How many keys might be floating around for every hotel room? You know they never bother to change locks.

Tourist's valuables missing in Pattaya Published
7 Feb 2015

A Kuwaiti tourist said someone broke into a safe in his apartment unit and stole money and items worth more than 100,000 baht. Pol Maj Akachai Moonlee, an investigating officer at Muang Pattaya police station, said on Saturday that the tourist, aged 39, was taking his Indonesian girlfriend for a walk in Pattaya last night.

As the couple returned to the apartment at about midnight, the Kuwaiti found out that the door to his room had been left unlocked and the safe was missing. He told police that he had 3,000 US dollars, five credit cards, a smartphone and a passport in the safe. Pol Maj Akachai said the thief left a key in the room. Police will check the fingerprints on the key and closed-circuit television footage to identify the culprit.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crime/4 ... in-pattaya

1/2 the time in PP, these things aren't even bolted down.

You know you often read about guys getting robbed on beach road late at night invariably pissed with a large wedge of dosh on them. In a way I can see why some prefer to carry the cash rather than leave it in their room. These cases tend to pop up fairly regularly but it's usually a similar MO, it's usually in a sleazy cheap hotel, and often its a Middle Eastern perp getting friendly with the night receptionist who he drugs with a drink and then raids the safety boxes at reception. I've seen the tube videos where those little hotel safes can be opened dead easy without the combination

You're best bet is to rent a safety deposit box at a bank. It's a huge pain in the ass and isn't too cheap and quite inconvenient, but your room is not safe and the lobby safety boxes are pillaged regularly. My guesthouse room got broken into once and I lost everything but my passport. Multiple charges made to my credit card and my ATM debit card maxed out for purchases all within 1 hour of the theft and before I could cancel all cards. I had just came back from Cambodia and was flush with US dollars too. Cocksucker. It was the middle eastern asshat that rented the room next to mine, as seen from the security camera of some of the places he used my credit card and recognized by the maid. Of course the guesthouse owner didn't copy the guy's passport so had no details to catch the guy. He was able to break into my room and my locked suitcase with just a screw driver. I had only checked in 2 hours previously that night and didn't store my stuff in any safety box yet. I stepped out of my room for literally 10 minutes to buy some water 30 meters down the street. I won't be making that stupid mistake again.

It's crazy hard to get a box at a bank here, they only accept documents, & the charge you $5 every X you want access. The secret to not being robbed while travelling is quite simple - don't bring anything important or valuable w/you. I don't carry a lot of dough, only 1 credit card, 1 ATM, shit phone, old computer, old watch etc. If you're staying at a high end hotel, their safe deposit boxes behind the front desk are quite safe though.

Bummer of an experience Soi Dog. I can't travel without valuables because I've got photography gear with me and my laptop and I hate to say it I don't have insurance, personal belongings or medical. I need to reassess that for the future as it could amounts to a big loss either way. Like Richard I've been lucky so far, any losses have been self-induced stupidity.

Here is a very similar case to what happened to me. This was at a higher end hotel. I hope they cut his shnuts off.

Pattaya Police arrest Iranian suspect in Chinese burglary case
Posted on February 9, 2015 at 3:49 am


Pattaya Police, in conjunction with the Provincial Transnational Crime Suppression Unit, arrested a 29 year old Iranian on Saturday Afternoon, accused of the theft of an IPhone 5 from a Hotel Room occupied by a Chinese Tourist.
The incident occurred on 3rd February at the A One Royal Cruise Hotel at the Northern end of Pattaya Beach. The phone was taken from room number 2639 occupied by Mrs. Zauying Zhang from China, who was out at the time of the theft.

Security Cameras caught the person responsible for the theft and he was later identified as Mr. Esmaeil Zaremaoyedi who was known to be staying in room number 5809.

The suspect checked out hours after the theft but was tracked down by Police and arrested on Saturday. During questioning the tearful suspect confirmed it was him in the security camera footage and he was caught in possession of the phone which belonged to Mrs. Zhang.

The suspect was charged and is being held on-remand pending a Court appearance.

- See more at: http://www.pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/ ... 900P7.dpuf

phuketrichard wrote:"You're best bet is to rent a safety deposit box at a bank. "

How do you do that? banks in Thailand will NOT rent you a box unless u bank with them and are on a long term visa and even then they are not easy to get.

Look at the banner ad for safety deposit boxes on pattayaone.net. I haven't read the fine print. I easily got a bank account opened at Kasikorn bank with only a 60 day tourist visa back in 2009. Maybe banking regulations have changed since then but it was not hassle at all. Took only 5 minutes and a passport back then.