The purpose of this page is to highlight some home security and safety issues you might not have considered.  While much of this is common sense, I hope everyone finds one or two items that made it worth the read.

HOTELS, SERVICED APARTMENTS and GUEST HOUSES

If staying short time in a hotel, serviced apartment, or guest house there are a few things you can do to protect your valuables.  First, and foremost, is by limiting what valuables you bring.  The only items I think most can justify taking on vacation are wallet and contents, traveler’s checks, passport, mobile phone, camera(s) and computer.  Leave the expensive jewelry, watches, lighters, umbrellas, and gold cock rings at home.

Select a hotel that has secure safety deposit boxes in the lobby. A safe in the room is a plus, but only useful while you are in the room.  In other words, it’s great for securing the wallet, watch and cell phone while in the room with a boy.  Do not leave valuables in the room safe when you are out of the room.  Bring a cable lock for your notebook computer, as it may not fit in a supplied lock box or safe.

Notify your credit card companies that you will be traveling, so you don’t get an unexpected hold on them for suspected fraud.  To avoid skimming, be careful about where you use your cards.  Personally I wouldn’t use them for anything other than paying the hotel bill.  In addition, most places in Thailand will pass the processing fee on to you, so it’s cheaper to pay cash.

Always insist on the boy leaving his ID at the front desk.  All the boys know about this policy, and should not have a problem with it.  Any boy that does take issue with it, or does not have an ID, should be dismissed immediately.

Do not consume anything a boy offers you just before or while in your room…ANYTHING!  Do not leave your drink unattended while in your room with a boy.

Bring a second small wallet that you can use on outings that do not require all the contents of your primary wallet.  These can be found in stores that sell camping and back packing equipment.  They are typically made of heavy duty nylon, and often have a built in key ring.  This type of wallet is just big enough for an ID, one credit or ATM card, a room key and some walking around cash.  They fold down small enough to comfortably place in a front pants pocket.  They’re also great for a day at the beach.

Now this is just me, but if I’m on a short two or three night stay someplace, I leave the “do not disturb” tag on the door the entire time.   Then just grab a maid during the day for fresh towels.  I’m only in the room to shower, sleep or have sex, so I don’t see the need to have them tidying up while I’m out.  I realize this isn’t for everyone, but it works for me.

PERMANENT RESIDENCE

Perhaps the most important thing to check for when selecting a permanent residence is location and design of the windows.  Most sliding windows and patio doors are constructed differently in Thailand.  Unlike those in America, the sliding potion is on the outside.  Thus, there is no way to add a track locking devise, or use a wooden dowel to prevent jimmying of the window from the outside.  For this reason, you want to make sure none of these type windows are accessible from the exterior of your room.

Check to see if entry and exit from stair ways is in a monitored area, like the elevators.  And inspect the stair ways for security of access points on other floors, such as from each level of an adjacent parking garage.

You want a second lock (dead bolt) on the door to your room.  If one is not already installed, make sure it can be added before agreeing to take the room.  Thais will tell you a second lock is not needed, because you can purchase a special door knob lock that covers (shrouds) the knob and secures with a pad lock.  The problem with this option is it announces, to all passers by, you are not in your room.  BAD IDEA!

Purchase a small safe and have it secured to the floor, or large furniture item, in such a way as it can not be easily removed.  Select an easy to access, but out of view location to install the safe. A good safe will cost roughly 1800 baht.  If renting, ask the manager or owner first if he will allow a safe to be permanently attached to something in the room.  Also tell him you are willing to leave it behind when you move out.  This should alleviate any concerns he may have over the holes left after you leave.

The owner of my condo was happy to install it for free.  If you need to pay for an installation it should only run about two or thee hundred baht.  As with hotel room safes, it is most useful for quickly securing items while a guest is in the room.  Short of getting a safe so large it can’t be carried out, do not rely on it if your room is broken into while you’re away.

Leave a radio or TV and light on when you are out.  It’s the same advice police departments give people in America, and I see no reason to do differently in Thailand.

Don’t rely on security to keep people out of your building.  It has been my experience most places are lax about this.  Even those that are truly strict have their moments.  I know of a case where the boy happened to know the security guard.  He was a good friend of the boy’s father, back in his home town, so the guard let him in.  What the security guard did not know was the boy is hooked on yaba.

Secure your notebook computer with a cable lock.

Get in the habit of always locking your door after entering the room.  This way you don’t have to remember to lock it before going to bed.  If you have a boy living with you it may take numerous reminders to get him into the same habit.  A lot of the boys simply don’t bother to lock doors.

When gone for one or more nights, be careful who you tell.  Most crimes in Thailand are crimes of opportunity.  So when a boy calls wanting to know if you are available for the night, don’t reveal you’re out of town as the excuse for rejection.

If smoking is permitted in your room, do not let a boy smoke in the bathroom.  More often than not, this means he’s smoking yaba.  It’s also a favorite place to hide their stash, if staying with you for an extended period of time.

Have a fire exit strategy, and select a room that has multiple options for emergency exit.  If not already supplied, buy a fire extinguisher for the room.

Turn off all floor fans when out of the room. Very early in my stay, I noticed ALL the boys turned off fans before leaving the room.  I thought they were just trying to save on my electric bill.  Come to find out, the blades on these fans have a nasty habit of disintegrating, something you don’t want happening while you’re out.

Leave a spare room key with a trusted friend.  Finding a lock smith is probably not an option if you lock yourself out…it happens.  Well, with me it does.

Keep a watchful eye on your room keys, so boys don’t have the opportunity to run out and make a copy.

If you have a separate bedroom, leave a bright light on in the outer room when you go to bed with a boy.  This way, if he gets up in the middle of the night and tries to leave the bedroom, a sudden burst of light will come in.  This might be enough to wake and alert you he’s moving around unattended.

Leaving valuables lying around is an invitation for theft.  These boys are very poor.  While most would not go out of their way to steal from you, it’s foolish to create temptations so great they are difficult to pass up.

When showering before sex, let the boy go first, so you have time to discretely secure your valuables.

If unsecured, never leave more money in your wallet than you intended to pay the boy anyway.

Do not consume anything a boy offers you just before or while in your room…ANYTHING!  Do not leave your drink unattended while in your room with a boy.

Photo Courtesy of Asia Boy

The level of security precautions needed with the boys is a subjective thing.  They should be driven largely by how long you have known the boy and the circumstances in which you met him.  For example, the risk goes way down when you off a boy from a bar, particularly one you frequent and have good relations with.  Whether you know they’re a money boy are not, those you meet on-line, in the discos, pubs, or on the beach are of much higher risk.  The only problems I’ve ever had with boys have been with those I did not off from a bar.