Thai Dhupp and Princess Joy's Thai House Build

[Airportwo]

Take a look here, locally available https://europvc.co.th/fly-screens

[Maanaam]

Consider someting like this. Vertical rather than horizontal.

My house in NZ has these easily installed magnetic screens.

[Thai Dhupp]

...This design mounts on the inside wall around the window frame....

https://www.retractablebugscreen.com...rtical-windows

That might be the problem for me, Norton as my windows open inwards so the open window would get in the way of the bug screen!!

I was thinking of a retro-fit panel, to fit into the window frame between the shutter and glazed unit. then even with the window closed the screen would be unaffected.

Looking forward, the bug screen could be removed and a security bar unit fitted instead. suitable fixing bolts, of course.

This is sort of how I envisaged it, and that's why we had a gap between the shutter and window unit.

[Thai Dhupp]

I was thinking along these lines....



'scuse the crappy sketching, and of course its not drawn to scale.

Hopefully you get the idea!



With this arrangement, the bug screen could be left in place with the window unit open or closed.

this would be secured with simple pins into the frame.

i think the bug screen could also be removed and replaced with a fabricated metal bar panel. This for when we go away.

That security panel would be secured on all four sides with screws having a high security head that cannot be removed with standard wrench or screwdriver.

Just an idea,,,

[Norton]

Just an idea,,,

Probably the best idea. End of the day, window screens can be fixed. Rare they need to be removed. A framed screen that is easily installed and removed is the way to go. As my old pop often told me "kiss it". Keep it simple stupid.

[mikenot]

^ I’m thinking that installing that security bar system with 6 or more screws on every window every time you go away ( and then taking them all out again when you return ) is going to get very tedious very quickly.......
Too late for you obviously, but I wonder if it would be possible to have cavity walls with a security bar panel that can be hidden in the cavity or slid across and locked, something like a pocket door ? Or a roll down shutter ( like on a shopfront ) hidden inside the cavity ? With the window and insect screen on either side.

[Thai Dhupp]

^ I’m thinking that installing that security bar system with 6 or more screws on every window every time you go away ( and then taking them all out again when you return ) is going to get very tedious very quickly.......
Too late for you obviously, but I wonder if it would be possible to have cavity walls with a security bar panel that can be hidden in the cavity or slid across and locked, something like a pocket door ? Or a roll down shutter ( like on a shopfront ) hidden inside the cavity ? With the window and insect screen on either side.

It might do Mike... but there again.... I will (hopefully!) have a bit more time on my hands. its not too much trouble if it assures no break-in. my bigger concern is how to secure the folding doors. They of course do not have shutters. I could make some large security panels to be fitted if we are away, I am still thinking about what to do for that one.

I am not planning the put all the panels in every time we pop to the 7-11 for some milk and a phone card! More for when we are away for a trip for a number of days. I have an option for someone to maybe 'live in' while we are off on the travels, so I have all the options still open.

[Airportwo]

I have an option for someone to maybe 'live in' while we are off on the travels, so I have all the options still open.

Cordless grinders are readily available and would make short work of any bars if no one home, lot better to have someone in the house.

[Thai Dhupp]

Cordless grinders are readily available and would make short work of any bars if no one home, lot better to have someone in the house.

Lol...are you offering, AP2?

We would hurry to get the pool finished if so.

We might be off on worldly travels 3-4 times a year...

[Thai Dhupp]

Security - here's a question for you all......

So... I'm planning a few security measures to protect the homestead. Nothing too outlandish.. all standard stuff, well mainly.

Because... we fear that break-in.
...and we think its more likely to happen in LoS
...and possibly we start to get paranoid about an 'event ' upsetting the apple cart and out treasured possessions removed
....and our homes, our personal space violated.

so...how many of you has actually had a break-in and had a lot of valuables 'removed'? I'm just curious.

I never had a home break-in in UK.

One car break-in in 25 years but they never moved it even 1 inch. Police didn't catch them, though.

I never went to such security measures lengths in Uk, and nor did I dwell on it and how terrible it would be if it happened.

We hear stories, we read about incidents but has any of you actually had first hand experience of an actual home break in ... and what did you do differently if you did?

[Norton]

so...how many of you has actually had a break-in and had a lot of valuables 'removed'? I'm just curious.

Never. No bars on windows. No security system. Location and assessment of locals honesty is the key. I live in a small (200 dwellings) village. Only 1 road in which runs by the local mini mart where there is always some folks hanging out. A stranger shows up and word spread fast. Sort of a neighborhood watch thing.

[Thai Dhupp]

Never. No bars on windows. No security system. Location and assessment of locals honesty is the key. I live in a small (200 dwellings) village. Only 1 road in which runs by the local mini mart where there is always some folks hanging out. A stranger shows up and word spread fast. Sort of a neighborhood watch thing.

Thanks Norton... i expect we will be largely the same though until we get there we don't know 100% if the 'family-from-hell' lives just up the road. There is no indication of that and the OrBorTor engineer, etc know the area pretty well.

i was curious as you read on some forums about hows is a nailed on certainty that you will get turned over no matter what you do!

'Security' is discussed a lot. even PJ talks about it, yet none of her family have any particular security measures apart from locking the door at night!

OK... a lot of folks get a dog or dogs, and I'm sure for some that's a deterrent. but...in the same way that when discussing various security features, some one always mentions that ' a determined burglar will always get past' . OK, then, similarly, a determined intruder can put down some laced meat and then your security dog is flat on its back and out for the count!

Lets see if anyone has had a break-in and what was done afterwards. I bet you want to know too, now!?

Let us know if you never had any break-in trouble, too.

Thanks all.

[crackerjack101]

Are you familiar with Crimsafe?

Crimsafe - Google Search

[Thai Dhupp]

Are you familiar with Crimsafe?

Crimsafe - Google Search

Hi CJ... not seen you on here for a while... hows it going!?

OK.. thanks for the link, no I wasn't aware, but I guess what I was asking in the last couple of posts about break-ins is... do we need to go to these lengths to protect ourselves?

Apart from closing and locking the doors and windows back in the UK i never did anything else. never had any trouble. i don't want to build an armoured fortress if there is no need - hence my question.

1 reply so far, Norton, who confirms no issues, no trouble, and he's not applying any additional security measures.

What about you? Any trouble from intruders, any attempts to 'get in'??

[Airportwo]

so...how many of you has actually had a break-in and had a lot of valuables 'removed'? I'm just curious.

I was broken into 19 years ago when I was living outside Pattaya, went out to pick something up at 18:00, came back thirty minutes later to find security screen had been removed, thieves had been and gone with some valuables, think they got about USD5,000.00, was sure the gardeners were involved!

Sure you will quickly find out how the area is in the first few months, importantly anyone who has worked at the house will know you have a security system in place. As Norton says the neighbourhood watch, along with the neighbours dogs is a huge deterrent.

Current house we have CCTV (which we rarely turn on) & alarm system, a lot obviously depends on the area, I live down a private road and get zero passing traffic and no strangers walking around, if I had known how quite the area was I probably wouldn't have gone so far with security, if the alarm does go off nobody else can hear it anyway, but its a deterrent, we don't have any "bars" on the windows, they are too intrusive for me, if someone really wants to get in they will, a bit of steel isn't going to stop them if they have looked at the other security measures in place and are still intent.
Do have a big heavy safe to keep "valuables" in.

[Norton]

Do have a big heavy safe to keep "valuables" in.

As do we. Fire proof. Along with the Hope diamond mostly important papers.

[Norton]

was sure the gardeners were involved!

I would say most of the robberies are inside jobs. Take care who you hire TD.

[crackerjack101]

Hi CJ... not seen you on here for a while... hows it going!?

OK.. thanks for the link, no I wasn't aware, but I guess what I was asking in the last couple of posts about break-ins is... do we need to go to these lengths to protect ourselves?

Apart from closing and locking the doors and windows back in the UK i never did anything else. never had any trouble. i don't want to build an armoured fortress if there is no need - hence my question.

1 reply so far, Norton, who confirms no issues, no trouble, and he's not applying any additional security measures.

What about you? Any trouble from intruders, any attempts to 'get in'??

We're up in the north near Chiang Kong so pretty much in the Golden Triangle. Lots of mountain folk, lots of drug smuggling, the occasional car chase and plentiful road blocks, so....
When we set this place up security was an issue particularly as I was often away.
So, first off was concrete posts and a 5 strand barbed wire fence all round. I didn't want a wall and the idea was to grow all kinds of resilient greenery on the wire to disguise it. This has worked pretty well. The front of the house going onto the road was the same but we also have a pretty intense privet hedge that's about a meter deep and now is about 6 feet high and completely covers the wire. A large, solid gate provides access.
The next job was cctv. I'd learnt from living in remote communities in the NT that the most important aspect of CCTV is the signage. So, very obvious signs in Thai tell folk its there. Finally, the dogs. The best of which have been 2 Jack Russels. They're completely fearless and, besides announcing strangers they very efficiently keep the area clear of snakes and rats.

After close on 10 years we've never had a break in or even an attempted break in as far as I know. Maybe luck or it might be the effect of the "defenses", I don't know.

The main thing is might have worked plus it's green and blends in with greenery of the surroundings. So, so far so good.

Last thing to add is that if we're away for more than 2-3 days we always have someone house sit. Sometimes we recruit local friends (Thai) or if we're on a long trip 2-3 months then we rope in the family.

That's it.

[NamPikToot]

^Too late for you obviously, but I wonder if it would be possible to have cavity walls with a security bar panel that can be hidden in the cavity or slid across and locked, something like a pocket door ? .

That's what i have planned. With a sold steel shutter on rollers. I can't stand the thought of bars - be a like a prison. These will be made so they can't be jemmied out and lock from the inside so they'd need a heavy duty grinder and quite a bit of time to get in. The roof will be open at the gables with a large overhang and a solid concrete flat roof underneath - they aren't getting in that way either.

[Thai Dhupp]

That's what i have planned. With a sold steel shutter on rollers. I can't stand the thought of bars - be a like a prison. These will be made so they can't be jemmied out and lock from the inside so they'd need a heavy duty grinder and quite a bit of time to get in. The roof will be open at the gables with a large overhang and a solid concrete flat roof underneath - they aren't getting in that way either.

I am the same as you, NPT - i really don't want visible bars while in residence.

OK, have a system to fit in between the shutters and windows when we are away, maybe.

I honestly think I have enough 'measures' in place - the boundary wall, the thorny bush planting outside that boundary wall, perimeter alarm, CCTV and PIR lighting, shutters, house alarm, locking room doors and secure area for the valuables. I'm still deciding about temp fit bar panels when away. We too have arrangements for house sit too. the roof purlins are very close together you could not pass through, and the tiles are screwed down, not nailed

I never did this much in the UK.

[NamPikToot]

I am the same as you, NPT - i really don't want visible bars while in residence.

I never did this much in the UK.

TD its one of big negatives for Thailand for me is the need for all this, still its not like the UK is crime free but its just that as a whitey you are probably on the more desirable end of burglars choice. It seems like you've done what you can - i really think if you can get a trusted family member to house sit that is probably the best ....

Still getting Alexa to switch your lights on and off and some dogs barking recordings and creaking bed springs wouldn't harm....

[crackerjack101]

Totally agree with you there NPT. The c=best defence by far is trusted house sitters, plus maybe a dog or 2 that knows said house sitters. Bars and the like are horrible.

[crackerjack101]

TD its one of big negatives for Thailand for me is the need for all this, still its not like the UK is crime free but its just that as a whitey you are probably on the more desirable end of burglars choice. It seems like you've done what you can - i really think if you can get a trusted family member to house sit that is probably the best ....

Still getting Alexa to switch your lights on and off and some dogs barking recordings and creaking bed springs wouldn't harm....

Totally agree with you there NPT. The best defence by far is trusted house sitters, plus maybe a dog or 2 that knows said house sitters. Bars and the like are horrible.

[Thai Dhupp]

We're up in the north near Chiang Kong so pretty much in the Golden Triangle. Lots of mountain folk, lots of drug smuggling, the occasional car chase and plentiful road blocks, so....
When we set this place up security was an issue particularly as I was often away.
So, first off was concrete posts and a 5 strand barbed wire fence all round. I didn't want a wall and the idea was to grow all kinds of resilient greenery on the wire to disguise it. This has worked pretty well. The front of the house going onto the road was the same but we also have a pretty intense privet hedge that's about a meter deep and now is about 6 feet high and completely covers the wire. A large, solid gate provides access.
The next job was cctv. I'd learnt from living in remote communities in the NT that the most important aspect of CCTV is the signage. So, very obvious signs in Thai tell folk its there. Finally, the dogs. The best of which have been 2 Jack Russels. They're completely fearless and, besides announcing strangers they very efficiently keep the area clear of snakes and rats.

After close on 10 years we've never had a break in or even an attempted break in as far as I know. Maybe luck or it might be the effect of the "defenses", I don't know.

The main thing is might have worked plus it's green and blends in with greenery of the surroundings. So, so far so good.

Last thing to add is that if we're away for more than 2-3 days we always have someone house sit. Sometimes we recruit local friends (Thai) or if we're on a long trip 2-3 months then we rope in the family.

That's it.

First of all - good news that you had no break-in. long may that continue. seems like you took a range of standard measures based on your knowledge of the surroundings, rather than over reacting with every measure under the sun!!

Those CCTV signs are a good addition - I will do that too. Our spiky fruit bushes outside the wall will do the same job as your privet, I think.

House sitters - yes

The only thing we are not doing is the dogs. might change later. We do not have such a snake problem where we are.

[Thai Dhupp]

TD

Still getting Alexa to switch your lights on and off and some dogs barking recordings and creaking bed springs wouldn't harm....

Yeah - I was looking at this too. ''every lil helps''!, but really.. lol.. you got to draw a line somewhere, right?!