Level of safety in Bangkok declining?

[AlphaCanadian]

I read in a report by The Economist intelligent unit (usually fairly reliable) that safety in Bangkok has recently got worse and that it actually does not score very well for safety.

 

Since I arrived here only a few months ago I can't compare it with the past.

 

If I were to simply categorize places I have travelled as below average, average or above average I would give Bangkok average (perhaps even a little above average).

 

There were some cities that scored better than Bangkok that were surprising. Some of them I have been to and while I never felt threatened the thought that I may have to not freak out if I were the victim of a crime did cross my mind.

 

The vibe can sometimes be deceiving, but the safety vibe here seems to generally be in the average/use your common sense range.

 

Seems not as safe as say Singapore or Tokyo but certainly safer than certain parts of North American cities and places I have been to in South America.

 

Has Bangkok really been getting less safe? Not only less safe but not really a safe city overall? I find The Economist to usually be reliable HOWEVER sometimes their rather aristocratic journalists/staff can have a somewhat off the mark perspective.

[smutcakes]

Safe from a walking around perspective and not being victim of violent crime yes, i feel Bangkok is safe compared to a huge amount of major cities.

 

Safe from day to day mishaps like tripping over uneven paving stones, vehicle/motorbike shunts not particularity, but its easy to manage those risks.

 

I feel a lot safer walking the streets here in central Bangkok late at night than i do in the majority of western cities i have been to.

 

As with nearly anywhere a bit of common sense usually means you are unlikely to run into to many dangers.

[MrBanks]

How does it compare to London where there have been almost 90 murders, year to date? I have never felt unsafe in Bangkok, however, as in all big cities you need to keep your wits about you.

 

[cardinalblue]

Lived 5 years in bkk - personal safety was never an issue...

 

public safety was a different ball game....incredible # of hazards - wires open holes uneven sidewalks unprotected  construction work protruding objects no barrier canals and poor driving behaviors

[Time Traveller]

2 hours ago, smutcakes said:

 

I feel a lot safer walking the streets here in central Bangkok late at night than i do in the majority of western cities i have been to.

 

 

LoL....you're so funny

[smutcakes]

11 minutes ago, Time Traveller said:

LoL....you're so funny

Whats funny about that? I certainly feel a lot safer here than London, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona. I dont really think my post was contentious. Sure people can disagree, but i am not really sure what your reply implies that it was a crazy suggestion.

[Time Traveller]

4 minutes ago, smutcakes said:

Whats funny about that? I certainly feel a lot safer here than London, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona. I dont really think my post was contentious. Sure people can disagree, but i am not really sure what your reply implies that it was a crazy suggestion.

as cardinalblue said in his post above, there are an incredible number of dangerous hazards walking around the streets of BKK - motorbikes riding on sidewalks , uncovered drains, wires, hard to see objects protruding, wet & slippery walkways, rabid street dogs, badlywired electrical circuits/ etc. Then at night, with low lighting, it's even more difficutl to spot hazards. 

Edited July 26, 2018 by Time Traveller

[smutcakes]

Just now, Time Traveller said:

as cardinalblue said in his post above, there are an incredible number of dangerous hazards walking around the streets of BKK. Then at night, with low lighting, it's even more difficutl to spot hazards. 

Which if you read my post, is exactly what i wrote, allbeit i was lacking clarity. I am not sure how old you are but its not difficult to spot hazards if you are relatively sober and have a functioning pair of eyes and brain.

[Time Traveller]

7 minutes ago, smutcakes said:

Which if you read my post, is exactly what i wrote, allbeit i was lacking clarity. I am not sure how old you are but its not difficult to spot hazards if you are relatively sober and have a functioning pair of eyes and brain.

ok believe whatever you want. You know everything. 

But having witnessed local people - office workers / school kids - injured from falling into drains or being hit by motorbikers riding on sidewalks...I disagree.

Edited July 26, 2018 by Time Traveller

[smutcakes]

6 minutes ago, Time Traveller said:

ok believe whatever you want. You know everything. 

But having witnessed local people - office workers / school kids - injured from falling into drains or being hit by motorbikers riding on sidewalks...I disagree.

How many times have you witnessed a local person falling into a drain??? lol.

I dont know everything, its my opinion. How many times have you fallen down a drain?

[LomSak27]

1 minute ago, smutcakes said:

8 minutes ago, Time Traveller said:

ok believe whatever you want. You know everything. 

But having witnessed local people - office workers / school kids - injured from falling into drains or being hit by motorbikers riding on sidewalks...I disagree.

How many times have you witnessed a local person falling into a drain??? lol.

I dont know everything, its my opinion. How many times have you fallen down a drain?

 

Never,  but last year a good friend was riding his bicycle, while his eyes were on the road he went into a hole, in the road - Head over handlebars and when he came down he involuntarily put arms out to protect himself. That's one broken collarbone. Pins had to be reset once so May - October basically one handed. Bad sure, but he felt he was lucky as it was light traffic so a car did not run him over and kill him when he was on the pavement. 

 

Oh and another non friend bashed his shin and tore a lot of skin because he went through a sidewalk paving while jogging, yuck. I didn't see it either. 

The first was a westerner, the second a local.

Edited July 26, 2018 by LomSak27

[smutcakes]

12 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

 

Never,  but last year a good friend was riding his bicycle, while his eyes were on the road he went into a hole, in the road - Head over handlebars and when he came down he involuntarily put arms out to protect himself. That's one broken collarbone. Pins had to be reset once so May - October basically one handed. Bad sure, but he felt he was lucky as it was light traffic so a car did not run him over and kill him when he was on the pavement. 

 

Oh and another non friend bashed his shin and tore a lot of skin because he went through a sidewalk paving while jogging, yuck. I didn't see it either. 

I am not saying their are not dangers, i am sayijng that with common sense you can generally avoid them, but they are more common than in the west admittedly. I however feel far safer here from serious crime.

Edited July 26, 2018 by smutcakes

[LomSak27]

8 minutes ago, smutcakes said:

I am not saying their are not dangers, i am sayijng that with common sense you can generally avoid them, but they are more common in the west admittedly. I however feel far safer here from serious crime.

 

The difference is, why  I don’t “feel it” in the west, is knowledge. They report it on the news and in the papers and then you can always look up statistics. That’s knowledge that is not FEELING – I feel so safe … WooHoo! Truth is I have never witnessed a violent crime nor been involved in one period. Last theft was my Schwinn Varsity 10 speed in 1971 of which I am still hacked off about.

Yet I do not feel safe there because I see things on the news. Over here I feel safe, I feel real safe because the Thai English news filters that, and we have little or no local reporting. I also do not buy those magazines with all the corpses in them  – So I FEEEEEL safe

Its just a feeling, not knowledge and a favorite cliché of expats.

Edited July 26, 2018 by LomSak27

[neeray]

1 hour ago, smutcakes said:

Whats funny about that? I certainly feel a lot safer here than London, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona. I dont really think my post was contentious. Sure people can disagree, but i am not really sure what your reply implies that it was a crazy suggestion.

I support you. There is no need whatsoever for smart ass comments that are hard to understand their meaning. Perhaps somebody is bored, thus, this simple post,"LoL....you're so funny".

[mike324]

Most of the low hanging wires are not electrical cables, they are phone lines, fiber optic lines, etc. Yes there are the occasional electric wire that people rigged up which are not legal. Most electrical wires are being put underground as we speak.

 

The only dangerous thing in Thailand is riding a  motorcycle on the road. One of the contributing factor is lane splitting, most don't know how to do it safely and have a lack of awareness for defensive riding. That is why there are so many motorcycle accidents on the road.

 

Other than that, safety wise I never once felt unsafe in Bangkok.

 

The study from Economist, I went to check it out. I think the overall ranking is pretty accurate. But it puts Manila a couple spots higher than Bangkok, which I find it hard to believe. 

[digger70]

Was there any To Decline?

[Alphy]

A walk in the dark in Liverpool, London, Chicago, Detroit, Bogota or Bangkok.

 

I will take my chances in Bangkok!!

[Time Traveller]

14 minutes ago, Alphy said:

A walk in the dark in Liverpool, London, Chicago, Detroit, Bogota or Bangkok.

 

I will take my chances in Bangkok!!

I guess you - and it seems other people here - are thinking this report refers to violent crimes. The economist doesn't specify what "personal safety" actually means. But besides crime, I would not be saying Bangok is safer than those cities....Ok, they haven't had any bombings for a while, but saying that Bangkok is safer than Western Cities, is just your perception, but not reality. 

Think... Health risks, Accident risks, Food safety, and so on, there's more to personal safety than just someone holding you up for your wallet.

 

 

[Nyezhov]

1 hour ago, Time Traveller said:

I guess you - and it seems other people here - are thinking this report refers to violent crimes. The economist doesn't specify what "personal safety" actually means. But besides crime, I would not be saying Bangok is safer than those cities....Ok, they haven't had any bombings for a while, but saying that Bangkok is safer than Western Cities, is just your perception, but not reality. 

Think... Health risks, Accident risks, Food safety, and so on, there's more to personal safety than just someone holding you up for your wallet.

 

 

I'm safe. I dont jetski,bungijump, skydive or ride motorcycles. I don't use Motorcycle taxis off a back Soi. I use hand sanitizer and wash my hands. I don't wear open toed shoes and stay away from Soi dogs. I wear or sit with a life vest when on a boat. I don't take it up the butt. I only eat blood clamsfrom a stand in Chinatown. I don't hang around the Khlong Toei docks at night,don't wear gold chains,  dont play with LadyBoys, and don't drink till I fall down. I say hi and smile but otherwise I look a bit scary. I don't ride the night bus into the sticks during Rainy season.

 

I'm safe.

[natway09]

As large cities go that I have had the pleasure of visiting Bangkok ranks pretty well for violent crimes

against foreigners

unless you get involved with "the wrong crowd" which includes many unsavoury acts & reprisals.

But yes, you need to watch your wallet (as in most big cities) & be vigilant in watching out for errant 

motorbikes, potholes, ladyboys & other things that go bang in the night.

 

[Thingamabob]

Bangkok is a safe city compared to most.

[NCC1701A]

3 hours ago, Nyezhov said:

I don't take it up the butt.

OK. too much information.

[sydneyjed]

10 hours ago, MrBanks said:

How does it compare to London where there have been almost 90 murders, year to date? I have never felt unsafe in Bangkok, however, as in all big cities you need to keep your wits about you.

 

Was visiting the UK recently and all the news over there was motor scooter muggings/robberies(in broad daylight)on the pavement!Police stated 'they were helpless'(unquote)to chase down these criminals due to 'safety  issues'(unquote).On top of this acid attacks and bicycle accidents/deaths in the City of London..so like any major capital city you need to keep your wits about you and avoid potential flash points!

[Chou Anou]

Stay away from drunken farangs looking for a "punch up" (not gonna mention countries of origin...not gonna mention countries of origin...) and you'll be very safe in Bangkok.

[elgenon]

As anywhere, don't do anything stupid.

[Ks45672]

I'd rate Bkk as fairly safe  regarding crime

Against foreigners

 

Occasionally you might get overcharged for something etc but nothing I'd call "dangerous" 

[5633572526]

Feel as safe here as I did when I arrived 4 years ago and I walk everywhere day and night. The 3 biggest hazards when walking are the land mines in the sidewalks ( you know when you step on a square and the smelly water splashes up on your leg) the motorbikes illegally driving on the sidewalks and lately the increasing number of homeless people laying on the sidewalks.

[bojo]

All things being equal, with common sense prevailing and many years of experience in the Kingdom; an expat is far safer here in Bangkok/Thailand than most countries. For me, the barometer/definition of safety is whether I feel comfortable walking around an area late at night and am I able to avoid/control any situations that I encounter whether that be people off their head, or any of the scenarios incidently that Nyezhov humourously highlighted.

 

Even if I was a tourist , without loadsa local info, it would, in my mind still rank highly.

Can you imagine...... I could be ambling innocently and minding my own business down any of the 'Sean of the dead' pedestrianised high streets in the UK (Weston Super Mare comes to mind) in the middle of the afternoon and feel far more uneasy.

I could be walking over London bridge minding my own business........ (remember to remove headphones, so you can here high revving vehicles)....

One can make endless comparisons and quote examples from around the world from personal experience, but for me, I would pick Bangkok and Thailand as a whole above any other that I have experienced.

[BobbyL]

After travelling to London, Rome, Paris and New York in the last 18months I would say Bangkok feels incredibly safe. 

[Number 6]

On 7/26/2018 at 9:41 AM, smutcakes said:

How many times have you witnessed a local person falling into a drain??? lol.

I dont know everything, its my opinion. How many times have you fallen down a drain?

I feel in a small drain in Penang. I was VERY lucky the rusty rebarb did not skewer me. The drain simply disintegrated under foot.

 

Cement covers in BKK are much the same. You've never seen a rats nest of wiring either burned up or actually on fire? You've never nearly been smacked by a mototaxis on the sidewalk? List is endless Bangkok streets are very dangerous.