How safe are the hotel safes ?

Post by **izzix** » November 11, 2007, 1:56 am

from whatismatt

Enraged tourists launch hate campaign against hotel
November 10th, 2007

I know many of you dislike it when I blog about Phuket, but really, this post is so universal it could be about anywhere in Thailand. As a traveler, holidaymaker, backpacker, whatever, you pick up certain hints in guidebooks and from websites. One such hint, which I have read frequently, it to distrust anything resembling a personal safe in your room.

In hotels like the Marriott or the Hilton, there is a certain amount of trust between guest and brand, but in smaller hotels, like the ones you find in Patong, I find it remarkable that people would leave valuable items and money in room safes.

A group of tourists staying at a resort near Soi Bangla were recently duped out of money and a few other personal items. I’d rather not name the resort myself, but if you want to read about whole debacle, you can do so at Thai Visa.

There are a number of tourists who have made claims that they’ve been robbed while leaving items in room safes. Most of the tourists lost money. One group left US$1,000 in their room safe.

What’s interesting about this case is that all foreigners have automatically sided with each other and a campaign against the hotel has been launched. The Thais, however, have dodged the issue and dealt with it as you’d expect. Will there be any resolution in this case? Absolutely not. What great justice do these tourists expect to achieve?

There is even talk of setting up a website to bury the name of the hotel and destroy its reputation. While situations like this are unfortunate, I’m left wondering why the holidaymakers don’t just get their money back on insurance and let the matter rest. They certainly won’t be able to make the world spin backwards to achieve some sort of harmony here – this is Thailand.

The police won’t deal with the case, the governor has said it’s unfortunate and he will “look into it”, the hotel has denied any wrongdoing and the tourists won’t budge on their morals. Actually, these tourists aren’t out for justice – it’s simply a case of revenge.

You could argue that there is a principle at stake, but when you’re in Patong, principles go right out the window and you learn that the area has its own rules.

I think the tourists should lay this one to rest. Sure, post a warning on the Internet, but perhaps some information about how easy most hotel safes are to break into would be more fitting.

Post by **beer monkey** » November 11, 2007, 4:36 am

I use a body belt and its packed full with all my baht,Dollar + Euro and important documents and valuables including my Digi Camera,video camera lap-top, i-pods, mobile torasap, passport,House keys,Cheques and stuff, works for me, but its difficult to sit down though and makes you sweat profusely and can ruin any chances of attracting any attention from a real looker of a girl

Post by **jacko** » November 11, 2007, 7:58 am

beer monkey correct me if i,m wrong and please do but surely the orignal post was a warning to other tourists ,to be ware of this scam and did not warrant imho your sarcastic note attached regarding money belts etc not being able to sit down with your camera attached to your personell etc etc etc

Post by **Laan Yaa Mo** » November 11, 2007, 8:30 am

The original post is just a copy/paste of an article in response to a campaign initiated by frustrated tourists, who got cheated by this hotel and its staff, on the Thaivisa forums. The newspaper writer actually is focusing more on the complainers than the actual situation in which these particular tourists were robbed. He wants the tourists to stop the campaign against the Phuket (Patong) hotel, and limit their criticism to a cautionary note on the internet. The original poster, issix, has nothing to say about the contents of the article, all he did was post it.

The Beer Monkey seems to be offering an alternative to using wall safes in hotel rooms, but with his own note of caution that a money belt has the potential to be a rather cumbersome and unattractive fashion addition in the eyes of various ladies; furthermore, it makes him sweat like a pig instead of his namesake the ling (monkey), and it can make an even simple procedure such as sitting down become a rather difficult, if not futile, exercise.

Post by **Laan Yaa Mo** » November 11, 2007, 8:39 am

Whoops, I misread part of that message. The original post by issix is from a blog; therefore, the guy is not a newspaper writer. Tum pit eek na khup (as my friend in Udon is fond of telling me, I have made another error. At least, this time, it is not a mortal sin and I might live to see another day).

Post by **dill** » November 11, 2007, 8:46 am

i reasontly stayed in a well known hotel in bangkok and got in lae at night and got up in the morning and forgot the combination number to the safe,so i rang reception and they told me no problem ,send up the bell boy he punched three numbers and it opened the inroom safe.
he told me this number would open all the safes throughout the 78 room hotel and it overwrites the number what the guest has put in.
knowing that, i still leave minumal money in a litle lockable bag what i put in the safe.
most of the time i leave the money in the bank and withdraw as i need it,i find it much safer as far as my laptop and my cameras ,i just take the risk and if something happens i just rely on insurance.

Post by **BKKSTAN** » November 11, 2007, 8:53 am

I think this blogger is wrong to state that the tourists involved are out for just revenge!
It is very frustrating to get ripped off and no one takes responsibility.The only way that can get any action is the publicize it and hope that the gov't will take action!
Not trusting hotel safes is sound advice also,especially when there is no recourse for getting ripped off!
What the Thai gov't and businesses don't understand is that a highly publicized campaign against ripping off tourists by action and reports would help ,not hurt,their longterm interests!

Post by **Kenn** » November 11, 2007, 9:35 am

I don

Post by **beer monkey** » November 11, 2007, 4:52 pm

jacko wrote:beer monkey correct me if i,m wrong and please do but surely the orignal post was a warning to other tourists ,to be ware of this scam and did not warrant imho your sarcastic note attached regarding money belts etc not being able to sit down with your camera attached to your personell etc etc etc

tilokarat wrote: The Beer Monkey seems to be offering an alternative to using wall safes in hotel rooms, but with his own note of caution that a money belt has the potential to be a rather cumbersome and unattractive fashion addition in the eyes of various ladies; furthermore, it makes him sweat like a pig instead of his namesake the ling (monkey), and it can make an even simple procedure such as sitting down become a rather difficult, if not futile, exercise.

Nuff said, lighten up jacko,and enjoy the forum,and keep an eye on your valuables everyone,whether its in Hotel safe or Fashionable money belt like mine.

Post by **izzix** » November 12, 2007, 12:19 am

i have always trusted hotel safes , but i did have some bills go missing which i suspected were taken by a quick witted taxi driver , i cant be sure who took them. i didnt count the cash when i took it out the hotel box but found out when i arrived in Udon later.

Post by **izzix** » November 12, 2007, 12:21 am

when you hear about farangs being robbed of large sums on the pattaya sois they also didnt trust the hotel safe but preffered a body belt .

Post by **beer monkey** » November 12, 2007, 1:15 am

never read about a farang being robbed in patters whilst wearing a body belt.
also you can keep some of your cash hidden inside the brim of your hat if you wear one.

Post by **Kenn** » November 12, 2007, 3:52 am

I have never been successfully mugged, I have been attacked a couple of times but have always been able to fight them off, even when I had a gun pulled on me, and I have been stabbed a couple of times (but that was only in the states)
I never had a serious problem in South America, Europe, Middle East, and/or Asia(yet)
I never even thought of using a money belt...but it does make sense I guess

But I don

Post by **beer monkey** » November 12, 2007, 4:14 am

Post by **BKKSTAN** » November 12, 2007, 8:39 am

[quote="Kenn"]I have never been successfully mugged, I have been attacked a couple of times but have always been able to fight them off, even when I had a gun pulled on me, and I have been stabbed a couple of times (but that was only in the states)
I never had a serious problem in South America, Europe, Middle East, and/or Asia(yet)
I never even thought of using a money belt...but it does make sense I guess

But I don

laphanphon · Post by **laphanphon** » November 12, 2007, 8:54 am

maturity or rational thinking, it's a beautiful thing. also have placed myself in harms way, luckily, neither shot or stabbed, but close. only one time did i have a problem i didn't put myself in, and a 9mm is a great deterrent to criminals.

also have used the electronic safes in rooms, figuring, there had to be a generic safe code to open, just in case locked and forgetting keycode. guess i was right. i use the trunk of car now to secure valuables, even in udon and at house, when not home. electronics are in trunk. steal my car and you hit the jackpot.

Post by **RALPHCUSENS** » November 12, 2007, 9:43 am

Where you parking next forum meeting

Post by **BKKSTAN** » November 12, 2007, 10:27 am

You keep him busy Ralph and get the goods!

Chop it up later with you if you can catch me

Post by **izzix** » November 13, 2007, 12:27 am

beer monkey wrote:never read about a farang being robbed in patters whilst wearing a body belt.
also you can keep some of your cash hidden inside the brim of your hat if you wear one.

check the pattaya newspapers ?
i did see a guy lose everything in his bodybelt when he was run down on beach road by a samlor, that knocked off his bumbag then a thai bloke picked it up and ran off with it.

Post by **Kenn** » November 13, 2007, 1:08 am

izzix wrote:
beer monkey wrote:never read about a farang being robbed in patters whilst wearing a body belt.
also you can keep some of your cash hidden inside the brim of your hat if you wear one.
check the pattaya newspapers ?
i did see a guy lose everything in his bodybelt when he was run down on beach road by a samlor, that knocked off his bumbag then a thai bloke picked it up and ran off with it.

isnt a BunBag the same as a Fanny Fack, which is also called a Man Purse and even somethimes called a Fag Bag???

so that isnt a Body Belt...

a Body belt in under the clothes Right...???