattaya's no exception to what can happen everywhere in the world (therefore no precautions required - go figure...), or they simply harbor the attitude that the bling is theirs to wear as they please and are dismissive of the risk.  It's not a question of being "bad":  yes, it truly is the mugger here who is the scum.  The victim of a theft IS a victim.  But there is a question of judgment and common sense.   Some got it; some don't.

 

 

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On Saturday, January 14, 2017 at 9:46 AM, Kasset Tak said:

I wear a necklace with Thai amulets every day but I usually use stainless steel chains or paracord and plastic casings for my amulets as this is basically SAFE!

I know that many foreigners just want to showoff with gold and don't believe/think about the amulets and that's when you put yourself at risk, because if you have an original Somdet Warakan (same type of amulet as the man show) then we are talking about an amulet that's valued to the ball park of 2-15 million Baht.

I don't have any very expensive amulets and still my everyday paracord necklace with 5 amulets is valued to over 60,000 Baht just for the amulets!  

wait, guy with $ 2,000 necklace is  chastising a guy with a far cheaper necklace ?   lol....

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I had my brushed stainless chain(500 baht worth) snatched while riding my mbike at 2pm early afternoon on 2nd road  near Pattaya clang(Central Pattaya) in 2006 by two lowlifes on mbike.
That goes to show you can't wear anything, anywhere, anytime.Period


Actually no it doesn't.It shows that any dumb foreigner in Pattaya ( not known for its civilised values)who wears costume jewellery is at risk of being attacked by some low life.


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I've worn my 5 baht chain and amulet for years too. Ever since I was given it 20 years ago - originally with a cheaper chain by my then girlfriend, now wife... Over the years, my wife has upgraded the chain a couple of times for my birthday which is how it's now a 5 baht chain (admittedly when the gold price was a lot lower than it is nowadays.)
 
I do tend to make a point of wearing it under my shirt. So people generally don't see it.

Much lower back then 6to 7 K according to Mrs Pop who only has one 5bar she rarely wares Strange that .I sometimes think it's because she'd married to me and thinks it looks like I bought it


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On ‎14‎/‎01‎/‎2017 at 8:22 PM, gk10002000 said:

Only very vain people or nits wear expensive stuff like that or flash it.

 

On ‎14‎/‎01‎/‎2017 at 5:42 PM, BKKBrit said:

Men wearing gold necklaces. Yep....studly and masculine. 

I love the above quotes, because you wear a chain you are either vain, studly, masculine or all three.

 

Just because you don't like wearing, or the look of a chain does not make you any of the above (its all in your head) Its down to the individual.  Just imagine if we all liked the same things :post-4641-1156694005:

 

Its irrelevant what he wore what he looked like etc... you should be able walk down ANY street without having ANYTHING stolen from you!   

 

 

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I love the above quotes, because you wear a chain you are either vain, studly, masculine or all three.
 
Just because you don't like wearing, or the look of a chain does not make you any of the above (its all in your head) Its down to the individual.  Just imagine if we all liked the same things :post-4641-1156694005:
 
Its irrelevant what he wore what he looked like etc... you should be able walk down ANY street without having ANYTHING stolen from you!   
 
 


It's not really just a matter of opinion.There's a school of thought on this forum that one man's opinion is as good as another's.It isn't - though even the most foolish opinion has a right to be heard.

On the matter under discussion I'm afraid that it remains an indisputable reality that gold chain wearing farang tend to possess a set of characteristics pertaining to education,social class and aesthetic sensitivity - but politeness prevents me from elaborating on in more detail.


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On 1/14/2017 at 7:46 PM, Briggsy said:

While clearly the bad person in this tale is the mugger, I would urge all people, particularly foreigners not to wear visible gold chains, particularly worth the amount of money stated in this story. There are numerous reported stories of these being ripped off wearer's necks. By wearing a gold chain, the chances of you being mugged increase exponentially.

I'm very familiar with mathematics, but what does "increases exponentially" mean here? 

What is the value of the exponent?

2, 10, e, ...?

May you should stick with  'a lot'

or something.

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23 hours ago, ChangMaiSausage said:

 

 

I love the above quotes, because you wear a chain you are either vain, studly, masculine or all three.

 

Just because you don't like wearing, or the look of a chain does not make you any of the above (its all in your head) Its down to the individual.  Just imagine if we all liked the same things :post-4641-1156694005:

 

Its irrelevant what he wore what he looked like etc... you should be able walk down ANY street without having ANYTHING stolen from you!   

 

 

I never said that not wearing the things doesn't make one.  Many vain people don't wear garish things.  The converse of statements are not necessarily true

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3 hours ago, papa al said:

I'm very familiar with mathematics, but what does "increases exponentially" mean here? 

What is the value of the exponent?

2, 10, e, ...?

May you should stick with  'a lot'

or something.

Let me consider my reply.

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On 2/3/2017 at 0:52 AM, smotherb said:

Well, maybe you just don't realize the value of gold. B180K is a little more than $5.1k. Gold is a little over $1.2k/oz. So, around 4oz of gold--and don't forget the  jewelry and workmanship value. Our Korean friend may have had an 8baht necklace. Not impossible at all.

I know the value of gold. Let's set aside Thai baht/baht of gold/ounce/gram conversions for a second.

I just can't imagine anyone wearing a $5,000 gold chain in streets of Pattaya or 90% of anywhere in the world.

Maybe I am too careful or don't care about impressing others with my wealth.

But thanks for the gold info anyway. :smile:

      

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1 hour ago, pattayadude said:

I know the value of gold. Let's set aside Thai baht/baht of gold/ounce/gram conversions for a second.

I just can't imagine anyone wearing a $5,000 gold chain in streets of Pattaya or 90% of anywhere in the world.

Maybe I am too careful or don't care about impressing others with my wealth.

But thanks for the gold info anyway. :smile:

      

You said, " 180,000bht chain???these exaggerated values for snatched gold chains keep getting higher and higher in the TV news! what kind of moron wears a kilo of gold hanging from his neck! "

 

Well now,  I think you shouldn't set aside the actual values and make inaccurate statements like you did.

 

The values of gold chains do not have to be exaggerated as you stated and the chain in question was not one kilo of gold hanging around his neck. And, as far as the wearers of gold chains being morons, well that too seems to be opinionated. I believe there are lots of morons about, most of whom don't wear gold chains.

 

 

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On 2/5/2017 at 10:15 PM, The Man Who Sold the World said:

Now, everybody knows about the motocy gold chain snatch thieves... and, everybody knows it only happens to other people... it could never happen to me... I am smart and aware... they wouldn't dare...

I think it depends on how, where and when you wear your gold. My gold is not visible, I always wear mine under my shirt, I am not wearing it for the benefit of others, it has a special meaning for me.

 

Perhaps because I have spent 50 years in Asia, I am also consistently aware of my surroundings, part of which is amplified by the fact I rarely get drunk, especially when in unfamiliar places. 

 

I am also not foolish enough to think nothing could happen to me; things have happened and yet, somehow I managed. I guess the old dog new tricks adage may apply, but I intend to continue wearing my gold.

 

 

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17 minutes ago, smotherb said:

Well now,  I think you shouldn't set aside the actual values and make inaccurate statements like you did.

I didn't set aside the actual value!.as a matter of fact I mentioned the approximate value of $5,000 which the victim claimed his chain was valued which none of us will ever know if true or not.

"kilo of gold" is a figure of speech to make a point!.and why do you get stuck in these details and miss my actual point of everyone wearing high value gold chains in plain view being morons.

it's my view and i am entitled to it since this is an open forum! get a life

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19 minutes ago, pattayadude said:

I didn't set aside the actual value!.as a matter of fact I mentioned the approximate value of $5,000 which the victim claimed his chain was valued which none of us will ever know if true or not.

"kilo of gold" is a figure of speech to make a point!.and why do you get stuck in these details and miss my actual point of everyone wearing high value gold chains in plain view being morons.

it's my view and i am entitled to it since this is an open forum! get a life

I am the one who said it was worth $5k when you were still calling it B180k. You were still stuck on a kilo of gold when I corrected you. And what was your point with a kilo of gold, that he was wearing so much gold you couldn't imagine it? Ah, and now you come up with a new caveat "in plain view" gee, it seems I said that too. I am pleased I may have given you a chance to think. 

 

Oh, yeah, and what I said was my opinion, so what makes your opinion more important than mine; to the point that I need to get a life?

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On 14.1.2017 at 8:06 PM, clifric said:

I moved from Pattaya to Hua Hin on 2008 and gold chain snatching was rife then. Any farang who is stupid enough to parade around wearing gold chains is asking for trouble. When we went to Vietnam we bought 100 baht watches specially for the occasion. A little bit of commonsense is required; it's too late to cry over spilt milk!!

Gold chain Snatching is rife now as well, if some moron who walks around with a 5 bath gold chain is begging to get mugged. 

Wearing gold chain and body covered with tattoos tells me all about the victim, a looser without confidence.

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