So a little story... still very surreal but true!! Last week I spent with Nate down at Koh Phangan (see post below for more details) and after Nate left on Friday, I stayed in BKK with some friends and returned to Mae Sot on Sunday evening. When I walked into my room I couldn't find my computers. Yes, I have two computers (one for work, and one for personal stuff - both are put to very good use!). I racked my brain wondering what I had done with them... left them at work, left them at a friends house... totally surprised at myself that I was drawing such a blank considering my computers are my only life line to the outside world!
I went to the office to check at work and couldn't find them. I went back to my room, thoroughly searched my small room again, nothing. Then back to the office to check again -- again, nothing.
As as side note: My computers contain all my photos, documents, music, and all my work from Thailand - with nothing backed up!
I began to hit me that my computers may have been stolen from my room. I then reported them stolen to my Thai landlady. She was shocked, as nothing had been stolen from the apartments since they were built 4 years ago. She immediately notified her dad who was the former chief of police in Mae Sot. She then said she must check with all of her Burmese workers. She first notified the lead worker who had been working for her for 10 years. He apparently got out a knife and said, "let's go find who did this". She told him to put the knife away - reassuring him that the police were coming.
They finally arrived at a workers house who they had hired just two days earlier. He was hired on to do a short term project on the 4th floor of the apartment complex (my floor). When the police and my landlady knocked on his door, his mother answered, he escaped out the back door. They proceeded to search the house and they found my personal computer and computer bag!!!! My work computer was still missing.
She came back from the house and returned one of my computers to me. I was still on shock -- so thankful that one of my computers had been found but still trying to deal with the harsh reality that if my work computer didn't turn up I would have to start 5 months of work over.
I looked through my now returned computer, the guy had used the internet to price out how much a macbook pro is worth. He had also opened a lot of my applications. Wow did I feel violated!
My landlady tried to assure me that if my other computer were still in Thailand then they could find it. I was doubtful.
Within 24 hours she had tracked down my other computer and it was in my possession. I actually don't have all the details of exactly how it worked out but in short, I think one of her dad's contacts received a tip from a Muslim man who knew someone who knew someone else who knew where it was! Now I have both computers, everything in tact.
I still don't know how the worker got in my room.
Yes, I have everything backed up. Do you?
Living with well connected and powerful landladies pays off!
Ok speaking of work, I need to work.
W
x
Well, its quite typical of a foreigner living in Thailand to have to make a visa run - which is basically what you do when your visa for living in Thailand runs out. You need to leave Thailand and then reenter and depending on what type of visa you have will determine how many additional days you receive. Most people that live in Mae Sot cross the border here, but it was closed due to trade and building disputes with Burma - so I had to travel North. After 10.5 hours on the bus I made it to Mai Sai which is another border crossing with Burma in the North. The one benefit of this border is the super cheap DVDs! My visa got stamped and I'm good for another 90 days in Thailand - then another visa run :)
