THE WEEK THAT WAS Relax! Thailand is just as safe (or dangerous) as it’s always been

[webfact]

 

OPINION | by Rooster

It was a week in which many posters on the ASEAN NOW forum were convinced that crime in Thailand was out of control. Added to the appalling carnage on the roads they contend that the country is getting unsafer by the day. Tourists visit at their peril, they burble.

 

Rooster begs to differ. In my opinion it’s always been like this - safe or not it’s all in the eye of the beholder.

 

Commenting on the ghastly story of a man who blasted away a couple and their 5 year old son in Pathum Thani in revenge for his mum being ratted on and jailed for 25 years, frequent poster Ezzra said:

 

“The alarming number of cases we read lately of people going berserk and shooting and knifing everything and everybody without thinking first is getting to…worrying heights and out of control”.

 

Other posters are convinced of crime sprees caused by desperate people with no money due to the pandemic. 

 

I’m saying: “Relax people, it’s always been like this!”

 

When I arrived in Thailand in the early eighties and was desperate to learn Thai I bought piles of “Aatyaagam” (crime) and “191” magazines. I devoured the stories and learned to read. 

 

It was an eye opener as all the tourist literature said Thailand was a safe country with Thais known for their forbearance, stoicism and politeness. 

 

I pored over the reading material and kept the back copies under my bed, like a teen with Playboy or Penthouse. My secret, naughty stash. 

 

The grisly pictures of crime and accident victims only added to the sense that Thailand was a dangerous place to live. So why did my daily life seem so safe?

 

Sure, friends had run-ins with crazies, some were assaulted with clubs, even robbed in the streets. Others certainly had guns pointed at them in road rage incidents long before RR became a thing.

 

So why did I always feel safe. Perhaps having already trained as a journalist in the UK I was inured; journalists more than most will advise against overreacting to what you read in the papers!

 

Fast forward about 35 years and I became a translator for Thaivisa. Here were those stories again - all lined up and ready to be put into English from Thai Rath, Daily News, Sanook and the like. 

 

The editorial team at the time had taken the decision to include more crime news, more stories that weren’t just about visas, immigration and tourism.

 

It started slowly with many posters suggesting there was an emerging crime explosion. It was just because they had never read the stories in Thai - now they were being presented on a very ugly plate in English!

 

More recently it would appear that crime and accidents are reaching new heights. There are two principal reasons for this misconception.

 

The first is that deciding what to have translated is the subjective choice of an editor. Basically, if he or she likes crime and accidents that’s what you get with Rooster’s extra twist.

 

Secondly, the modern era with video clips, CCTV and news instantly in your face 24/7 on social media means going online puts the reader directly in contact with crime. Albeit vicariously.

 

Far more so than in the 1980s and 1990s when such media didn’t exist, when the only publications available in English - like the Bangkok Post - generally avoided crime anyway unless it was particularly special or related to foreigners. 

 

In those intervening decades when there was only dust under my bed not magazines and I read nothing much of crime in the kingdom, I knew it had not gone away.

 

Personally, though I have no crime stats from the police and no clear up rates (try getting them!), I am of the opinion that violent crime is no more prevalent than before. If I had to bet I’d say serious crime has gone down. 

 

CCTV helps plod resolve much of it quickly, aided and abetted by those “admissions” in custody where the perp can get half off their sentences. That’s always been the case. 

 

Apropos, a few years ago a survey in the UK asked people how many abductions of children by strangers there had been in the previous year. Respondents were convinced the crime was rampant - fueled by high profile cases.

 

There was a reason the cases were high profile. They were the only ones. Conservative respondents said it must be dozens of cases at the very least, some thought it must be hundreds.

 

No one thought it was four. Four in the whole of the United Kingdom in 12 months.

 

Parents were mistakenly getting  fearful for their children, and wouldn't let them even go and play on the swings alone or go to the shops to buy sweets.

 

Yet the danger was almost nil. Far better to give your children freedom than worry about a virtually non-existent threat.

 

The modern media landscape has got a lot to answer for in how they report the news, but the public need to think and not get wrapped up in the hype. 

 

That’ll help you to appreciate that Thailand is safer than most places, especially for foreigners. 

 

That comes from someone who sees murder, mayhem and mischief from the moment he wakes up to when I start my afternoon Scrabble practice! Each and every day. I ignore it on a personal level.

 

So please take care out there, but don’t overthink things. Relax and enjoy Thailand.

 

In the last seven days it certainly appeared that Thailand was getting busier again. And I'm not just talking about the TAT rhetoric after the scrapping of Test and Go. 

 

I’m talking about the Svensen’s test…

 

I take my nippers about once a week for ice-cream. Throughout much of the last year we were the only customers, always outnumbered by staff.

 

This week there was a waiting list and we had to do some shopping before a table became available. 

 

In a sense it was nice that so many people were out. The shopping center was heaving. However, I missed the quiet of the pandemic. Is that sad or what!?

 

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The shopping center was full of the most stunningly attractive Thai women - mostly with their gawky boyfriends, making me think behind my mask “that is going out with that?!”

 

I’m hoping that when the masks are eventually ditched that some of those people might smile at me again; I promise to smile back and try not to leer too much!

 

I’m worried that the Thais have been so good with their mask-wearing that the authorities may stick to the protocols, take advantage of their compliance. They are already annoying and past their usefulness. (the authorities as well as the masks…) 

 

Please end the mask mandates completely now and let us get back to a semblance of normality. 

 

In Phuket the authorities were on the verge of declaring the virus endemic. A move that irked the central powers. But then Bangkok followed. And where Bangkok goes others follow.

 

The city and its residents led the way in vaccinations and Covid protocol compliance. I’m proud of my hometown but enough is enough.   

 

Tourism authorities were buoyant about there being more visitors both foreign and domestic and far more flights,  though the absurdity continued with one source suggesting 20 million arrivals in the fourth quarter or 20 million for the year - both nonsensical numbers. 

 

People have tons of money; another misnomer is that everyone is poor now post-pandemic. Rubbish. People in work have never had such disposable income after enforced saving. And there are three jobs for every applicant. There is no excuse not to be in employment.

 

People are desperate to spend and willing to pay inflated prices. This is driving record inflation in Thailand and worldwide leading to rises in interest rates. The US surprised the world in leading the way in that. 

 

The war in Ukraine is exacerbating economic woes especially in terms of uncertainty, fuel costs and availability of agricultural products. 

 

Inflation worldwide is now like it was in the 1970s when I was a kid. My only hope is that an expected rise in interest rates for savings will put some more money in Rooster’s back pocket!

 

After seeing a tray of eggs for 160 baht at Big C this week, I need it!

 

PM Prayuth - still grimly hanging onto power - said that the 300 baht tourist fee would be delayed for now. This is a sensible decision but they should have just added it onto airline fees and there would have been little fuss. They are clueless, always making a rod for their own backs.  

 

Top videos of the week were real doozies. One featured a motorcyclist in Yala trying to duck under a railway barrier with predictable consequences while the second featured an angry motorcyclist who was caught on tape defecating in the cab of a Minburi authority pick-up after they stopped him for riding on the sidewalk in Bangkok. Both are worth a look!

 

In international news a leaked Supreme Court draft ruling in the US suggested that the landmark Roe vs Wade decision might result in universal access to abortion being denied. 

 

This is a very grave moment and highlights the political meddling in the court system in the States by presidents like Trump installing out of touch judges in the highest court in the land. If the nutty evangelists get their way they won’t stop with abortion - contraception and gay marriage will be next on their loony radar. 

 

Followed by enforced creationism and effigies of Darwin being attacked with rotten tomatoes in the stocks, I shouldn’t wonder, in America. 

 

The idea that aborting an embryo is murder is utterly absurd. Taking it further to stop contraception is even more bonkers. Subject to some obvious parameters about the time of abortion, women should have the right to do as they please with their bodies. To me that’s the sign of a civilized, developed society.

 

Religious people want to spoil our world and take us back to medieval times. And the US - with an incredible 50% believing in god - threatens to lead the way!

 

I’m glad I’m a devout atheist with humanitarian values. I think churches and temples should be converted into flats and religious people who think the earth is 6,000 years old be forced to watch videos about the size and age of the cosmos until they repent!!

 

The WHO reported that the real death toll from the pandemic and related deaths was nearly 15 million. This was based on deaths above the norm. In India the toll made up a third of that, something the Indian government didn’t like of course. 

 

In the Philippines Bongbong Marcos continued his campaign to resurrect the dictator’s family fortunes. The Filipinos are weird people even more obsessed with celebrity than the Thais. They’ll get what they deserve.

 

In sports news, Diego Maradona’s famous shirt that he wore in 1986 when he scored the “hand of god goal” and “goal of the century” in the same match against England came up for auction.

 

It fetched 7.1 million quid - a record for an item of sports memorabilia, according to the BBC. The shirt had been swapped with the now deceased Argentine legend by Steve Hodge in the tunnel after the match that ended in a 2-1 defeat for England in the World Cup finals.

 

Final international news was related to Thailand. This was the death of Gene Lahrkamp in a plane crash in Ontario. He was the second person wanted for the murder of gangland figure Jimi Sandhu in Phuket earlier this year.

 

There is a strong temptation to say “well done Thai plod” in this case. Until one realizes that they actually had plenty of time to get the suspects before they left Thailand; if they’d been sufficiently on the ball.

 

The other shooter is in custody in Canada. 

 

Back in Thailand the murder of a French man and his Thai wife at a cold cuts business in Sukhumvit Soi 49 grabbed the attention. 

 

It appeared the couple brought the gun. After arguments over money it seems to have been grabbed. A chef was shot in the side but did he also shoot the couple dead? My sources in the French community agree with that assessment. 

 

ASEAN NOW posed the question Friday “Are children getting a fair deal in Thailand?” as 35,000 schools prepare to resume onsite learning on May 17th.

 

Barring a few months of segregated, mask wearing ‘half classes’ my kids have been off school for two years.

 

Two years for goodness sake!

 

We’ve had about 20-25% of fees refunded, a token gesture. I just can’t wait until they go back - without masks - and us parents as well as our offspring can all start to get our lives back on track. 

 

My thanks to the many posters who offered their condolences to my family on the death of my mother-in-law, a subject I visited last week.

 

My wife told me that just a few days before “yai’s” demise my children - aged 9 and 5 - had bathed her amid much joy and laughter. It was so touching that they managed to spend this valuable time with her.

 

Mrs R said that during the bathing the adults thought they saw lottery numbers in the suds on the old lady’s chest. 

 

They played their hunch and won 4,000 baht with the first three numbers. Makes a change from weird shaped banana trees, visits of snakes and number plates of accident survivors that usually provide the winning numbers.

 

Finally, I got a call out of the blue from an unknown number on Thursday.

 

The recorded message in Thai said I was named in a criminal case and needed to press #9 to get the details.

 

Smiling slightly after writing literally hundreds of stories over the years about call center gangs preying on the gullible and elderly, I pressed ‘end call’ instead.

 

Doing my bit to keep those crime stats down….

 

Rooster

 

 

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[Wiggy]

Good reading. 

[off road pat]

Good read indeed.

[spidermike007]

No doubt petty crime is up. It is partly the result of Prayuth's "bringing happiness to the people" program. 

 

Joking aside, the way in which Thailand has approached covid, with the highly selective shutdowns, favoring their cronies (keeping all army bases, fruit canning plants, most factories, and even construction sites open) have created major super spreader sites, and encouraged more shutdowns. That combined with the tourism decimation, has created alot of hardship, and sent unemployment skyrocketing. Nobody knows how high it really is. 

 

Fortunately, it is mostly just petty crimes of opportunity. Thailand is still a relatively safe place. 

[mikeymike100]

 

 

Most of it a good read, but sadly the diatribe on Roe vs Wade and abortion apart from having nothing to do with Asia or Thailand was nothing short of excrement!

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Rooster begs to differ. In my opinion it’s always been like this - safe or not it’s all in the eye of the beholder

I think the last year leading into this year has seen a rise in domestic crime/violence for sure.

People are strained from Covid or the effects that it had on their family life.

[hotchilli]

13 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

That combined with the tourism decimation, has created alot of hardship, and sent unemployment skyrocketing. Nobody knows how high it really is. 

I would guesstimate unemployment to be between 10%-15%... and that's being conservative.

[sawadee1947]

At least not boring this time. Thumbs Up????

[The Hammer2021]

Thailand is more dangerous for Thais than us. We live in a privileged,  protective  bubble  here. But under these circumstances it's one of the safest  countries I've lived in. Certainly safer the Britain.

[BritManToo]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

I’m saying: “Relax people, it’s always been like this!”

I agree with you.

[vandeventer]

21 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Thailand is more dangerous for Thais than us. We live in a privileged,  protective  bubble  here. But under these circumstances it's one of the safest  countries I've lived in. Certainly safer the Britain.

It all has to do with the Thai people which are very honest and good. But when the times get hard with increases on food and fuel and everything else and the loss of jobs as well people have to live. This is where the government comes in and helps it's people. They need to do more and stop making up excuses.

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, mikeymike100 said:

 

 

Most of it a good read, but sadly the diatribe on Roe vs Wade and abortion apart from having nothing to do with Asia or Thailand was nothing short of excrement!

You think religions should be off limits for comment? Or women should be told what to do with their own bodies? What an ignorant and intolerant post.

[spidermike007]

14 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

It all has to do with the Thai people which are very honest and good. But when the times get hard with increases on food and fuel and everything else and the loss of jobs as well people have to live. This is where the government comes in and helps it's people. They need to do more and stop making up excuses.

It appears to be quite the opposite. This govt. seems to be hurting the people on countless levels. 

[sambum]

"They are already annoying and past their usefulness. (the authorities as well as the masks…) "

 

Well said - couldn't have put it better myself!

[Freed1948]

Roosters comments on everything, should be taken with a grain of salt.

His opinion is his opinion only.

[natway09]

Whe it comes to crime, Rooster is right.

I remember in the "good old" days walking off Rama 4 down Surawong Rd & on the left they

had full colour pictures in the windows of unidentified people  (mainly expats) photographed just the way they had been found dead at a crime scene or other place. Literally hundreds of them. It was repulsive 

[Thingamabob]

I've been mugged twice in my life, once in Manila, once in South London. No such experiences in 40 years in Thailand.

[Lacessit]

37 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

I've been mugged twice in my life, once in Manila, once in South London. No such experiences in 40 years in Thailand.

I've never been mugged; however, there are places where I have felt safe. Japan and Thailand are among them.

OTOH, I was always very wary in the USA, and it wasn't just muggers I was on guard against.

[Purdey]

Kids not attending school is terrible for the development of the nation.

On the other hand, Thailand is on a sticky wicket as COVID cases decline to below many neighbouring countries. What is the first thing the government declares? "Everyone from higher COVID infected nations come to Thailand and give us your COV... I mean money.

 

This is going to be a neverending syndrome as long as the country depends so heavily on tourism.

 

Develop industry and services and create employment, close the BOI and open the country to companies without having to give rich Thais a majority stake, and start introducing new technology. What happened to Thailand 0.4 - I mean 4.0? 

[2 is 1]

Thailand has been and is really safe country! Even my ex from Philippines not allow me to take my son in Thailand! But if i go Phil its ok to her LMAO! I havent seen any 7/11 in Thailand whitch "bouncher " has AK-47 in hes hand! Im not feel fear in any place. If you have even 2 pea in your head you know how to keep out from places where is dangerous to be. But like in every place if poverty grows then also safety decrease.

[DBath]

Cluck, cluck, cluck…

[HappyinNE]

Rooster,

 

Your quote “In international news a leaked Supreme Court draft ruling in the US suggested that the landmark Roe vs Wade decision might result in universal access to abortion being denied.”  The next time get through all the media and political BS and look at the real issue.  The decision being discussed is that a previous court declared that abortion is a right given by the constitution.  What the decision is really about is did the previous court actually made a mistake.  Since there is no mention of abortion in my copy of the Constitution I have always been stretched to believe that the Constitution really said granted that right.  The issue is not to outlaw abortion in the Federal system but then it will be up to the individual states to determine if they want to take a position on abortion.

 

HappyinNE

[Mike k]

How many dumb judges have liberal presidents put on the bench like the last one that don't know the difference between a man and a woman. I know you're a liberal that hates anything a conservative president does so maybe you should stay out of US politics 

[kiwikeith]

13 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

No doubt petty crime is up. It is partly the result of Prayuth's "bringing happiness to the people" program. 

 

Joking aside, the way in which Thailand has approached covid, with the highly selective shutdowns, favoring their cronies (keeping all army bases, fruit canning plants, most factories, and even construction sites open) have created major super spreader sites, and encouraged more shutdowns. That combined with the tourism decimation, has created alot of hardship, and sent unemployment skyrocketing. Nobody knows how high it really is. 

 

Fortunately, it is mostly just petty crimes of opportunity. Thailand is still a relatively safe place. 

I find this logic similar to the logic of the many landlord's that own empty houses for rent around my area, and the whole country, they want to hang out for 35k a month rent, and turn down 15 /20 for long term agreements, some houses in my area have been empty for the last 4 years but are still available at the high rental some get rented for 1 or 2 months a year if they are lucky, I say, they obviously have to much money. 

[Stargeezr]

Thanks for the news update Rooster, and I agree that if the USA overturns the Roe vs Wade,

the Un United States of America will keep on fracturing, and heading backward.

  I enjoy my visits to Thailand and have been cautious more at night, and I do not ever wear

expensive jewelry when on vacation, or even the high fashion clothes etc. , so I am just an old

geezer who is enjoying yet another trip to the tropics to escape the cold of a Canadian Winter.

  I am hoping that this coming Winter will be my post COVID return for a couple of months as well.

  As long as the high prices of gasoline and food and other expenses does not make me

too broke to travel.

[Lacessit]

5 hours ago, Mike k said:

How many dumb judges have liberal presidents put on the bench like the last one that don't know the difference between a man and a woman. I know you're a liberal that hates anything a conservative president does so maybe you should stay out of US politics 

One may well ask how many narrow-minded religious bigots conservative presidents have installed on the Supreme Court as well.

You may not have noticed, this is an open forum where everyone is free to express their opinions, so your suggestion to stay out of US politics will be treated with the contempt it deserves.

[yankyoakum]

good read...

 

[Red Forever]

Why was the name of the poster all but invisible?

I just wasted 10mins of my life reading "how wonderful my life is cos I've been here longer than you" not realising it was written by the resident bore.

Please preface any further tripe from this poster with a warning: "reading any further can induce extreme ennui"

Zzzzz.....

[GarryP]

23 hours ago, Freed1948 said:

Roosters comments on everything, should be taken with a grain of salt.

His opinion is his opinion only.

Like yours?

[Freed1948]

9 minutes ago, GarryP said:

Like yours?

Yes, but I don't get paid for mine!