MDing in Thailand

[M3R1IN]

Hey everybody
Im planning a trip to Thailand, I have a DFX and am itching to try it out over there on the beaches and some sites I saw last time i was there teaching english 2 years ago. Since i dont speak Thai very well I was wondering if anyone had ever MDed over there and if so what the laws are and such. anyways i know this is a relatively tall order but any assistance would be appreciated.

 

[TORRERO]

Here is what I would do...
Do you know people there ?
Do you have friends there ?

I just went to Peru with my wife and even though I had never been and did not know the
laws, I took my machine, and her family all 25 of them went with me to the beach and
there was never a question or problem.

Even though they had never seen a metal detector, when we were on the beach a few people stopped to say hi, and described people they knew who had one...

As for traveling, I broke mine down and did the carryon with the machine....
But its much easier to pack it in a checked bag...

Good luck....

 

[M3R1IN]

yes i do have friends there, but like the people in Peru i highly doubt theyve seen one before. Also the part of thailand where my friends live is far inland and not near any beaches or anything. I will probably take it anyways just in case. Im probably going to break it down and pack it in its original packing crate and then pack it in the middle of my clothes in my checked luggage because I can only imagine what a potential nightmare it could turn into trying to carry it on the plane, especially trying to explain it to thai and taiwanese security guards wouldnt go over well.

 

[Ascholten]

I have brought my metal detector on a plane before. They do know the difference, but just tell them as you approach, hey I have my metal detector in there, it's got a coil, do you want to bring it out and let me show it to you. That way even if they want to get stupid or try some crap like, you didn't 'declare' it etc you say, I just did.

Seriously though it should not be too big a problem, worse case, they make you pack it in regular luggage, so pack it in a hard side case just in case.

Aaron

 

[M3R1IN]

I actually did some research and found out that it isnt illegal to use a metal detector on the beaches in thailand, but all "property" is supposed to be turned into the police station... Im pretty sure they mean anything that has an identifiable nature to it... of course im not gonna keep any historical relics or inscribed jewelry or things of that nature, but coins and what not are fair game as far as im concerned.

 

[mark.]

I'd probably leave it home. You won't get shot then..........see ya mark

 

[M3R1IN]

Shot?!? in Thailand? are you insane? Thais are about the most passive people I have ever met.
I dont think I will be leaving my MD home. I looked at some beaches last time I was there and I thought of the tremendous opportunity some would provide. now that I have a decent MD I cant resist the chance.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

M3R1IN, I thought the same thing when I read the "shot" thing. Why is it whenever someone muses about detecting any other countries, or seemingly innocuous places (spots in the middle of no-where, sidewalk strips, etc...) the "shot" and "jail" thing always come up? Do they really think people sit in hunting platforms waiting to take down guys with metal detectors?

Yeah, sure, occasionally you read in the paper about a person shot at for simply walking down the street, or a traveler who ventured into the wrong part of town and was mugged, or a driver roughed up and thrown in jail for a simple tail-light infraction. But man, if we all worried about all that, we'd sit in our houses here in the USA and shiver with fear, afraid to leave our houses to even go buy groceries.

 

[M3R1IN]

How true Tom. People can be controlled most easily when they are living in fear.
Funny how some legislation in the past decade has gone through with so little resistance, eh?
some things to think about... I just love it when people say things about other countries when they have no idea what they are talking about.