Laos forum

Laos is no problem: The look on people's faces there don't even hint at ulterior motives. If anything, watch for fellow foreign tourists.

So in Lao leave your stuff in your room; keep the key, I think.

Cambodia is a different matter, though not by much.

One thing you could do is swap money pouches. Perhaps try the ultra-thin one that goes around the waist. This is safer as you forget about it and less inclined to take it off.

Another thing is, when looking for rooms, try and find one where you can attach your own lock. This is hit-and-miss in the countries you mention, but they can be found. (In India they're everywhere.)

As you're traveling with friends, perhaps bring a combination lock for easy access between you, so as to not fiddle too much with keys.

look for a room w/ no windows, too, or ones you are sure you can secure the windows.

As to swimming, well...one time Sihanoukville, Cambodia I had only just left my towel and pack on the beach there, and hadn't yet reached the shore when I turned around to check and see if all was safe, but found that all was gone.

Caught the guy, though. Ran through the tall reeds there, and not taking the given path to the road, where I guess the guy saw me coming with some speed, and perhaps some determination as well because he
just stopped moving, and like waited for me at the road until I arrived. When I got there a second or
so later, he simply handed my bag back to me.

He wouldn't've got much, anyway - my Vaurnets, a frisbee, because I did what steviej advised and left my valuables in my room.

Exacto do you mean someone beat you up and took your money? As in mugged? It would have to be the first time I've heard of it in Laos, more common is bag snatch.

I don't have much of value other than passport and money and camera. Money and junk always under clothes, never in room, never in day pack. Camera is over shoulder, across chest, under elbow which is touching it.

Azgrl you say "we". One sits on stuff, the other swims. If you leave stuff in your room and it's gone don't even bother telling the hotel. It's your fault.

If I had ten kip for every time I read about thieving hotel employees stealing from the room I'd have a round trip ticket. Of course who knows who took it. Westerners, employees, people next door, maybe it was ghosts. One thing for sure, you'll never know.

On Saturday evening one of my acquaintances and her niece were mugged at knifepoint outside her house in Vientiane by a guy clearly on yabba. His accomplice was waiting nearby on a motorcycle. It is getting a bit more common here in Laos.

just be careful,stay in well populated areas,we travel as a group so no problems but a friend had his mobile and wallet stolen in cambodia yesterday.

"Good to hear nothing worse exacto. Sounds like Vientiane becoming like a city."

Well its certainly already much more of one than that backwater Nong Khai.