1 minute ago, nikmar said:

I was wary, being new to the country, but they looked scarier than they were. I remember they were full of questions about English football. genuinley nice people, but dodgy whisky.

If I were asked to give 2 bits of advice to a newbie, it would be

 

1 Respect the royal family

 

2 NEVER drink whisky with working class Thai guys

No, I'm too nice to be attacked

4 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

And now you know why she's a Mod ! ????????

Why?  Was the motorbike guy a rocker?

Never even been in a situation here where I felt I might be physically attacked, let alone actually be attacked. Not even close. 

 

But back home, it's not an exaggeration to say there was probably some risk of getting caught up in a altercation/fight basically every Friday and Saturday night.

 

 

48 minutes ago, geronimo said:

I've never had an incident in 35 years, but do have a flick-knife in the car, just in case!!!!!

 

Thailand is one of the safest countries in the world for foreigners who are respectful and don;t bother others.

Flick knife in the dash compartment, blunt axe in the door pocket here.

But then i always had weapons in my vehicles in the UK.

 

Re, i answer to another daft topic from the OP, I believe Thailand is far safer today than my home country of England.

I've been scowled at a couple of times

Yes 2 different times, 2 different places by a drunk Thai and then a drunk Thai Yai immigrant showing off backed by his group. Was hit on the head with a bottle from the rear. Jealousy I suppose or hatred for foreigners. Other few times drunk Thai by themselves wanting to show how big they are but they quickly backed down. Bangkok was sandwiched by 2 lady boys who got my telephone, but was just a rip off. Maybe too much on the drink. Been confronted a few other times but all backed down for figuring out how to rip me off. All years ago when things were more junglish here, but I still keep my guard up and stay street wise.

Wifey and I lived in Bangkok in 1993 then Samui from 2000. Never been threatened or attacked. Wifey had been mugged twice in the office block where she worked in Brum in the UK. She felt much safer in Thailand.

 

As a previous poster wrote - treat the Royal family and Thais with respect - no problem.

 

Any nationality can be a threat when drunk.

I've made the terrible mistake to show a new colleague the city, not even thinking about that it was Chinese New Year.

 

   I'd misplaced my key for my bike and went inside the pub to ask the owner if he'd seen my kays.

 

  That was when four guys approached me, said things like <deleted> and worse, looking for a fight.

 

 Within seconds I was kicked down by five guys and I ended up in the hospital. My wife was already there to bring me my spare key and they only stopped because she screamed that I'd be dead already.

 

    They never fight alone, be careful out there. 

 

   

Only time I was ever really 'verbally abused' was by my new father in law, who wanted my wife to return to her wife beating husband as he could not stand the loss of face she had left him years before. 

 

 

Never ever been attacked, I just don't get in situations like that. I rather back down if needed then make a situation worse. But the way i look helps people think twice about really attacking me. Im not some frail OAP so that helps. 

1 minute ago, robblok said:

Never ever been attacked, I just don't get in situations like that. I rather back down if needed then make a situation worse. But the way i look helps people think twice about really attacking me. Im not some frail OAP so that helps. 

Probably got biceps the size of my waist ......

14 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

i was talking on my phone on the street at night and i was  surrounded by three of them. they jumped off two motorbikes.

 

Did you report it to the police? Don't tell me you missed out on a chance to star in your own pointing photo

Had motocycle taxi demand more than agreed upon once dropping me off, I said no, he said I boxing you.

 

I said ok.

3 minutes ago, geronimo said:

Probably got biceps the size of my waist ......

No idea, but I don't look small. 

 

But again first line of defense for me is backing down defusing it if I can. You can be big and strong but a knife or a gun always wins.

3 minutes ago, JimmyTheMook said:

Had motocycle taxi demand more than agreed upon once dropping me off, I said no, he said I boxing you.

 

I said ok.

OK to the extra money or the boxing?

I used to watch some guy in Pattaya try to tell other expats what to wear.  Most of the time waitress beat him up and threw him out of the bar him saying 1-2-3-  Don't know what he was all about.  

In my experience, the most dangerous people here are thwarted women, ladyboys on the prowl, and drunk Brits or Aussies, in a bar. Not to offend. Most Brits and Aussies are cool. But, as you know some are itching for a fight. I tend to avoid those groups of people.  

 

I consider Thailand very safe. Never been attacked or assaulted here, and I have been coming here since 1976, and have lived here over a decade, including many years on Samui, which used to have some of the roughest population of ex-pats and tourists around. Ran into alot of guys in bars that were itching for a fight. Avoided them like bubonic plague. Times have changed, as it is mostly Chinese tourists now, and they seem pretty harmless. As far as the Thai punks go, they seem to only be interested in battling with other Thais, perceived rivals, guys showing interest in their gal, someone cutting them off in traffic, etc. Pretty easy to avoid that. I am polite, show them respect, and defer, when in a situation where a Thai man gets overheated. Never had an altercation with one. 

 

Frankly, I feel far less safe in the US, than I do here. Way too many maniacs, and angry people back there.  

2 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

In my experience, the most dangerous people here are thwarted women, ladyboys on the prowl, and drunk Brits or Aussies, in a bar. Not to offend. Most Brits and Aussies are cool. But, as you know some are itching for a fight. I tend to avoid those groups of people.  

 

I consider Thailand very safe. Never been attacked or assaulted here, and I have been coming here since 1976, and have lived here over a decade, including many years on Samui, which used to have some of the roughest population of ex-pats and tourists around. Ran into alot of guys in bars that were itching for a fight. Avoided them like bubonic plague. Times have changed, as it is mostly Chinese tourists now, and they seem pretty harmless. As far as the Thai punks go, they seem to only be interested in battling with other Thais, perceived rivals, guys showing interest in their gal, someone cutting them off in traffic, etc. Pretty easy to avoid that. I am polite, show them respect, and defer, when in a situation where a Thai man gets overheated. Never had an altercation with one. 

 

Frankly, I feel far less safe in the US, than I do here. Way too many maniacs, and angry people back there.  

You now avoid women and lady boys too, I presume...????

15 hours ago, shy coconut said:

Were the robberies by the ladyboys down to an unfortunate gender assessment by yourself?

is, not getting the goods that you thought you were purchasing ????????

 

I do find that hard to believe as I would have to be ridiculously drunk to make that mistake,

and you seem to have a fair bit more experience than myself!

Seems your speaking from at least a one-off experience yourself.

Don't worry, your secrets are safe here.

11 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

In my experience, the most dangerous people here are thwarted women, ladyboys on the prowl, and drunk Brits or Aussies, in a bar. Not to offend. Most Brits and Aussies are cool. But, as you know some are itching for a fight. I tend to avoid those groups of people.  

 

I consider Thailand very safe. Never been attacked or assaulted here, and I have been coming here since 1976, and have lived here over a decade, including many years on Samui, which used to have some of the roughest population of ex-pats and tourists around. Ran into alot of guys in bars that were itching for a fight. Avoided them like bubonic plague. Times have changed, as it is mostly Chinese tourists now, and they seem pretty harmless. As far as the Thai punks go, they seem to only be interested in battling with other Thais, perceived rivals, guys showing interest in their gal, someone cutting them off in traffic, etc. Pretty easy to avoid that. I am polite, show them respect, and defer, when in a situation where a Thai man gets overheated. Never had an altercation with one. 

 

Frankly, I feel far less safe in the US, than I do here. Way too many maniacs, and angry people back there.  

Walmart are issuing bullet proof vests ......

45 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

 

Did you report it to the police? Don't tell me you missed out on a chance to star in your own pointing photo

and that is exactly why I did not report it. just what i need reading about myself on Thai Visa with all the comments.

"three lady boys at one time, that's a new one." "This is what happens when you don't pay the hired help."

and of course "Wow that guy is really handsome, maybe they just wanted his phone number." 

3 minutes ago, Victornoir said:

Lack of luck this girl was a former Thai boxing champion. She sent the moron to the hospital.
Subsequently we all offered lady drinks to the girl, thanking her for watching over us in this soi.

Stuff the lady drinks, I would have taken her home.

Personally I was never attacked.

Once a foreigner tried to steal my wallet but he didn't succeed.

But a 70 year old friend was once attacked by some junkies in the middle of the night. They didn't do something like: "Give me money or I stab you." They stabbed him right away, many times.

Luckily a car stopped and transported him to a hospital. Otherwise he would probably be dead.

This happend In Bangkok near the corner of Sukhumvit Soi 29 a few years ago. And not surprisingly it was not in the news.

1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Personally I was never attacked.

Once a foreigner tried to steal my wallet but he didn't succeed.

But a 70 year old friend was once attacked by some junkies in the middle of the night. They didn't do something like: "Give me money or I stab you." They stabbed him right away, many times.

Luckily a car stopped and transported him to a hospital. Otherwise he would probably be dead.

This happend In Bangkok near the corner of Sukhumvit Soi 29 a few years ago. And not surprisingly it was not in the news.

a case of wrong place at wrong time

 

Losing face is ALWAYS preferable to losing anything else!

25 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

In my experience, the most dangerous people here are thwarted women, ladyboys on the prowl, and drunk Brits or Aussies, in a bar. Not to offend. Most Brits and Aussies are cool. But, as you know some are itching for a fight. I tend to avoid those groups of people.  

Some time ago I read a study about Brits going out in their own country.

I don't remember the exact numbers but it was something like this:

Maybe 30% wanted to get totally drunk. A little drunk was not good enough.

And about 20% expected the night would include a fight. It seems that was (or is?) part of their "culture".

2 minutes ago, geronimo said:

a case of wrong place at wrong time

Correct.

But before that happened I would have guessed Sukhumvit Road at night is not dangerous.

Obviously I was wrong.

I once had some Brit ass punk running after a gal I was chatting with in a disco... I let it go there are too many gals to choose... 

Not here in LOS....

 

Had a few incidents in the PI but that's just the way daily life goes on over there....Had to always be on guard....