Do you feel secure in Udon?

[Marlowe]

Do you think he'd help a Westerner get a piece? Would now like to buy one. Anyone here done this? Know anyone in NK or Udon?

[lee]

Available anywhere in Udon? Cost?

The sell pepper spray, tasers, throwing stars and many other weapons at a stall next to the left-side entrance of the air-con building (Centerpoint night market).

[nkstan]

Let me think about this!Maybe there is a business opportunity here.Open up a stand/stall/store and sell items that are illegal to own or illegal to use!Then inform the authorities about the customers for a % of the extortion.

[Laan Yaa Mo]

Nice to see these peace loving people (Khondahm and Marlowe) looking for weapons in Udonthani and Nong Khai to defend life and property vs. the really bad guys. Chaiyo!!!

[Aardvark]

Which begs the question, what can you do to protect yourself, family and property that wont land you in big trouble ??

[Laan Yaa Mo]

Not much...or so it seems.

However, if it is an invasion of one's home or an attack on a person, survival wins out. In that case, call Khondahm and ask to borrow a weapon pronto to put a dent in the invader's plans.

My very good friend keeps a hunting knife to defend herself and her son. But, then, she is Thai and has been trained to kill as a member of the militia.

She also knows Thai boxing and used it to good measure a few months ago after a farang kicked her miniature chihauhau in the face. She retaliated with a few well-placed sky-kicks to his head. He beat a hasty retreat.

[SanukJoe]

after a farang kicked her miniature chihauhau in the face.

Khun Tilo, do giant Chihuahua's exist too?

[maaka]

let me just say you can get 'anything ' in thailand..wink wink..
best to get it 1000kms from home
no names , no numbers, must be clean.
but let me telll you, once you have it, you then enter a whole new ball game
one that is not for the weak and feeble minded.
a police checkpoint can pop up when you lease expect it, you may be searched, could you handle it??

it all very well playing cowboys and Indians back home
but thats all kiddy stuff compared to being a cowboy in thailand.

if you want to protect your home. Join the local rifle club. Or form a skit club (clay birds) Great sport..all one needs is a shotgun. perhaps the authorities

[maaka]

perhaps the authorities will let you bring over that favorite shotgun you have back home..maybe let you have a hunting licence, maybe let you store you favourite shotty at home in a proper gun safe..maybe the new police commissioner might like to join your new club..comprende

[KHONDAHM]

Aw, c'mon guys. I know many are just winding people up reading the thread. That's all well and good. BUT if a home invader or burglar enters our home and my wife sprays and tasers him, the police will not do a darn thing to either my wife or me. At worst we might get a THB 200 citation so the cops cover themselves if it ever came up at court. I know this to be a fact because #1 we have extended family who are cops and they told me so. #2 When was the last time you read about anyone being arrested for defending themselves from a criminal with a taser or pepper spray ANYWHERE in Thailand? It just doesn't happen. Especially around Udon where I've seen kids get WHUPPED for stealing the most insignificant of things, that would be ridiculous.

Besides, I have my BMS I do not need a taser or pepper spray

[Khun Paul]

Ok illegall to own a Forearm, not illegal to own a crossbow, , you can pown matchetes by the hundred, I have three swords, all wilkinson make so 33 and one half inches goes a long way up someone .

Also dogs, they do not get arrested either and normally when they bite the intended victim ( not a nice man) goes very quickly either to hopsital or home but does not stay.

Whjat are we doing all the time I have been here I have never needed anything, those that think they do must live a life near the edge.

Neer have I needed to buy anything but I can lend someone a First Woirld war bayonet, ( nasty things about 18inches long if you really feel the need to feel safe. .............lol

[KHONDAHM]

Oh, and for the record, my position is this:

If a criminal burgles my home, please take all that you want, but close the door/window when you leave so mosquitoes don't get in. Everything from the 5?" TV to my daughter's toy kitchen set is fully insured, but I hate mosquitoes.

If a criminal harms my family in any way, I will hunt you down myself AND advertise a very, very large reward to any cop or citizen who shows me evidence that you were medievally tortured before being turned in. I give bonuses for eyeballs or testicles. When you are in jail, I will visit you every week to confirm that the criminals and guards I hired to abuse you in unthinkable ways are earning their pay.

For the record!

[parrot]

Man, you guys are waaay too paranoid. Buy some insurance, close your eyes, and put the brass knuckles away.
If I felt so insecure in Udon, I wouldn't be in Udon.
We live in the jungle......first few years we lived here, everyone asked if we were afraid of kamoeys. 13 years later, no problem (I know, I know, tonight will be the night.....but I'm not losing sleep over it).

By the way, someone a while back mentioned keeping your vehicle key near your pillow. If you hear a noise in the house at night, press the alarm key. My guess is most burglers would flee at the noise.

[Laan Yaa Mo]

Chai, Khun Sanuk, they have these giant man-eating chihuahuas that live on Skull Island, and in Mexico, well, they have all kinds of chihuahaus...tons of them...so be careful out there...it is a tough world.

[Marlowe]

I’ve never been paranoid or felt unsafe at all anywhere in SEA, especially Thailand, for over 20 years now. In fact, never gave it much thought at all, which goes to show you how safe it basically is here. I suppose being 6’6” and weighing 130 kilos doesn’t hurt, but then again, if someone has a mind to rob you, I’m not sure they consider these things so much.

This attitude, however, didn't stop a couple guys from breaking into my house a few months ago, while my whole extended family (of 9) slept peacefully away.

They tried my windows - there are prints on many of them - and doors, etc., though what they would have done if the window opened behind my bed I dunno... They managed to get into the front/main house, where my sister-in-law was sleeping with her kids, and began rifling through a closet. She heard them and yelled, "Kamoey!" a few times at the top of her lungs.

Then, to my amazement, my equally peaceful, even cooler (well, it’s a close call), neo-hippie musician bro-in-law, was down the stairs in about 15 seconds with his homemade (by our neighbor) long gun (no ref to Soi Cowboy, y'all!) trained on one of the crooks literally sitting on our fence.

He told him to "get down and come here!" The guy deliberated for a second, then decided to flee instead...

My bro, being the type bloke he is, aimed high, and fired off the gun, awakening pretty much the whole village at about 2am. Everyone came out to see what was going on at the "farang's" house. (I must admit I thought it was a firecracker, and got to the proceedings late!)

Cut to the chase. Well, next day, after the chase. The coppers were here checking out the SOC, even dusting for prints and whatnot - a crack CSI-type crime unit, with the tallest Thais I've ever seen. (They put on one helluva show, then disappeared, never to be seen or heard from again.)

In short, they told my brother not to bother aiming high next time, just shoot the thug and be done with it. No 200 Baht fine or anything like that. No questions about the gun, of course, or other such nonsense. Basically, they were just being sympathetic and asking me if this happens in America, and complementing me on my Thai, and joking, as Thais are wont to do, especially in crises.

We were lucky no one was hurt, and secondarily, that nothing was stolen. But when one has a family, a few kids, a couple women in the house, etc., it does give one pause, and make one think... Hmmm. What would be the best weapon to have around should this happen again? A sword? Pepper spray? Throwing stars?!? Kung fu? Car alarm? Or maybe a .38?

I should add that this was a very unusual occurrence here, and many villagers were quite surprised. But it did happen to take place at a Westerner's house (I prefer not to use the "f" word), who had been living here in this village about 6 years. And who lives in a very low-key "long house" behind the main house. Nonetheless, well off by local standards, as we all know.

Since then, however, two Westerners have built very nice, “proper”, houses at each end of our little village. I’ve warned them already that they have now become the prime targets in our hood. So I suppose I can rest a bit easier.

Just thought I'd explain why I asked what I did in my post above.

[maaka]

35yrs on and off in Thailand and no major problems..however they dont have grills on the windows, and everything chained down for nothing. the gap between the haves and havenots is getting wider, and with it will come more crime..I am not saying you need to arm yourself, that is up to you. indeed, having a gun can cause more problems just by having it in your possession.

a sword or a knife is not easy to handle for the untrained, and more than likely will be taken off you and used against you..you also have to get in close to use such weapons, and if you are confronted by two or three robbers, you will have your hands full.

Pepper spray is also a close contact weapon. it would be difficult to squirt a couple of robbers in the face, in the darkness of your house..throwing stars are for kung fu movies, not much use at all to the ordinary Joe Bloggs..I have known a black belt karate dude get attacked and killed, even with all his skills..

there is nothing better to make people sit up and pay attention, than to have a gun pointed at ya..been there , done that..you dont have to get in close to use it, and it can handle several robbers at a time, but it needs to be handy, not locked away in the closet just when you need it..also I have known kids to accidentially kill themselves when palying with papa's gun, and a bloke or two to kill his hunter mate because he didnt identify his target..owning a gun and handling a gun are two different things..they are made to kill and they dont care who is at the receiving end..even a cut down long rifle will do the deed.

alittle bit of advice..if you do go all out to acquire a gun, and somehow come across an intruder, and shoot him, always fire a second shoot into the ceiling, so you can tell the authorities that you did fired a warning shot..it helps.

Thailand is a beautiful place, with the majority of good friendly local residents. there is only afew bad apples..hopefully you will not let yourself get into a position where you have to deal with these people..take precaustions, dont become the tall poppy, play it cool, and you should never have the need for a weapon...

[prae_mont]

oh guys...there are several ways to protect yourself from the criminals and thiefs, try to lock every doors, establish security systems in your house or whatever. But I don't agree that people should have guns or weapons to protect themselves. Unless you can handle with that properly and you won't let your kids have your guns to make a rampage shooting at school.

[nkstan]

A question:Does anyone know a falang that caused physical harm or death to a Thai,whether provoked,self -defense or whatever,that didn't have problems from the incident??

[Paul]

Mores the point, does anyone know of a farang who has been harmed in any way during an attempted or actual break-in to their property in Udon (or Thailand)

All this talk of guns, knives, throwing stars etc... jeez man - this is Udon, not the Bronx !

Aside from basic precautions such as good locks on the doors, metal grills at the impossibly cheap windows and maybe even an alarm, or a dog - is there really any need for much else?

If I didn't feel safe without having a weapons stash and it was on my mind all the time that I might get assaulted, robbed or worse - I would have to question if I am living in the right country.

[trubrit]

Mores the point, does anyone know of a farang who has been harmed in any way during an attempted or actual break-in to their property in Udon (or Thailand)

All this talk of guns, knives, throwing stars etc... jeez man - this is Udon, not the Bronx !

Aside from basic precautions such as good locks on the doors, metal grills at the impossibly cheap windows and maybe even an alarm, or a dog - is there really any need for much else?

If I didn't feel safe without having a weapons stash and it was on my mind all the time that I might get assaulted, robbed or worse - I would have to question if I am living in the right country.

Well said Paul. =D>