Pattaya's Motorcycle Highwaymen

[Bodlagz]

Most of Pattaya's resident expats are already aware of Pattaya's latest crime trend, "the Pattaya motorcycle highway men". The expat residents of Pattaya are now used to seeing stories on the Pattaya T.V. news channels and the Pattaya local news papers, The Pattaya Mail, The Pattaya People etc, about Pattaya residents, both expat and Thai nationals being the victims of Pattaya's motorcycle highway men. It is also sad to say that most of the residents of Pattaya know someone personally who has been a victim of the Pattaya motorcycle highway men.

Unfortunately, Pattaya's tourist population, especially the first time visitors to Pattaya are not made aware of Pattaya's latest crime trend until they have fallen victim to Pattaya's motorcycle highway men. Most visitors to Pattaya believe that Pattaya is a safe destination, after all this a busy, bustling tourist city with lots of people around, and if you are aware of the dangers, Pattaya is safe. The trouble is that Pattaya has it's fair share of opportunists, and Pattaya's motorcycle highway men are a prime example.

The opportunity knocks for the Pattaya motorcycle highway men when they see easy pickings such as loosely worn items like handbags and gold chains on people made more vulnerable by the fact that much of the time they have to walk in the road because the pavements are being hogged by vendors, are in a poor state of repair or simply do not exist. This means that Pattaya's motorcycle highway men are able to pass close enough to their victims to make a snatch.

To keep yourself safe while walking around Pattaya, don't give Pattaya's motorcycle highway men an opportunity, don't wear your gold, or if you must wear it keep it covered. If you carry a handbag make sure you keep no valuables inside it and don't wear it round your neck for obvious reasons. use the pavement whenever you can, if you have to walk in the road, walk against the flow of traffic so that you can see what is coming, you will be much more vulnerable to Pattaya's motorcycle highway men if they are allowed to approach you from behind.

Another thing you should remember is, if you are going to ride a motorcycle around Pattaya yourself, people have actually been mugged while riding a motorcycle. In some cases the rider has been kicked off the motorcycle and mugged, other recorded cases include gold being snatched from round the riders neck whilst driving slowly. So remember to take the necessary precautions in Pattaya and don't be a victim of Pattaya's motorcycle highway men.

[Menny]

Wow, sounds like things are getting worse and worse in Thailand regarding mugging, stealing and such actions against tourists. I hear those stories like on a daily basis and its scary going around alone. I am always very careful - especially at night. Pattaya must be quite the spot for this. In Phuket its OK, doesn`t happen too much.
Cheers