gobbledonk Posted October 14, 2012 Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 Had a bit of a chuckle at this promo on the website for one of the Patt's bars, but I guess they make some good points. Soi 8 is in the heart of Pattaya, right next to the venue is a 7ELEVEN and a hamburger stand, everything is at hands reach. Even the cash point is a few generous strides away. OK - I've even been silly enough to use my card in that dodgy little ATM opposite the Nana carpark, but as a rule I try to avoid using a card at night anywhere, particularly in Patts. I'll give them the hamburger stand, although I tend to prefer Thai or Indian food and the Western food in Patts varies wildly, but anytime I find myself looking for food in a 7-Eleven/Family Mart I know things have slipped out of my control. It's always amusing to eee the smallgoods the girls will happily buy in such places - I like a gal with an appetite - but even pissed, I struggle to eat that stuff. Still, full marks to the bar for knowing their customer base and being prepared to meet their earthly needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dexi Posted October 14, 2012 Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 ATM fraud here is mainly due to Eastern european gangs from Bulgaria and Rumania.....just the same sort of folks who seem to populate Pattaya doesn`t inspire confidence when making a trip to the ATM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobbledonk Posted October 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 Even without the fraudsters, I dont like fumbling with my wallet/card etc when I'm 3 sheets to the wind and surrounded by the denizens of LOS nightlife. I wouldn't do it in Kings Cross - doing it in Pattaya cant be any brighter. The counterpoint to that, of course, is that wandering around with 5-10K in cash isnt a good thing either, but I'd prefer to have that amount stolen than lose a card or, worse, have my account raided by scumbags. You can keep emergency cash in your underwear/socks etc - I wouldn't be terribly happy trying to do that with a card ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sayjann Posted October 15, 2012 Report Share Posted October 15, 2012 Even without the fraudsters, I dont like fumbling with my wallet/card etc when I'm 3 sheets to the wind and surrounded by the denizens of LOS nightlife. I wouldn't do it in Kings Cross - doing it in Pattaya cant be any brighter. i remenber saying once that i do not take my card with me on a night out and i got slammed for it. i keep it in my safe and hopefully have enough cash to last for a rew hours and if the cash runs out then i finish the night out for a while. no problem going back to my hotel and getting the card and walking the 10 yards or so to the cashpoint i trust and getting 1000bt or so if i fancy carrying on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Munchmaster Posted October 15, 2012 Report Share Posted October 15, 2012 The counterpoint to that, of course, is that wandering around with 5-10K in cash isnt a good thing either, but I'd prefer to have that amount stolen than lose a card or, worse, have my account raided by scumbags. You can keep emergency cash in your underwear/socks etc - I wouldn't be terribly happy trying to do that with a card ! I never go out with any less than 10K in my wallet. Not that I often spend this amount but hey you never know. I also carry my ATM card for when I need to reload the wallet for the next few days. Of course I'd be well pissed off if my debit card was stolen but without the PIN number it's not much use to anyone so my funds are safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radioman Posted October 16, 2012 Report Share Posted October 16, 2012 It makes for an interesting thought, or three. I know I'm only a beginner at this but I have lived here a while now and cannot contemplate all this paranoid pseudo security. Do you leave your card at home when you go to work, shopping in the town/city/hamlet/clachan, a night out with the lads/lasses/persons of non specific gender? Okay okay I get it, losing a card in Thailand is likely a bigger deal if this aint where you're from. I wonder how many people living here, or spending significant periods of time in Thailand are losing their cards? What is the risk profile? In Sayjan's case, a few hours away from the hotel, no real intent to buy anything beyond what a couple thousand Baht would likely cover, I don't know but likely beach wear and minimum other adornments then there would be not too much need I guess to carry a card, of any sort. day to day I don't think I would want to add to the checklist, things to put in or take out of my wallet. I don't (usually) get steaming drunk and I just do not see being out and about in the big city as being overly risky. Hers' a tip for the fearful who would still like ready access to an ATM whilst in Thailand without card loss turning their entire world upside down. Go visit your bank and open another account, same bank, same branch. get an ATM card and make sure you can access both accounts through your online facility. Transfer of money from one to the other is usually instant. Put what you need in the spare account to last a couple of days or whatever, and use that card when out and about. The convenience is there and you don't have to think about carting large sums of cash around. Loss would be set by how much you move to the secondary account. You still have the primary card if really bad shit happens! But truly, it's not that bad out there, really! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted October 16, 2012 Report Share Posted October 16, 2012 I wonder how many people living here, or spending significant periods of time in Thailand are losing their cards? What is the risk profile? In over 20 years in Thailand I have lost the grand total of ZERO cards and have never been the victim of a pickpocket, am I streetwise or just damn lucky? I don't know! Majority of the time the Credit Card and Debit Card remain at home or in Hotel safe if away from home, I only take then out with me if I intend to make a major purchase. Not only does this reduce the risk of losing them if also makes me think about making major "on the spot" purchases as in I have to go home to get the Cards so it gives me a cooling off period. I also have accounts at more than one bank in Thailand but I only carry ATM card from one account at a time and I never carry bank books unless going to a branch for a counter transaction. I am similar to Munchie, I feel lost unless I have at least 10K Baht in my pocket and an ATM card but each to their own I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radioman Posted October 16, 2012 Report Share Posted October 16, 2012 Indeed, no point being as dumb as a box of monkeys, always pays to be cautious no matter what. I was rather referring to what I sometimes see as this - as I see it - perception that Thailand is somehow a dangerous place. Shit my kitchen is a potential war zone come abbatoir in the presence of a suitably dumb person, but just HOW dumb do you have to be? In another thread Coss mentioned his prefernce for some sort of gene pool streamlining, strikes me as not such a bad idea. I just do not think Thailand is a BAD place, sure there are parts of the city I wouldn't want to walk at night alone, or in company. Show me a liveable city of 10+ milion people that doesn't have such places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BelgianBoy Posted October 16, 2012 Report Share Posted October 16, 2012 I never go out with any less than 10K in my wallet. Not that I often spend this amount but hey you never know. I also carry my ATM card for when I need to reload the wallet for the next few days. Of course I'd be well pissed off if my debit card was stolen but without the PIN number it's not much use to anyone so my funds are safe. same same me...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coss Posted October 16, 2012 Report Share Posted October 16, 2012 I 've taken walking around with all my stuff in my wallet, but I'm gonna reconsider this, as one night I was handing out 1,000 bht notes like confetti. I had a real hangover the next day. And I swore never to take that much money with me again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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