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#1
29-12-2005, 05:55
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*How safe will I be when I sleep!*
Right,
Been reading up on various links warning about security issues, which to be honest are valid but has made me very concerned. The scenario, I'm alone in the hotel room with my girl of choice.....Do I sleep with one eye open or no sleep at all! What do you do with your money wallet and more important belongings like passports etc? I know it sounds stupid but reading up on the links has made me petrified I'm going to get robbed in my sleep! It also says if you leave cards in hotel safe there has been instances of staff taking the card out using it and putting it back and that you only find out when you get back home. This brings me round to how I will have my money in the first place. I would given my choice like to just take one credit/debit card which I would use as of when needed. Never having more money at any one time then necessary. Only problem there if I lose the card or the machine keeps it I will suffer seriously because I will have no cash or any other ways of getting it. (So not really a good idea) Now traveller’s cheques which I have never used are better for me based on my above alternative but bring me back to my original worry where do you stash then at night? Sorry if I'm not making sense but please someone give me the drill here…’’ I do like my sleep and I’m starting to flap already! KB 
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#2
29-12-2005, 05:58
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In room safe?
Well, if you're really paranoid look for a hotel that has an in-room safe.
Carry travelers checks. Keep most of your money, credit cards, etc. in the safe until needed. Rex
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#3
29-12-2005, 06:15
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Your right get the right hotel which is half respectable
and use the safes if they get broken into well you can only do so much, Besides I would probably hear her and wake up  Seriously I don't think I will keep everything in the same place. May be a good idea to use the main hotel safe for my passport and camera. And the safe in the room for everything else. Just don't want to get suckered, I will try not to panic and get back to looking forawrd to good things out there  this is the link by the way, http://www.bahtbus.com/advice/
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#4
29-12-2005, 06:17
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It's a problem. Further question you can ask is "How safe are my life savings in the bank if the economy collapses?". From the day you were born you took a risk [childbirth is not risk free] All you can do is minimize the risk.
When I stayed in Phuket, I put most of the cash and documents in a hotel safe. The receipt I got stated the hotel's liability in case of loss to be 500 baht, less than $20. Carried a small amount of cash and an ATM card. If you have a bad day and loose everything from those two sources, then head to an embassy of your country and they will lend you some money. If Thailand has suddenly declared war with your country and the embassy staff have left, then enjoy your extended stay. I believe there are vacancies for lady boys at some of the bars. Could end up being an interesting holiday.
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#5
29-12-2005, 06:40
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Dunno what you're worried about. Been knocking around Asia for 20 years, picking up BGs or P4Ps or whatever you want to call them, and have never lost a thing ('cept maybe my reputation).
A few simple precautions: 1. Stay in a hotel with a security box system (one key for you, one key for the hotel) and use it for everything/anything that you can't afford to lose or don't need right now. 2. Try to limit your walking around cash to 5K baht or the local equivalent (depending on your drinking habits) and keep only enough money in the room to pay her off in the morning. 3. If your hotel has a policy of taking the lady's ID card, for God's sake go along with it and don't try to circumvent the system. Personally, I use an ATM card and carry it with me all the time - but maybe I've just been lucky. BTW, I've never actually paid for sex, but I've bribed an awful lot of them to leave in the morning.
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#6
29-12-2005, 06:41
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As many far more experienced posters than I have frequently pointed out -
if you go with a girl from a bar, you are pretty safe. You could always make a complaint to the bar owner and all concerned know that. As far as in what form to take money - there is already a thread on the advantages / disadvantages of Traveller's cheques. As I stated in that thread, I have not used TC anywhere in the world for at least the last 8 years, and regard them as a "thing of the past". The exchange rate on TCs is usually worse than you get at an ATM anyway. Take 2 credit cards, withdraw a decent amount and then leave what you don't need in the safety deposit box.
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#7
29-12-2005, 06:54
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Use your ATM card at a bank that is open during the daytime so that if the ATM machine eats your ATM card then you can just go in the bank and ask them to retrieve it for you.
You will not be able to do that if the bank is closed. and by the way, 1 problem for every 100 or 1000 BM's does not mean that it is going to happen to you, just be responsible and smart. Relax, don't get all worked up about nothing.
__________________
variety is the spice of life. I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy. Mav's a hasher, not a basher, Tell me it ain't so! Mav, he sits on ice, says it feels nice, enjoyed it so much, he did it twice.
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#8
29-12-2005, 06:55
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Interesting question "How safe is the Safe ?"
I travel quite a lot for my job and have been to LOS 10 times so far, so here's what I have found out and do. * I have never had any problems with leaving cards, cash etc in the safety boxes in a hotel reception. * I always look for hotels with an "in-room" safe, but safety boxes in reception will be fine if I like the look of the hotel. * I always carry 2 credit cards with me. As soon as I arrive, I use one to take out some money to get me started. Once this is done, I put both cards in the safe. * Before leaving home, I advise both credit card companies of my travel itinerary so they know to expect transactions from those countries I am visiting. I also check with them what numbers I should use in case of emergency (they do change, so don't rely on old statements etc. for this info). * I take a photo-copy of my passport with me and carry it in a small plastic holder inside my wallet. The holder is one that is normally associated with tube/rail season tickets and is given out with the ticket as a holder for it. * The passport plus any cash I might have brought with me goes in to the safe as soon as I arrive, along with my air-ticket home. * If you have an in-room safe, use a number (some allow use of a card with a magnetic stripe as well) that you know you will never forget. For example, you mother's birthday in number format i.e. 10th of April would be "1004". * Never use your credit card PIN number as your safe number  * If your "in-room" safe is one of the older kind, (insertable lock and key) always check what the cost is if you lose the key and make sure they have a "spare" - you may laugh but some don't keep spares and they use a locksmith to open the safe if you lose the key  * If you have close family at home, give them brief details of anything that you might need to know, should the worst ever happen, i.e. everything goes. For example, leave an envelope with them that has details inside, like your passport number and expiry date, your credit card numbers and their emergency contact numbers, the airline ticket reference and contact number for airline, the number of your Embassy (for me it would be British Embassy in Bangkok). The last one hopefully you will never need and as I said, is in case everything goes for whatever reason. I leave my "envelope" with my mum (bless her) and it means that I can speed up any process by having all the relevant details available to me by virtue of a phone call to home. I'm sorry if reading all this makes it sound even more frightening, but until you are ever in the position where something has been stolen or gone missing, then you won't really appreciate how much these steps will help eliminate. I hope it never happens and you have a safe trip, but "it's better to be safe than sorry".  Good luck
__________________
Only a woman can break his spell. Pure in heart who will offer herself
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#9
29-12-2005, 07:12
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Quote:
Can't argue with that (and I'm a bloke that can find an argument as a rule)
__________________
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#10
29-12-2005, 07:14
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I think the best rule for noobs to the scene, as mention above, is stay with BG's and avoid FL's. With BG's you always have a place to go back to if something does go wrong.
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#11
29-12-2005, 07:17
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I do remember a German guy who put a load of cash into the safety deposit boxes at his hotel one night and found it all gone, along with the night porter, the following morning.
As a general rule I would say I pretty much agree with Diz here, I've never had problems in hotels but the world can be a tricky place if you flash loads of cash around. I also think travellers cheques are a waste of time and money, use cards.
__________________
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#12
29-12-2005, 19:12
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Thanks to all who have given detailed advice,
Yes maybe getting a bit paranoid but better to ask those in the know at least I'm doing what has been proven as limiting the risk, that’s all I'm trying to do it. (I know you can't ever be 100% safe life isn't like that) However, here's what I will now do take one card (Visa Debit Card) because I don't have any other cards. Don't believe in credit. Have spoken to bank and informed them that it will be used abroad for 4 weeks cash withdrawn only, so no risk of it being blocked there. Great thanks to dizbuster I think for telling me to contact the bank on that one. Will take just 3 hundred sterling travelers cheque as back up. These can be fully refunded on my return and will be kept in hotel safe. I will keep other items in hotel like passport, tickets homes cheques, but my card kept on my person at all times. If I lose the card which would be my own fault then I have traveler’s cheques as a quick fix back up. I will never have more money than needed in the room for paying girl in morning perfect. Sounds like the way to go, A quick story, I lived in Spain for 6 months the story starts last year in broad daylight early afternoon time. I would normally leave my front door open like most people do since I was at home and sitting in there, it nice you get a lovely breeze blows in from the sea..............I went to the bathroom for a piss 1 min max came back, Two Moroccans standing in my lounge, shocked I confronted them and asked what they wanted....they said they were here to do the floor tiling. I said no, no floor tiling needed here, they pretended they were confused and had the wrong house number. They then left. I looked around quickly and noticed my HP Sat Nav System was gone and also a mobile phone. I went outside and they had disappeared into a car and gone. Apparently, because they had walked in and not necessary broken in, it is seen that technically no offence has been committed. It would be almost impossible to prove they were the ones responsible. Many tourists leave there doors open when sitting at that time of the afternoon you would normally think your perfectly safe? I have for years. However, I now know to lock the outside grill door and my small front gate every time. The breeze would still blow as the main solid door is still open but they would not have been able to just walk in. It would have been the difference of keeping and losing 300 quid worth of sat nav/and my phone on that day. I been going to Spain for years thought I knew it all................. So I hope you don't mind me asking I don't want to be caught with the latest scam over in Thailand whatever it maybe. I’ve had my fair share of it to be honest and really just want to enjoy myself on this one. Cheers Guys, KB
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#13
29-12-2005, 20:30
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Tintin's house is a ordinary house with Thai neighbours, not tourist bungalow area. Expats living in Kamala also had lot of problems during last year.
However, my parents also had burglars few years ago in a bungalow resort in Patong. Now they always use the locker from inside, which should be a good advice to use. More upmarket hotels/bungalow resorts have security, which is not always the case with cheaper places. Quote:
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#14
29-12-2005, 20:57
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The only time I ever had anything stolen here was a Canon Ixus camera, stolen either by a couple of farang girls or a 40 year old hippy.
Oh and the shoes that the ladyboys broke in to steal. There ya go, dont trust hippies, backpackers or Ladyboys and you should be OK, lol.
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#15
29-12-2005, 23:37
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Quote, Lucky2,
If you have a bad day and loose everything. I believe there are vacancies for lady boys at some of the bars. Could end up being an interesting holiday. Nice  Thanks I needed that smiling again lol! Don't want to go on about the negative's but it does helps to hear the things that can happen. Anyway I have decided the following, Don't worry it will never happen to me................'' Where's my ticket I never win the lottery................'' I didn't know she was a ladyboy...........'' Last edited by kathleenbilly : 29-12-2005 at 23:42.
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#16
30-12-2005, 01:19
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Quote:
You must have an ATM card if it has a plus sign on the back you can use this at most ATM machines in LOS. I always take my ATM card, visa card + some travellers checks just in case. Phuket in general is pretty safe compared to alot of places.
__________________
Always play to win!
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#17
30-12-2005, 10:25
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use the safe and don't bring travelers checks
Don't bring travelers checks. Many money exchange places either have a sign up saying they won't cash them or they won't have a price listed which means they probably won't. If you do find one that does they charge 33 baht per check, which on top of what you paid for them in the first place is a joke. Just use your ATM, put your valuables in a room safe and you'll be fine.
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#18
30-12-2005, 13:42
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Quote:
Traveller's checks are insured against theft or loss. That is why I like them. If you lose them or they are stolen, you can get reimbursed. The charge per check the I have paid is as low as 21 Baht, up to 33 Baht according to soe receipts I looked through. That is a pittance, much less than the charge for using the ATM. I have never been charged on penny to get the checks. As far as money exchanges not cashing them, then what are those lines of people doing at the money exchange. Did they all bring their home currency in cash with them to change. I think not. How many people bring their whole holiday spending money with them in cash? Very few, indeed, IMHO. I have never had a bank or exchange think twice about cashing a traveller's check. As for ATM cards, they are a fine way to go, if you don't mind the extra expense. I figure that for the amount of money I spent on my last tour, that extra expense would have amounted to over $200 and that is money I would rather spend elsewhere. But the biggest reason, I don't choose to rely on an ATM card is that I have lost so many of them. I have lost count of how many I have lost, possibly as many as 10. No big deal here. Phone the bank, they send you another. If I was in LOS and depending on my ATM for funds, then I would be up shit creek without a paddle. I do bring an ATM card(also known as a debit card BTW), a credit card, and a small amount of cash, but rely mostly on traveller's checks. But, of course, whatever way works best for you, then that is the way to go!
__________________
LOS is warm, soft, smooth, and brown. 
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#19
30-12-2005, 14:29
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Depends on the card.. as has been pointed out some cards now offer free withdrawls, combine that with getting the interbank rate instead of the bid offer spread you are doing the best possible..
Trav cheques are something I havent used in years.. Dont think you will have a problem cashing then any where is Patong but dont know how easy up country etc would be.. I have also never heard of travellers cheques for 'free'.. I always paid a % to get them (then another bid offer when selling them).. How do they make money to cover the insurance otherwise ?? If I was travelling I would carry multiple different company issues credit / ATM cards.. and some cash..
__________________
Men have only 2 emotional states, hungry and horny.. So ladies, if you see me without an erection, make me a sandwich.
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#20
30-12-2005, 16:05
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ATM charges I think it's the same as cash advance on a credit card which is $5 amounts to 150 baht but you can withdrawal up to 20,000 baht at a time which isn't so bad in the scheme of things.
ATM is by far the easiest form of acess to funds no queing at the money changer etc. Bring some cash as well USD $100 notes give the best exchange rate I've found.
__________________
Always play to win!
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#21
30-12-2005, 16:34
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Someone has posted about an account in the UK.. I forget which but Natwest, Nationwide, something starting with an N..
They have free withdrawls and interbank conversion rates.. If I was a BM travelling I would have a current account just for that purpose.. Load it before leaving.. Easiest cheapest way to convert and security.. Funny one I had while in the US.. I had a few USD denominated TC's.. Now a local currency TC says it should be accepted as cash and you can even spend on them in garages and supermarkets sometimes collecting change in USD.. So you can fill up your car, try to pay, if they take it fine (and they are put in a a position cause you have filled up that you are forcing thier hand), if it becomes an issue just pay cash.. Just present your ID and sign the cheque... Easy.. Well I met an Aussie traveller and what he had sussed was that if he tried to use his Aussie dollar cheques in the same way, that US gas station clerks (not being that sharpest knife in the drawer) often just saw the $ sign and 'assume' USD.. If they ever caught on he would say 'sure its an aussie dollar.. The exchange rate is X.XXX I thought you understood' etc.. Then they would refuse and he was still out nothing !! At the time I think Oz to USD was about 1.7 times !!!! So he was making his Oz TC's stretch a lot further !! He reckoned next time he was getting NZD $'s as they were more like 2:1 to the USD !!! Not fair practice of course but I did like the way it played off the $ symbol and lack of global thought patterns.. Have to say I nearly cashed all my USD ones in to buy NZD ones after !!!
__________________
Men have only 2 emotional states, hungry and horny.. So ladies, if you see me without an erection, make me a sandwich.
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