A tourist has released a video detailing her experiences walking in California and Thailand, with notable differences in safety concerns. While in California, her primary worry was people, in Thailand, she was mostly concerned about stray dogs potentially chasing her. The video sparked a variety of reactions from social media users worldwide.

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In her video, titled "main differences between California and Thailand," the tourist shared her walking experiences in these locations. In California, she felt the need to constantly watch her surroundings for people. Contrarily, in Thailand, she felt safer from human threats but remained cautious about stray dogs on the streets, stating that avoiding dog encounters was her main concern.

The video gained attention from both Thai and international online communities. Several viewers shared lighthearted advice, like using grilled meatballs to befriend dogs. Thai social media users provided practical safety tips, suggesting a calm demeanor and gentle voice if approached by a dog to ensure safety.

Despite her concerns about dogs, the tourist expressed that walking alone in Thailand did not cause fear aside from the occasional stray dog following her. She emphasized that, overall, she found the city “amazing” and highlighted the unique and memorable aspects of her travel experience in Thailand, reported The Thaiger.

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  Adapted by ASEAN Now · The Thaiger · 26 Mar 2026

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She should compare crosswalks in the USA and Thailand. 

Walking in any large cities has problems and crime possibilities. Especially in tourist areas. Here you're more likely to be hit by a vehicle or attacked by a dog than in the US by far. Of course if she took a walk in Watts or Compton she might have worries but that can happen in downtown Bangkok or after dark in Pattaya. Taking measures to protect yourself means everywhere.

Roast dog is THE delicacy in my Khmer peasant family.

Knock one over on the road? You stop & throw it in the boot then off to the farm at high speed ...

Conclusion: An industrial-level system for sending dogs dead or alive to Isaan would solve 2 problems simultaneously.

I always feel much safer walking in Thailand than in the US.

18 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

main differences between California and Thailand

Just the title already 🤦🏻

More people are probably injured or killed walking in cities or towns in Thailand than in

California - but walking on hiking trails is different story. I love the Japanese system where

EVERYONE stops for pedestrians.

Walking daily in Pattaya and Phratamnak I cant remember last I had any issues with soi dogs, most have been way before Covid. When did they start sterilization and the "relocation" program of the most aggressive dogs?

3 hours ago, newnative said:

I always feel much safer walking in Thailand than in the US.

Oh please,it's obvious you didn't look at my study thesis on "walking safely as a pedestrian 2026" that i conducted in Soi Bukhao

The conclusion was it's unsafe

She forgot to mention in CA, walking around human feces & drug needles.

I've never had a soi dog chase me, or even bark at me, I think. Lots barking (pets) from behind walls or fenced areas.

I walked like an 89 year old grandmother here, constantly scanning the sidewalk and road surface in front of me for potholes, rocks, uneven surfaces cracks, or anything else that might cause me to lose my balance, sprain my ankles, or fall down. Unfortunately at our age a fall can be can have horrendous consequences.

A friend of mine was recently walking on a sidewalk fooling around with his phone and he lost his balance and fell down, and he seems to have screwed up his shoulder and at least three different locations. Months later he is still in great pain with limited range of movement. It's just not worth a fall.

6 hours ago, newnative said:

I always feel much safer walking in Thailand than in the US.

Well the difference here is that I feel a lot less safe walking in Thailand due to the surfaces, but a lot more safe than walking in California due to the people.

On 3/27/2026 at 4:26 PM, snoop1130 said:

A tourist has released a video detailing her experiences walking in California and Thailand, with notable differences in safety concerns. While in California, her primary worry was people, in Thailand, she was mostly concerned about stray dogs potentially chasing her. The video sparked a variety of reactions from social media users worldwide.

Get today's headlines by email

In her video, titled "main differences between California and Thailand," the tourist shared her walking experiences in these locations. In California, she felt the need to constantly watch her surroundings for people. Contrarily, in Thailand, she felt safer from human threats but remained cautious about stray dogs on the streets, stating that avoiding dog encounters was her main concern.

The video gained attention from both Thai and international online communities. Several viewers shared lighthearted advice, like using grilled meatballs to befriend dogs. Thai social media users provided practical safety tips, suggesting a calm demeanor and gentle voice if approached by a dog to ensure safety.

Despite her concerns about dogs, the tourist expressed that walking alone in Thailand did not cause fear aside from the occasional stray dog following her. She emphasized that, overall, she found the city “amazing” and highlighted the unique and memorable aspects of her travel experience in Thailand, reported The Thaiger.

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  Adapted by ASEAN Now · The Thaiger · 26 Mar 2026

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luxury problems...

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I walked like an 89 year old grandmother here, constantly scanning the sidewalk and road surface in front of me for potholes, rocks, uneven surfaces cracks, or anything else that might cause me to lose my balance, sprain my ankles, or fall down. Unfortunately at our age a fall can be can have horrendous consequences.

A friend of mine was recently walking on a sidewalk fooling around with his phone and he lost his balance and fell down, and he seems to have screwed up his shoulder and at least three different locations. Months later he is still in great pain with limited range of movement. It's just not worth a fall.

This! It's the plight of the sidewalks that is the real danger. Though I can understand non-dog people being nervous around some of the feral rascals.

On 3/27/2026 at 10:26 AM, snoop1130 said:

In California, she felt the need to constantly watch her surroundings for people.

Californians bite?

4 hours ago, KhunLA said:

She forgot to mention in CA, walking around human feces & drug needles.

Your neighborhood ?

3 hours ago, OneManShow said:

Your neighborhood ?

No ... but my neighborhood doesn't need an app to track human feces ...

... "Snapcrap is a mobile application developed to report and track human feces on streets and sidewalks in San Francisco," ...

App developer's thoughts ...

... "Arriving in San Francisco

I moved to San Francisco in May of 2017. I was fresh out of college and had spent the previous 6 months desperately searching for a job in the Bay Area so that I could finally fulfill my dream of moving to California, the greatest state in the country. I can’t believe I actually thought that at the time.

It took me about 1 day to realize that this place was in major trouble. Take a quick walk through most neighborhoods and you’ll notice the human and animal waste, needles, trash, and other refuse that litters the streets and sidewalks. Don’t believe me? Just check out these photos." ...

https://medium.com/@miller.stowe/snapcrap-why-i-built-an-app-to-report-poop-on-the-streets-of-san-francisco-aac12382a7ce

11 hours ago, mberbae said:

More people are probably injured or killed walking in cities or towns in Thailand than in

California - but walking on hiking trails is different story. I love the Japanese system where

EVERYONE stops for pedestrians.

Not only in Japan

I found the video quite informative. Well done.

13 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I walked like an 89 year old grandmother here, constantly scanning the sidewalk and road surface in front of me for potholes, rocks, uneven surfaces cracks, or anything else that might cause me to lose my balance, sprain my ankles, or fall down. Unfortunately at our age a fall can be can have horrendous consequences.

A friend of mine was recently walking on a sidewalk fooling around with his phone and he lost his balance and fell down, and he seems to have screwed up his shoulder and at least three different locations. Months later he is still in great pain with limited range of movement. It's just not worth a fall.

A friend of mine was recently walking on a sidewalk fooling around with his phone and he lost his balance and fell down,

so there in itself is the problem

the nose does not belong buried in a phone screen when walking

3 hours ago, Luuk Chaai said:

A friend of mine was recently walking on a sidewalk fooling around with his phone and he lost his balance and fell down,

so there in itself is the problem

the nose does not belong buried in a phone screen when walking

Of course I agree with that, but the topic is about the dangers of sidewalks here, obviously if we concentrate on everything we do in this life we're going to live a safer existence, but that's just not the reality that we live in. We're distracted by a hundred different things, and that's what makes the sidewalks here so perilous, and that's why we need to be conscious and focus when we're out walking here.

14 hours ago, BusyB said:

This! It's the plight of the sidewalks that is the real danger. Though I can understand non-dog people being nervous around some of the feral rascals.

Californians bite?

I don't know whether or not Californians bite, some do some don't, but California has become an increasingly more dangerous place, crime is fairly high there, are there are a lot of hostile people around, and one needs to always watch your back there.

For me, Soi dogs aren't really a concern; pot holes, motorbikes travelling the wrong way are; it doesn't help that I'm a bit deaf. Look right, look left. look right again is my mantra.

I figure the uneven, obstacle strewn sidewalks are part of a Buddhist program to be 'present' when walking... Generally, the easiest way to make a soi dog scamper is to bend over and pick up a throwing size rock, or just bend if none available.

That said, I have been bitten twice. Once in Bang Saen while riding my bike and the other in Jomtien when I walked past a dog who I'd passed many times. I was on the tail end of Dengue fever and I think it made me smell differently.

Motorbikes on sidewalks going against traffic are typical, including police. Many drivers don't stop at crosswalks with lights. Moto taxi drivers are consistently the worse.

Take the attitude everyone is out to kill/maim you and you might (might) get to your destination.

7 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I don't know whether or not Californians bite, some do some don't, but California has become an increasingly more dangerous place, crime is fairly high there, are there are a lot of hostile people around, and one needs to always watch your back there.

Lordy lordy, whatever happened to flower power and summers of love?

Even today a strong influence on my life - I was just entering teens at the time.

Edit: I think the US u r g e n t l y needs a redux of all that.

10 hours ago, Luuk Chaai said:

A friend of mine was recently walking on a sidewalk fooling around with his phone and he lost his balance and fell down,

so there in itself is the problem

the nose does not belong buried in a phone screen when walking

You can generally get away with that in most 'western' countries. But in Thailand it's inviting disaster.

I do agree with the part that the stray dogs all over are a threat. Mainly in areas like Hua Hin. Not good for tourism.