You experience everything in Thailand (137)
Things sometimes go differently in Thailand than we are used to in Belgium and the Netherlands. That often leads to nice anecdotes and funny stories, but also to annoyances. Our readers tell about what they experience in Thailand. Today it is Kees who first experiences something unpleasant and that will not happen to him a second time.
Read Kees Snoeij's story below.
Wallet gone and lady gone
A few months before the following happened I had thought of going to Thailand for about three weeks. I was 62 years old and had never been to an Asian country. It was the third day in Bangkok
It is May 2012, about half past eight and I walk past Hua Lamphong station in the direction of the river. My plan is to visit the tourist spots by taxi boat. Before I reach China Town, a woman is sitting on the front steps of a house. When I pass her she jumps up and puts her arms around me. She says: Hey do you want to f*ck young girls? I turn from her embrace and answer her question in the negative. I take two steps and then think, why is she doing this. Oh shit my wallet. It was gone and so was the lady.
I ask a gentleman who was working with wood in a workshop whether there was a tourist police in the area. I had read that you had to be there as a foreigner. Now I realize I was lucky that the man I spoke to understood my English. He took his motorbike, locked his workshop and took me to the police station. At the station my story was recorded by an agent who spoke good English. Okay he said we're done, here's the report. I still had a problem. I didn't have a cent in my pocket and I didn't know where I was in Bangkok. When I made this known, he took his wallet and gave me money for the subway. Then he summoned a man standing outside to take me to the subway station. So I came back to my hotel.
Contacted the bank in the hotel and I was able to collect cash through Western Union. Fortunately I still had my passport to identify myself.
That afternoon I sat in the hotel lounge thinking about what to do. While I was sitting there someone came up to me. “Do you want to read the newspaper?” he asked. I didn't want that. Ten minutes later the same man asked if I wanted a cup of coffee. I asked him why he paid attention to me. His answer was that I didn't look well. You don't look good. I told of my adventure in the morning and we found out that we didn't need to speak English because he was from Belgium and spoke Dutch. He lived in Pattaya and knew a good hotel with a swimming pool where he regularly visited the restaurant. I went there and spent the rest of that vacation in that hotel.
I have been to Thailand many times now. In the north the south and in the Isan. I think it's a wonderful country. But I do have a wallet with a chain attached to it with a sturdy snap hook. Also recommended by the Belgian man I met again in Pattaya.
Thanks for your story. The back pocket of a pair of jeans or any pair of trousers is not a good place in many countries!
It's nice to meet such helpful people.
My idea, take an old wallet with you in your back pocket and put the money in your pocket,
Happened to me a long time ago now never a problem again.
Underwear is available for both men and women ... with pockets and a zipper where you can store your belongings.
See : Pickpocket Proof Travel Secret Pocket Underwear..of Women's Underwear with Secret Zipper Pockets 100% Pickpocket & Loss Proof Tour
https://www.amazon.com/hidden-pocket-underwear/s?k=hidden+pocket+underwear
Or cut pockets from old jeans and glue them with waterproof textile glue for 8 euros... on the inside of your jeans.
Most textile adhesives are waterproof. Some textile adhesives can be washed in the washing machine up to 40 degrees Celsius, others even up to 60 degrees Celsius.
It is best to put your wallet in the side pocket and not in the back pocket. I always do in Thailand and also in Belgium. They can't just take them out. Very difficult.
Have already sent div travel stories in the past, never seen a story on Thailand blog,
Then what goes wrong?
Then it will not have arrived.
If you look around, you will see that most Thai men, including men, carry a bag with them for their important papers, wallet and telephone.
I myself almost always have a small fanny pack, with my money and phone in it.
Small amount of money in a small wallet for an ice cream or something.
And often even easier, when we go to a shopping center or something, I just leave my wallet and phone at home and my passport in my wife's bag. Disadvantage, after an hour or so I am carrying that bag 🙂
I pull the baths from the ATM and give them to my girl minus a few hundred. I put them in my pocket, in case I lose her, I can take a taxi home. Fortunately, she carries the bag herself and there is a little Buddha in it so that it never stands on the floor (you know).
She always pays, because all those numbers in Thai style is easier for her
Has been going well for almost 20 years, as it is worth…………….
State pension again today.
Greetings everyone, Ralph.
Actually, the title of the article,, You experience all kinds of things in Thailand” in this case could better be called,,You experience something in this world”.
If you carry the money purse, which often also contains credit cards, in the back of your back pocket, then you are asking for trouble everywhere in this world.
It is best to carry the wallet in your side pocket, and to keep your hand on it where there are many people or where there is the possibility of direct physical contact.
Around the world, not just in Thailand, pickpockets often precede in the same way, by distracting their victim through a romp or other physical contact.
Especially if you come out of a bar somewhere after a damp cheerful evening, where someone has already given up on your wallet, you make it very easy for him / her if you do not pay close attention to this.
You're absolutely right John, I normally do too. But not that day. Why not? I have no idea. Didn't even think about it. Regards, Kees Snoeij
I am 64 years old and have traveled half the world, never stolen my wallet, so I never have it in my back pocket, but in the front, by the way, is an extra small model. Those pouch bags are an invitation to steal, they cut in a smooth movement just put the belt through and your pouch is gone. I always leave either my credit card or my regular debit card in the hotel and never take a lot of money with me. That way I always have a card if something goes wrong. change in my pocket so that I don't always have to pull out my wallet, remember what is just a little money for us, is often a lot of money for them.
Hi Herman, That's what I always do. But not that day. I know about pickpockets who will follow you and beat you in the face with a belt. If you then bring your hands to your head, they will cut the strap of the bag or take your wallet. That was popular for a while in the shopping center Amsterdamse Poort. My brother did detective work there. I was also a taxi driver in Amsterdam a long time ago and I know a lot of (scam) tricks. But that day in Bangkok I was a little bit stupid. Haha. Regards, Keith
That's right; wallet or loose money in your pocket. Please note that side and seam pockets are easier to roll than wing (jean) pockets.
I also see many "tourists" who carry their backpacks on their chests?
That is also a sign of: this is where you should be.
I also do that in busy places, metro, bus, etc. I once saw on a bus how they opened someone's backpack with a gilet knife in a busy bus and took out all the important things. since then I also wear it on my chest in crowded places.
What I don't understand about this story is... Why take all your money, I never do this. I always divide everything. I always leave a large portion in the hotel safe, including the passport.
Hi Steven, There was hardly any money in the wallet. But the cards to pin and pay. Regards, Keith
My experiences: A friend's backpack (on the back) was cut open at a friend's house in Spain, my husband's wallet was rolled out of his pocket (front, with button!) at my husband's in Poland, the house was emptied in broad daylight in the Netherlands, money was stolen from a hotel safe in Pattaya (€ 5000!). Ergo: you are nowhere safe from the thieves.
A few years ago I was going to take a domestic flight,
I wanted to check in an hour before departure,
Come to the counter I am told sir you are too early, you have to wait another hour.
After an hour of waiting back to check in, to my surprise the same lady says you are late the plane has already left! You must buy a new ticket!
Was of course not accepted, and asked the lady can I speak to a manager.
After waiting for a while this person came and I told him what was going on.
This man told me that the lady in question did that for the first time!
Was immediately told that I could leave for free the next morning on the first plane.
So that was solved, now the question where are we tonight?
That was also no problem we could sleep at the hotel located next to the airport.
When we arrived at the hotel, it was indicated that there would be a New Year's party that evening, the next question was, of course, can we also attend, and that was answered in the affirmative.
All attendees received a ticket for the free raffle, and we were the lucky ones to win a dinner for two, the only issue was that we would leave early in the morning!
After pointing this out, I could get a bottle of champagne as an alternative.
After having consumed the bottle and a short night's sleep, we were still on the plane the next day!
Even if it was a mistake, it still turned out well!
Over the years and many travels, I have experienced everything,
More stories to come if interested.
Gr Karel.
Bedankt,
found some very good tips in the above.
To be honest, I've never really thought about it...
When I was about 22 years old and I came to Asia for the first time, I carried my wallet in my back pocket, just like you and we were used to in the Netherlands. You just did that.
I was in Jakarta waiting for a bus. A man came to me, asked where I wanted to go and would help me with the bus. All kindness. When the bus came, I got on and I still felt how he “helped” me inside.
When I wanted to pay, it turned out that he had stolen my wallet while boarding. Luckily I didn't have much in it, but it was gone.
That was my last wallet. Since then I carried all my stuff in my camera bag that I always had with me. Now here in Thailand I always have a shoulder bag with me.
Not that I never got robbed after that…. in China a camera at a snack bar, while ten people stood around me and probably watched the thief fish it out of my backpack.
In Rio de Janeiro during a music festival, money was stolen from my zippered pockets twice in one night. The note with therefore in Portuguese: “Too late, I have already been robbed” did not take away the pickpocket…
Not a word about the gesture of the police officer to give you money for the subway, you will not often see elsewhere. It's a pity that the positive gets so little attention.....