Pattaya Reports

[QUOTE=GregLondon;1344545]At the risk of highlighting my own stupidity, but in the hope that it saves at least one of you guys a similar fate I will relate my own sad Haloween tale in Pattaya. I've gone into some detail to give guys an idea of some of thh warning signs to look out for.[/QUOTE]Hey Greg,

Thanks for the report and for the fact that you are warning others. I've been traveling for 35+ years and always thought I couldn't fall prey. But my first time in Sosua, I let my guard down in a disco while dancing with two hot chicas and one of them cleaned out my pockets. So none of us can let our guard down, especially with new girls.

Thanks again for posting!

[QUOTE=LittleBigMan; 1344818]These approved TSA locks, keys or combination are just that approved for them to open and inspect your luggage without loosing a lot of time. The combinations are pre-set by the manufacture usually to 000? 0. I use one for procedure sake and set it at 0000, for if they select my bag they can just open it, when I get my bag I look at the lock and look at the setting, if the number have moved then I know someone has enter the bag? If TSA opened it, it is standard procedure to place a slip indicating they have inspected your bag. If one isn't there the chances is most likely a baggage handler checked your bag? That I would be more worried about.

TSA has a key to open TSA approved locks. You will see a little keyhole on the bottom, if it's a TSA lock. Otherwise they cut it off. They don't mess around with the combination. They don't always put a note in your bag after inspection they've been doing that less frequently.

[QUOTE=Demecius; 1344832]I've done a search and haven't noticed much talk of places where Korean or Japanese WGs are available in Thailand (or at least Payatta). I'm considering going to Thailand for a vacation December or January (first time) and would be happy to hook up with a Korean or Japanese girl if there are some beautiful ones. Are they available here or is it just best to stick with the local girls?

Thanks[/QUOTE]Prices are quite a bit lower in Thailand and especially Pattaya than they are in Korea or Japan so why would any such girls (apart from perhaps a few very specialists) come to Thailand and compete against thousands of beautiful Thai girls for a fraction of the money they might earn at home? So forget about them and try local Thai girls. There are quite a few Russian and other Eastern European / Eurasian girls in Pattaya because there are plenty of Asian / Arab customers with a taste for white girls who are prepared to pay a big premium for a Caucasian girl.

[QUOTE=Alpanico;1344819]They are there to rob. They can carry the suitcase if they want to, can't they? Why not just use the electronic safe in the room?[/QUOTE]Alpanico,

If they had taken a large suitcase to the lobby. I'm sure they would have gotten the attention of the front desk. It would look kind of suspicious for two local girls to be leaving the hotel with the guest luggage and he not with them. Also, If the frontdeck would have mistaken them for hotel guest leaving they would have stop and question them to ensure they where not trying to skip out without finalizing the bill and checking the room for damages. That the reason they did not take the both laptops or metal cashbox. THAY HAD NO PLACE TO HIDE THEM.

Each to their own. But I never understand reading a post where someone is coming to Thailand but wants to hook up with, in this case, a Korean or Japanese lady. Some what Africans, others want a Russian or Eastern European. Just makes no sense to me. But, as I said, each to their own.

[QUOTE=Demecius; 1344832]I've done a search and haven't noticed much talk of places where Korean or Japanese WGs are available in Thailand (or at least Payatta). I'm considering going to Thailand for a vacation December or January (first time) and would be happy to hook up with a Korean or Japanese girl if there are some beautiful ones. Are they available here or is it just best to stick with the local girls?

Thanks[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Ej2208; 1345060]Alpanico,

If they had taken a large suitcase to the lobby. I'm sure they would have gotten the attention of the front desk. It would look kind of suspicious for two local girls to be leaving the hotel with the guest luggage and he not with them. Also, If the frontdeck would have mistaken them for hotel guest leaving they would have stop and question them to ensure they where not trying to skip out without finalizing the bill and checking the room for damages. That the reason they did not take the both laptops or metal cashbox. THAY HAD NO PLACE TO HIDE THEM.[/QUOTE]I'm based in LK Metro which is pretty busy so it would have been very risky for them to walk off with a big suitcase. I'm sure they thought about taking the smaller laptop. Actually the metal cash box is quite small, but it's disguised as a fat book which may have saved my bacon because if they had taken that they would have got my passport and credit / ATM cards and I would be in a much worse situation. Of course it would have been even more useful had I taken the trouble to put my cash in it. Live and learn. It just cost a few dollars and isn't going to deter a serious thief, but has proved a good investment for someone who travels around alot and stays in cheapish hotels. I initially got it when I lost $400 cash from a hotel security box in the Philippines: at least it provides an additional layer of protection from crooked staff who have access to the master keys / default pin codes of hotel security boxes / room safes and are tempted to syphon off some of your cash.

[QUOTE=Jgm005;1345081]Each to their own. But I never understand reading a post where someone is coming to Thailand but wants to hook up with, in this case, a Korean or Japanese lady. Some what Africans, others want a Russian or Eastern European. Just makes no sense to me. But, as I said, each to their own.[/QUOTE]Some know they will never have the chance to travel to Russia, Japan, Korea, so they are searching the experience elsewhere. Might make a bit of sense, on the long run, when one wants to change the menu.

But I agree there is not much sense in doing so at the first visit in Thailand. It will take quite a few visits to start being bored by the local breed before looking elsewhere. Not to mention the fact that being Thailand quite low on prices, compared to some of the origin countries (with the only exception of Africa) I am wondering what kind of talent one can draw for the quoted prices in BKK, compared to country of origin.

As you said, each one his own and good luck. Less punters after the TG's

[QUOTE=Alpanico;1344819]They are there to rob. They can carry the suitcase if they want to, can't they? Why not just use the electronic safe in the room?[/QUOTE]Chaining your luggage to the hotel room is a option, put the key in the electronic safe while you sleep or use a combination lock.

In fact I've been doing this for the last 2 years, in Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines [Housekeeping gives you weird looks, but says nothing]. Note that some airports [Thai specifically] don't consider chains carry on items, so either check it in or buy one when you arrive [very cheap for 5 foot of chain].

Its more secure then the room safe since the hotel doesn't have direct access as they do with the room safes [Ever lose the combination? I've had most hotels open the safe within a few minutes of calling front desk]. The hardest part is finding a secure pipe, bar, etc that is convenient for normal luggage access. Did actually cause a problem once, was in a hotel in Subic that flooded the hotel called me to ask permission to move my belongings before the water subsumed everything [Waterproof luggage saved the day].

[QUOTE=GregLondon;1344785]I have checked some of the emails I sent to various people the day after and I was typing absolute gibberish and I can remember not being able to walk properly so whatever drug they gave me must have taken the best part of a day to wear off so if anyone does find themselves in a similar position try and find someone you trust to keep an eye on you for a while afterwards as I was probably quite vulnerable to further theft / accidents during that time.[/QUOTE]Hard to say what drug they could have given you and if they even knew how much would put you to sleep or go beyond that and put you out permanently. Amazing how some people could put another person's life at risk and not even knowing for sure what they would gain from it. I will definitely keep your post in mind as I am going on another adventure in a few days.

[QUOTE=JesseJames; 1344984]

[QUOTE=LittleBigMan; 1344818]These approved TSA locks, keys or combination are just that approved for them to open and inspect your luggage without loosing a lot of time. The combinations are pre-set by the manufacture usually to 000? 0. I use one for procedure sake and set it at 0000, for if they select my bag they can just open it, when I get my bag I look at the lock and look at the setting, if the number have moved then I know someone has enter the bag? If TSA opened it, it is standard procedure to place a slip indicating they have inspected your bag. If one isn't there the chances is most likely a baggage handler checked your bag? That I would be more worried about.

TSA has a key to open TSA approved locks. You will see a little keyhole on the bottom, if it's a TSA lock. Otherwise they cut it off. They don't mess around with the combination. They don't always put a note in your bag after inspection they've been doing that less frequently.[/QUOTE]I am well aware of that as I noted in my post you quoted. I have worked for a major airline for nearly 30 years and have been involved with TSA after it's creation. As you know many of the airport TSA are different. In S. F. Every station inspection station including the one's you don't see below the terminal all have camera especially right where the bag is pull and searched. When I travel home and back to Thailand, if I'm paying, I load up for the year and max out my lugguage capacity, once I noticed my bag was searched but no noticed and the approved lock was still there but the combination numbers were moved. Due to all the stuff I had not sure if anything was missing? Now I make a list and a copy for myself and place it inside the bag basically to screw with their heads. I spoke to a buddy who is now a TSA official who is now in charge of TSA Northern division and the procedure is to put a slip for every bag inspected. If your trip is short and you feel your bag has been inspected and no slip is in sight you can request a review by TSA.

It should be noted that just because your bag was gone through doesn't mean TSA pulled the bag. The baggage agent for the airline could have gone through your bag? I can give you a dozen ways a agent can do that without anyone knowing? If as noted by you " less Freguent " you might want to notify the originating airline you are traveling with!

LBM

[QUOTE=LittleBigMan;1345222]As you know many of the airport TSA are different. In S. F.[/QUOTE]San Francisco doesn't have TSA. They have the knockoff version CAS. [url]http://www.flysfo.com/web/page/about/jobs/jobs/jobs_0095.html[/url]

[QUOTE=LittleBigMan;1345222]It should be noted that just because your bag was gone through doesn't mean TSA pulled the bag. The baggage agent for the airline could have gone through your bag?[/QUOTE]Well somebody has to turn off those buzzing vibrators that people forget to take the batteries out of.

[QUOTE=Demecius; 1344832]I've done a search and haven't noticed much talk of places where Korean or Japanese WGs are available in Thailand (or at least Payatta). I'm considering going to Thailand for a vacation December or January (first time) and would be happy to hook up with a Korean or Japanese girl if there are some beautiful ones. Are they available here or is it just best to stick with the local girls?

Thanks[/QUOTE]There's a couple of Korean booking clubs in Pattaya but the girls are all Thais. Light skin and made up or they make themselves up to mimic the appearance of Korean / Japanese girls but if you're not Korean or Japanese you won't get into these clubs. You probably won't want to pay what they're charging anyway so yea, stick with the locals.

[QUOTE=Hobbyist2;1345174]Hard to say what drug they could have given you and if they even knew how much would put you to sleep or go beyond that and put you out permanently. Amazing how some people could put another person's life at risk and not even knowing for sure what they would gain from it. I will definitely keep your post in mind as I am going on another adventure in a few days.[/QUOTE]I've always been a little sceptical about claims of KO drugs, etc in Thailand. As you rightly say, it is a lot harder than it seems in practice, with a lot of potential dangers for both parties. I usually assume that when someone says they were drugged they were actually just very drunk, and passed out in a drunken stupor.

Greg's post has made me think again. My priority when travelling is my passport (both of them:) ), my credit cards, and my cash stash. Those are all locked away permanently in the room safe (which I assume to be safe). My other valuables are a phone, a camera, an iPad and a laptop. Losing my work laptop would be a big deal so I should really lock it away, but I don't. The camera, phone and iPad tend to be in regular use, so typically wouldn't be locked away.

I guess if I was taking a girl from Beach Road I might be more likely to put the latter items in the room safe. Anyway, a very timely and salutary lesson. Thanks for posting.

[QUOTE=Mr Enternational; 1345234]San Francisco doesn't have TSA. They have the knockoff version CAS.

[url]http://www.flysfo.com/web/page/about/jobs/jobs/jobs_0095.html[/url]

Well somebody has to turn off those buzzing vibrators that people forget to take the batteries out of.[/QUOTE]Mr. E,

From time to time you get too technical, if knockoff is what you want to call them but if you ask 9/10 passengers standing in line waiting to go through CAS, I serioursly doubt aside from you any other passenger will know what you are talking about or calling them!

SFO, as you know is one of the few cities where TSA is contracted out! But all the rules pertaining to TSA still applies to the the contracting firm. SFO, whether you like it or not is consider one of the best in regards to how they handle passengers traveling through. All the trimmings uniforms all have patches of TSA!

Now through the years I have myself inspected my share of bags not for illegal reasons but while loading bags I feel or hear a vibrations. If time allows I will open the bag lock bags mean nothing, locate the vibrations for security reasons and usually it is a shaver. Like a good guy I turn it off. When it comes to vibrators the Japanese are the biggest purchasers of any race I have ever seen? I've seen bags break open and man the passenger got so many of time they could open a store themselves?

LBM

[QUOTE=Null Avenger; 1345165]Chaining your luggage to the hotel room is a option, put the key in the electronic safe while you sleep or use a combination lock.

In fact I've been doing this for the last 2 years, in Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines [Housekeeping gives you weird looks, but says nothing]. Note that some airports [Thai specifically] don't consider chains carry on items, so either check it in or buy one when you arrive [very cheap for 5 foot of chain].

Its more secure then the room safe since the hotel doesn't have direct access as they do with the room safes [Ever lose the combination? I've had most hotels open the safe within a few minutes of calling front desk]. The hardest part is finding a secure pipe, bar, etc that is convenient for normal luggage access. Did actually cause a problem once, was in a hotel in Subic that flooded the hotel called me to ask permission to move my belongings before the water subsumed everything [Waterproof luggage saved the day].[/QUOTE]I've found myself in a few hotels in foreign countries that did not have a room safe. They sell cable type locks that are suited for securing your suitcase (loaded with your valuables) which can in turn be wrapped to the most secure pipe you can find in the room. A chain is a bit extreme, these work just as well.

[url]http://www.magellans.com/retractasafe-cable-lock[/url]