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Basil Bush
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BEWARE “hotel in rooms safes are not that secure”
Being an advocate of in-room safes for many years I was pleasantly pleased to see the emergence of in-room safes in many hotels in the last year or so.
But a few weeks ago I cheeked in to a hotel with in-room safes, the type with a card swipe as well as a digital keypad, so giving the option to look the safe with my chosen number or any credit card etc.
A few days later I lost my wallet (or thought I had), after back tracking to when I had used it last I was unable to find it, after searching my room again I still could not find it.
Not a big loss had about 3K THB in notes and 1 credit card only so not a big issue except for the fact that I had used the credit card to lock the safe and needed it to open it again where I had spare card, bulk of my loose cash, Passport, camera, etc.
I went to reception who called the duty manager for me, he came to my room and after I had explained what had happened he opened my safe for me, what shocked me was it took only 6 keystrokes on the keypad to open, anybody could easily open the safe even a small child as long as they could count to four…
So beware if you use a hotel safe do not leave too much in them particularly if you have casual guests in your room, I bet every BG, maid, masseur, etc knows how to open them now.
BB
P.S. I found my wallet after the issue with the safe and after phoning the CC company in UK, as I put the receiver down I suddenly remembered where I had put it.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 3:26 am on Jan. 22, 2006
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Oldtimer
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I always assumed that management knows how to open a safety box in a pinch; but didn't know that it was as easy as punching a special code in. Mind you, at the JW Marriott I have confidence in the room staff, especially as I always stay on the same floor and usually in the same room.
By the way, I have never come across a room safe that can be opened with a credit card. The one I have at home responds to a punch code, but there is also a hidden key if something goes wrong.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 5:53 am on Jan. 22, 2006
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retiredintahoe
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I've run into many room safes that are opened/closed using a credit card. Mostly Cruise Ships, but some hotels as well. Means you can't lock that CC into the room safe.
I've also assumed that management knows how to open the safe easily - otherwise what do they do when a guest locks the safe just before checking out of the hotel?
Also, most of these safes run on batteries. It is a real pain to have to get something out of the safe and find out that the batteries have died - requiring someone from the hotel to replace the batteries before you can get your stuff.
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 6:29 am on Jan. 22, 2006
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retiredintahoe
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My TGF stayed with me in the hotel for 2 weeks this last trip.
Early in the trip I needed to open/close the room safe while she was sitting on the bed in full view of the safe. As I've trained myself to do, I put my body in front of the safe before opening and closing it. When done, my TGF said to me "Don't you trust me? Why do you put body like that?"
I told her "Yes. I do trust you. Its just a habit that I've trained myself to do. To show you that I trust you, I will give you the 4-digit combination if you want it."
She said "No, I don't want combination. I only want you to trust me."
A couple of days later we got in late (3am) to the hotel, there was no one at reception, and our key was easily obtainable. She was a bit amazed and said to me "I understand why you put all your valuables in the room safe."
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 6:42 am on Jan. 22, 2006
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LookinFerLuv
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I've always assumed that those room safes are only to keep out people who dont work for the hotel. I've had to have hotel staff open those safes for me a few times. They always either have a code or some key to open them. Usually the person who cleans the room doesnt have access to that, but rather the management. I still believe that my valuables are a little more safe in the box since only hotel staff can open it up.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 8:31 am on Jan. 22, 2006
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Sporadic
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I have always considered locks and safes for keeping honest people honest, nothing more.
Anybody ever hear of a locksmith before?
Of course, management will be able to open your safe, that is the precise reason that most hotels worldwide advise you that they will not be liable for anything not placed in THE hotel safe.
You know, the one they run like a safe deposit box, with a sign in/out formality etc.
The room safe, for me is only to deter a light-fingered visitor and a nice place to put everything I do NOT want to forget when I leave.
Cheers,
Sporadic
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 8:52 am on Jan. 22, 2006
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Basil Bush
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It is not the fact that the manager just punched in a number but the number was so simple, this may have been the default code and the hotel is at fault for not changing it to a more secure number, preferably 8 digits instead of 4.
I have seen this style of safe in a number of hotels in the last year or so, I had been considering what the implications would have been to import a container full of safes in to Thailand as we in the UK are a wash with cheep imports probably from China, current cost £12.99 (less than 1000THB) from my Cash & Carry, these safes are digital and come with 2 keys for emergency use.
My idea was to lease them to hotels and retain the keys, keep the keys at a small office locally, should anybody forget the code they would contact reception, reception call office girl who finds key in sealed envelope, office girl pokes head out of door and whistles up motorbike taxi, who takes sealed envelope to hotel for 50Baht, I charge hotel 500Baht and hotel charge client 1000Baht.
I have been in many hotels that have stated that if keys to safety deposit boxes are lost a local locksmith would be called to drill out the lock and the charge would be much more than I propose.
As LFR say’s it is the responsibility of the hotel to keep out unwelcome guests and I for one believe most Thai’s are honourable, trustworthy and honest.
BB
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 9:38 am on Jan. 22, 2006
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duan
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I have just got back from Hua Hin and whilst there I was told by a long term expat resident that one of the new small guesthouses recently opened with in room safes had 6 safes broken into including one in a room where an idiot had deposited $10,000.
I had inspected this place only days before and was considering staying there on a future visit Needless to say I have now struck it off the list of potential places.
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Thai Girls : Meet Active Thai Girls
Posted on: 2:12 pm on Jan. 22, 2006
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dazzla
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I have previously worked as a hotel duty manager and have had to overide many safes where they could not be opened by the guest. The overide key in all reputable hotels is kept in a safe where only the duty manager can access it. (i understand that not all hotels are reputable!)
As with most hotels these days have the card swipe key to enter the room, a full history report can be downloaded from the door if you feel that someone has entered your room and tampered with any of your belonings. The report will give times and card numbers that have been used to open the door. As these are also battery powered management also have a overide pack to open the door if the batteries fail.
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 6:40 pm on Jan. 22, 2006
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11bravo
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Quote: from Sporadic on 6:39 pm on Jan. 22, 2006
...and a nice place to put everything I do NOT want to forget when I leave.
Speak for yourself.
Years ago, with a 3:30AM checkout for that 6am flight... everything packed, the safe in the back of the closet... only ON the plane did I realize what I had missedwhen I picked up my bags (luckily, had pulled my passport and airline ticket out and put on table).
Once home, call back to the hotel, explain the situation. No problem, they will open the safe, put the money in an envelope. Had a buddy passing through a week later; fax to the hotel, and an e-mail to him got the money back to me.
But these days, I empty the safe the night before.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 6:49 pm on Jan. 23, 2006
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