Rising Crime In Hua Hin

[Super Joe]

Id be happy to offer help or input, as at the end of the day Im helping them (hopefully) look after me, Mrs S, and the people in our soi.....but at the moment Id say that would be wasted effort.

Sandman, the old bill will regularly patrol soi's but the residents have to pay for the privilege!! They used to come round a group of soi's where I live every few hours, they have books they have to stop and sign at certain points and they come as late as 2am (I have little time for them but to be fair it was a regular service).
It was 500 Baht a month per house, but guess that depends on how many houses are chipping in. They get to know you personally etc but the downside was they seemed to patrol roughly round the same times, so easy to work out their routine. You could probably ask them to mix up the times although no-one bothered doing that here.

It won't stop everything but should deter motorbike gangs hanging round a certain spot everynight with bedbugs or weapons on them.

SJ

[caller]

I looked at a few places on a well established Thai development in April and it was stated quite clearly that the service charges included regular Police patrols. I got the impression, between the lines, that the service included word warning people off.

How true that was, I know not?

[ozuncle]

Has everyone seen this article from The Hua Hin Report http://www.huahinreport.com/ ?

Why can't I access this link?
Is it just me?

[dtaai-maai]

Took a while to appear, but I got there in the end.

[buksida]

Works grand here - even on a crappy internet connection.

[ozuncle]

OK thanks.
I was impatient.

[kendo]

I was aware of this incident sarge but HHAD are limiting discussion on it so as not to do exactly what your Thai newspaper has and come to its own conclusions. HHAD is still waiting for those involved in the incident to let them know how to handle it.

Now back to Batman and Robin!

kendo, Pattaya may have such a system but Pattaya is a tourist playground with a lot more compared to Hua Hin which is still essentially a Thai town (but with a rising crime problem). I don't for one minute think that those with power here will tolerate aliens advising or contributing to their police force.

We all know that Pattaya is a tourist and seedy play ground with a high crime problem that is rising daily, but thats the point HH has boomed over recent years and if it happens there it will start happening in HH. Criminals can have a bit of a free for all at the moment and even people that dont normally resort to crime maybe forced to because of rising price's . I would not be so quick to dismiss any constructive suggestions maybe HH could learn a bit from the other side of the gulf, and preserve it's name and identity as the paradise city. Looking at this from another angle, Pattaya full of single men, sex tourists that just rent rooms blow there money and slither off back to there own country's or HH a beautifull Thai town with a growing expat second home and retirement community that to Thai people, seem quite wealthy and easy targets if the needs must, or the opportunity arrises, i would have thought if you invest your money, life and happyness in a place, it would be a very big issue to preserve the community as much as possible.

[Super Joe]

Kendo,
There's no real non-property related crime here to speak of, HH is dull as f to be honest. You'll see more action in the family stand at the SMS during a Tuesday afternoon youth match with Hartlepool.

There has been a spate of property crime here because developers and farangs (myself included) fail to take precautions.

More happens in one night down walking street than it does in HH in a year, although I did two gerbils had a row the other night over a rather tasty looking hamsteress.

SJ

[kendo]

Property crime or some scum bag trying to knock you off the moped, it's all on the rise and to a point these things could be reduced just by more MIB activity and presence, and people taking a bit more care.

[Super Joe]

trying to knock you off the moped

Exactly, no real crime to speak of here.

We will not change the police force of Thailand, it is a crime to think we can.

SJ

[MrPlum]

Property crime or some scum bag trying to knock you off the moped, it's all on the rise:D

Speaking of scumbags, I recently knocked a Thai man off his moped on the turn down towards '19 Rai'. He didn't see I was indicating and shaping to make a U-turn. Instead of slowing down, he sped up and piled into me. I don't think it was deliberate but you never know.

For an hour he gathered every Thai around him to explain how the useless farang had severed his artery and he would need lifetime support, while I stood there unnerved wondering if the cells could accommodate my long legs and if I could bring myself to choke down a diet of cockroaches.

The disgruntled moped rider was eventually sent away with his tail between his legs by an attending Policeman who could see that the moped rider was at fault since he was on my side of the road and behind me. They were never going to make it stick, guvnor.

I didn't get money to repair the dent in my car, then again I didn't care.

[buksida]

Property crime or some scum bag trying to knock you off the moped, it's all on the rise and to a point these things could be reduced just by more MIB activity and presence, and people taking a bit more care.

Totally agree with you, just can't see it happening in HH.

Another bizarre crime story that emphasizes SJ's point is a headline in today's Nation: "Man robs two 7-11's". The plucky thief made off with 2,600 baht and nobody was injured.

Where I grew up this was a daily occurrence, body bags were needed and it still didn't make the news so it does kind of put things into perspective.

I think the whole point of this thread and the original article though is the increase in crime at such a quick rate but with the boom of the town it is inevitable I guess.

[margaretcarnes]

Hmmmm - interesting topic. Without wishing to play down the seriousness of crime in HH in any way, it's strange how protests and plans of action have surfaced so quickly. A previous thread on crime produced some opinions that reported crime levels in Western countries were over exagerated, particularly knife attacks, and that people shouldn't be deterred from going out at night.
Now it's happening in HH there are calls for more police patrols, petitions and action groups.
Yes - it is maybe all down to poverty - but more likely drug fuelled. Yes - it is now a global problem. Yes - people do need to take action. But clearly HH, Paradise or not, is no different to anywhere else. Or is it?
At least there ARE still police on the beat, as opposed to the toytown PCSO's with very few powers sent out onto UK streets in an attempt to make folks feel safe. Plus there are the Tourist police as well, who are also easily accessible and, by the sound of it, are already making some positive moves. Lets hope they are successful. None of us want to see HH go down the tubes, but it isn't an Ivory Tower by virtue of its expat community.

[lomuamart]

Just come across this article about crime against Brits abroad. I know that statistics can be made to read any which way, but thought it reasonably relevant to the debate:

One in eight Brits hit by crime on holiday

Jul 14 2008

CROOKS have targeted around one in eight British tourists abroad in the last five years.

Theft was the most common crime reported by victims.

But one in 100 holidaymakers suffered physical or sexual assaults.

Figures from InsureandGo revealed most of the crimes logged happened in Europe.

Spain topped the league table. But, taking into account the number of British visitors, Thailand is the country where you are most likely to become a victim.

InsureandGo said Britons made almost 14 million visits to Spain last year - 32 times more than to Thailand.

But there were only four times as many British victims of crime in Spain as in Thailand.

InsureandGo spokesman Perry Wilson said: "Travelling abroad is an enjoyable experience for the vast majority but these worrying findings show a substantial number of criminal acts against tourists happen each year."

DANGER SPOTS

Country Victims

1. Spain 871,569

2. France 457,832

3. Austria 252,068

4. Italy 215,329

5. Thailand 213,416

6. Greece 184,771

7. India 155,096

8. USA 150,191

9. Australia 106,095

10. Turkey 105,899

From The Daily Record July 14th 2008.

[hhfarang]

"hhfarang, what part of "limiting the discussion" don't you understand?"

Buksida,

Now that one of the HHAD sponsors has printed a report on the incident, will you tell them to limit their discussion as well?

http://www.huahinreport.com/