In room safe

[BigDUSA 71]

This question came up in another topic and I thought I'd offer one man's opinion on the subject. I've stayed in two Pattaya hotel/guest house that offer in room safe. Both safes are the cheapest the owner could buy. They are OK to keep light fingered BG out of your stuff but they are fairly easy for someone to break into. IMHO it's CRAZY to keep large sums of cash money in them. If they are broken into you have almost zero chance of recovery. If you feel the need to bring a lot of cash to Pattaya use travelers checks. If they are stolen you will get your money back quickly from the TC company. There are plenty of ATM around for you to use. I've been to Pattaya many times and I've never had anything go missing from my room.

[Fondles 94]

Broken into, fuck me BigD the shitholes you stay at the girls can just pick em up and walk out the door with em.

[MM 6,562]

This question came up in another topic and I thought I'd offer one man's opinion on the subject. I've stayed in two Pattaya hotel/guest house that offer in room safe. Both safes are the cheapest the owner could buy. They are OK to keep light fingered BG out of your stuff but they are fairly easy for someone to break into. IMHO it's CRAZY to keep large sums of cash money in them. If they are broken into you have almost zero chance of recovery. If you feel the need to bring a lot of cash to Pattaya use travelers checks. If they are stolen you will get your money back quickly from the TC company. There are plenty of ATM around for you to use. I've been to Pattaya many times and I've never had anything go missing from my room.

 

On the one hand, you say it's CRAZY to keep large sums of cash money in the safes (and large sum to you might, and probably is, quite different from what it is to others), and yet you say you've never had anything go missing.

Until they open the safe, how do they know if you have 1M baht or 1K baht? I suppose they just look at the lodgings you choose and the way you dress.

[Desmond Jones 196]

I usually stay at the Sandy Spring on Soi 13. At first I thought it was a negative that they didn'nt have safes in the room, only behind the lobby counter. It works very nicely however, and I've never had a thing nicked in the room. I lock some stuff up in the suitcase, and am certain the girl would get stopped picking up her id at the lobby. That's given that she made it out of the room with the goods.

 

I've found the room safes a hassle, but that's just me.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

This question came up in another topic and I thought I'd offer one man's opinion on the subject. I've stayed in two Pattaya hotel/guest house that offer in room safe. Both safes are the cheapest the owner could buy. They are OK to keep light fingered BG out of your stuff but they are fairly easy for someone to break into. IMHO it's CRAZY to keep large sums of cash money in them. If they are broken into you have almost zero chance of recovery. If you feel the need to bring a lot of cash to Pattaya use travelers checks. If they are stolen you will get your money back quickly from the TC company. There are plenty of ATM around for you to use. I've been to Pattaya many times and I've never had anything go missing from my room.

 

Why do you want to piss around with TCs and passports every-time you need cash? The safest way for regular visitors to handle their money in LOS is by having a Thai Bank Account - there are plenty of banks to choose from and it takes around 15 minutes of your time to open an account.

[berettakid 26]

I read these stories about opening these safes with a few taps, a potato or the soft manicured hand of a 40kg being able to rip one off the wall and smash it to bits

i had one of these, batteries went flat and i forgot the master key, i tried a screw driver no chance, 2lb lump hammer no good in the end i used and angle grinder to cut the welds.

 

i am pretty sure manufactures would update any design that could be open with a little tap as they would be out of business for selling a useless product

[BigDUSA 71]

Why do you want to piss around with TCs and passports every-time you need cash? The safest way for regular visitors to handle their money in LOS is by having a Thai Bank Account - there are plenty of banks to choose from and it takes around 15 minutes of your time to open an account.

 

Because this topic is aimed at the NEWBIE to Thailand. I agree it's easy to open a bank account in Thailand but for the first time visitor who may never come back TC, ATM are the way to go.

[Hub 203]

Broken into, fuck me BigD the shitholes you stay at the girls can just pick em up and walk out the door with em.

Laughed out loud, nice

[Obsession 571]

FAF.

I stayed at a GH you spammed. The safes weren't bolted down for over 2 years of complaints. No security either.

 

So. If they aren't bolted down then they just make sure all your valuables are in a handy box for thiefs to take away for later opening

[CheshireTom 1,377]

Because this topic is aimed at the NEWBIE to Thailand. I agree it's easy to open a bank account in Thailand but for the first time visitor who may never come back TC, ATM are the way to go.

 

Sorry. I missed the bit about it being aimed at one-time only visitors.

[Tatanka 1]

This question came up in another topic and I thought I'd offer one man's opinion on the subject. I've stayed in two Pattaya hotel/guest house that offer in room safe. Both safes are the cheapest the owner could buy. They are OK to keep light fingered BG out of your stuff but they are fairly easy for someone to break into. IMHO it's CRAZY to keep large sums of cash money in them. If they are broken into you have almost zero chance of recovery. If you feel the need to bring a lot of cash to Pattaya use travelers checks. If they are stolen you will get your money back quickly from the TC company. There are plenty of ATM around for you to use. I've been to Pattaya many times and I've never had anything go missing from my room.

 

Agree 100%, however instead of travelers checks I bring money which I put on my bank account the very first day of arrival.

 

 

On the one hand, you say it's CRAZY to keep large sums of cash money in the safes (and large sum to you might, and probably is, quite different from what it is to others), and yet you say you've never had anything go missing.

Until they open the safe, how do they know if you have 1M baht or 1K baht? I suppose they just look at the lodgings you choose and the way you dress.

 

100,000 baht is a large sum of money for a Thai.

 

Bragging about how well he's doing might give someone an idea of what's to be found in a safe.

[gaijin 146]

Why do you want to piss around with TCs and passports every-time you need cash? The safest way for regular visitors to handle their money in LOS is by having a Thai Bank Account - there are plenty of banks to choose from and it takes around 15 minutes of your time to open an account.

 

 

What kind of exchange rate do you get when putting money into said bank account? Do you get the competitive rates found at the exchange booths in Pattaya, or do you get a lower rate like you do in the BKK airport? When first touching down in town, I usually have a significant amount of cash with me, and when exchanging so much it does make a difference what the rates are.

 

Also, what's a good bank to use where there's many ATM's to access? I assume SCB? What do you need to walk into a branch and open an account as a foreigner?

Edited December 26, 2010 by gaijin

[MM 6,562]

I just love how some of you turn this all onto the OP.

 

You can't criticize the perpetrator, so you go after the victim.

 

His room was burgled by someone. He kept his things in a safe.

 

He's crazy, he's an idiot, he has too much money, he is too successful, he shoulda known better.

[Tatanka 1]

I just love how some of you turn this all onto the OP.

 

You can't criticize the perpetrator, so you go after the victim.

 

His room was burgled by someone. He kept his things in a safe.

 

He's crazy, he's an idiot, he has too much money, he is too successful, he shoulda known better.

 

You live long enough in Thailand to know that you shouldn't give a Thai the opportunity to get access to LARGE SUMS of money.

That's what happened and that's why he's given the advice he gets in the replies.

 

Off course there's no one else to blame than the burgular, but don't make it too easy for them.

Edited December 26, 2010 by Tatanka

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

So much for the no flaming allowed zone.

 

To the op's question, I would rather have a room with a safe than one without. We all have more things than just cash to keep out of the sight of prying eyes: plane tickets, passports, cameras, mp3 players, some have laptops, etc.

 

An in-room safe won't deter a pro but the bargirl you take home at night shouldn't be a problem.

 

What are the alternatives? A lobby safe is more secure I suppose but also less convenient or you can leave things lying around your room or locked in your suitcase - both very mobile.

Edited December 26, 2010 by midlifecrisis

[captcraig2 120]

I think it was just bad luck....could happen anywhere, anytime. I've put my valuables into many different safes in many different countries and have never once been robbed or lost anything.....Just was not a lucky day for ya!

[pcdodger 2]

FAF.

I stayed at a GH you spammed. The safes weren't bolted down for over 2 years of complaints. No security either.

 

So. If they aren't bolted down then they just make sure all your valuables are in a handy box for thiefs to take away for later opening

 

That happened to my this year in a reasonable hotel in Bangkok, when told the staff

just said that a company put them in the rooms, obviously they are never checked.

[Sanget 26]

I have set a safe in the room as a basic necessity for my selection of hotels. While for the most part they aren't particularly secure, not having one is like asking for someone to help themselves to your possessions. I personally try to keep a minimum in the room, in the safe and keep the balance of any monies in a Thai Bank account. It is better to have one, than not.

[Emil 0]

What kind of exchange rate do you get when putting money into said bank account? Do you get the competitive rates found at the exchange booths in Pattaya, or do you get a lower rate like you do in the BKK airport? When first touching down in town, I usually have a significant amount of cash with me, and when exchanging so much it does make a difference what the rates are.

 

Also, what's a good bank to use where there's many ATM's to access? I assume SCB? What do you need to walk into a branch and open an account as a foreigner?

 

 

You'll need your passport. When I opened my account at Bangkok Bank about 4 1/2 years ago I only needed my passport and I was in LOS on the 30 day entry stamp. When I took my friend to the same branch about a year ago he also was in LOS on the 30 day stamp and they told him that he needed to go to the Immigration office to get some form. Was told by a close friend who lives in Pattaya to take him to the Kasikorn branch at the Royal Garden as they weren't asking for any form and he was able to open an account. As long as you make a withdrawal from your banks ATM you'll not pay any fees so best to have a Thai bank that has numerous ATMs located in the areas you frequent.

 

Once you open an account then in the future wire the funds over as I've found that you'll receive an exchange rate slightly better than what you would receive exchanging Ben Franklins.