I haven't been attacked, but had 2 separate incidents with soi dogs barking at me.

I see a bunch on my morning walk.

They only bark at ME ... because they can sense my FEAR.

I've been attacked by dogs before, so dogs make me nervous.

Just venting. I really wish they would do something about these dogs.

They generally don't attack, but they can get aggressive if you look at them the wrong way or if they sniff out your FEAR.

Soi dogs, the scourge of Thailand......... A nightmare for cyclists.........Most remain in the same place day in day out, so if you have a regular route one can be prepared. They always circle around the back of one and or attack unsuspectingly from behind, need head on a swivel when out and about.

If you hear them, stand your ground, if you run, they will chase. I find shouting with aggressive body language works every time as does dismounting and thrusting my bike as defence at them. Not been bitten for over 2 years now and have had 2 lots of rabies jabs over years.........Damn shame as one can never truly relax getting out and about here....

Just carry a heavy stick and raise toward the dogs and stomp your foot, they’ll bug on out.

3 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

I haven't been attacked, but had 2 separate incidents with soi dogs barking at me.

I see a bunch on my morning walk.

They only bark at ME ... because they can sense my FEAR.

I've been attacked by dogs before, so dogs make me nervous.

Just venting. I really wish they would do something about these dogs.

They generally don't attack, but they can get aggressive if you look at them the wrong way or if they sniff out your FEAR.

They are an absolute nuisance and, when roaming in packs, can be genuinely dangerous. Anyone who has spent enough time around Thailand's stray dogs knows that attacks do happen, particularly when the animals become territorial or feel emboldened by numbers.

Whenever this subject comes up, you'll inevitably find people on forums suddenly transforming into canine behaviour experts - the Dog Whisperer. They'll tell you to "act like the alpha", project confidence, or somehow psychologically dominate a pack of stray dogs.

In reality, that's nonsense. A hungry, territorial pack of street dogs is not always interested in your body language.

The old trick of pretending to pick up a stone can work occasionally because many dogs have learned to associate that movement with being chased away. However, it is far from foolproof, and it becomes considerably less effective when several dogs are approaching at once.

The beach dogs are a particular concern for families with young children. These animals often establish territories around stretches of sand, restaurants, and public areas. A child running, kicking a football, throwing a frisbee, or simply playing energetically can easily attract unwanted attention. I've personally been at beachside restaurants on several occasions where we had to stop children we are with playing in the sand because stray dogs were getting uncomfortably close and beginning to take an interest.

This is not a new problem. The authorities have been aware of it for decades and have repeatedly acknowledged the challenges posed by Thailand's vast stray dog population. Yet the issue remains largely unresolved in many areas.

Predictably, self-appointed dog lovers will argue that removing or culling these animals is cruel. However, that argument often ignores the reality of life for many of the dogs themselves. Across the country, hundreds of thousands have spent years living on the streets suffering from malnutrition, disease, parasites, mange, injury, and neglect, surviving on scraps and facing short, harsh lives. For many of these animals, prolonged suffering has been the norm for decades.

The uncomfortable truth is that allowing an uncontrolled stray population to continue indefinitely is not necessarily the compassionate option. It creates risks for residents and visitors, while condemning generation after generation of dogs to lives of hardship, illness, and neglect.

Any serious discussion about the problem should consider both public safety and animal welfare, rather than pretending either issue does not exist.

6 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

if you look at them the wrong way

Best thing to do is totally ignore them look the other way no eye contact but if they do come running up to growl then try shouting out 'by ai sut' and pretending to bend down to pick up a rock and throw it at them..do not throw a rock at them or the non owners will come out of the woodwork to shout at you..often times the non owners are actually nearby and will call off their feral mutts after they have had a good laugh at the scared passer by..

another possibility is a children's cap gun to scare them away...yes they are a menace and rabies is still widespread.

5 minutes ago, johng said:

Best thing to do is totally ignore them look the other way no eye contact but if they do come running up to growl then try shouting out 'by ai sut' and pretending to bend down to pick up a rock and throw it at them.

Normally they are docile.

This morning there were 2 of them walking together. And one suddenly starting running toward me. I don't think it was running at me specifically, but it made me nervous and I made a sudden movement and I guess it felt threatened.

I also wonder if they might be more aggressive early mornings since there are very few people on the streets.

Thanks to all for comments and suggestions.

Edited June 9Jun 9 by save the frogs

While riding my bike, I always carried a spray bottle with ammonia in it, if they got too close to my feet, a few sprays with that and they leave me alone - they hate the smell, I bought one of those Dog Repellent devices - push a button emits a sound we can’t hear, obviously the dog’s didn't either cause it never worked.

21 minutes ago, novacova said:

Just carry a heavy stick and raise toward the dogs and stomp your foot, they’ll bug on out.

absolutely, good advice, just not easy carrying one (on a bicycle) that you can pull out immediately..They come from nowhere, so fast and sometimes without barking first.....

12 minutes ago, Explorator en Action said:

While riding my bike, I always carried a spray bottle with ammonia in it, if they got too close to my feet, a few sprays with that and they leave me alone - they hate the smell, I bought one of those Dog Repellent devices - push a button emits a sound we can’t hear, obviously the dog’s didn't either cause it never worked.

Yes, those ultrasonic dog repellents never work, certainly not when they're in aggressive mode.............................knowing my luck I'd spray the ammonia and myself.!!

4 minutes ago, Off Piste said:

absolutely, good advice, just not easy carrying one (on a bicycle) that you can pull out immediately..They come from nowhere, so fast and sometimes without barking first.....

I walk, but still need to react quickly.

I think I will start taking my DSLR monopod with me on my morning walks. But I would need to tuck it under my arm because if the dog sees it, it may feel threatened?

Edited June 9Jun 9 by save the frogs

I used to walk past 40 dogs on Pratumnak from Bali Hai, carry a telescopic batton, from Shopee, keep it round your waist in a bum bag, i never needed to draw mine. Carrying a stick makes you aggressive and dogs nervous leading to problems frequently

You being a passive type, by the sounds of it, it is a problem for you. We used to have many soi dogs running through our property but I have always been loud and aggressive even with a pack of them. The Thai neighbors think I am crazy when I shout and chase them but it has the desired effect. They are only a minimal problem now as they seemed to have learnt.

13 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Carrying a stick makes you aggressive and dogs nervous leading to problems frequently

Oh, I had my umbrella. That might have made the dog nervous.

Thanks.

16 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

I used to walk past 40 dogs on Pratumnak from Bali Hai, carry a telescopic batton, from Shopee, keep it round your waist in a bum bag, i never needed to draw mine. Carrying a stick makes you aggressive and dogs nervous leading to problems frequently

The dogs up around here know what a stick is and even a rock, pick up a rock or flash a stick and they skedaddle.

1 hour ago, save the frogs said:

Normally they are docile.

This morning there were 2 of them walking together. And one suddenly starting running toward me.

As dogs are highly territorial, and intelligent, it makes a big difference if you enter "their" soi or their owners plot, and at what time of day.

A pack of dogs who are quite docile in the day (knowing they will get hurt by sticks and stones by Thais), can be very ferocious during evening or nighttime.

I made this experience tha first time I visited "my" village in Isaan: as soon as the sun went down, dogs became an aggressive and dangerous mob.

Don't be shy to carry an actual stick with you, because any Isaan dog knows what that means. Bamboo is good, as it is lightweight and bendy at the same time, hit the nose. Helps little against a determined pack where they will circle you and attack from behind while you are distracted from the front.

The other tactic, if you have more time: approach the dogs in the daytime, when they are basking lazy in the sun, befriend them (don't give them food though, they will forever swamp you whenever they see you). But after they know your "foreigner" smell, they might accept you as part of the usual lanscape.

1 hour ago, save the frogs said:

I walk, but still need to react quickly.

I think I will start taking my DSLR monopod with me on my morning walks. But I would need to tuck it under my arm because if the dog sees it, it may feel threatened?

Maybe, but more than likely, it will think it's a weapon and steer clear of you, make sure they can see it, unless he is trained to attack humans, then there is no stopping them. The ammonia is just a deterrent, and they will remember the smell, I also sprayed my bicycle tires, then they are sure to remember.

12 hours ago, save the frogs said:

Oh, I had my umbrella. That might have made the dog nervous.

Thanks.

Also when approaching them talk in a low non threatening voice, almost gay, it calms them. it won't work on an alpha male looking for a fight but they are relatively rare

12 hours ago, novacova said:

The dogs up around here know what a stick is and even a rock, pick up a rock or flash a stick and they skedaddle.

It also can stir them up unnecessarily, depends on the dogs of course. A stick will make them nervous. Try talking to them in a calm quiet gay voice, they like that, it calms them

Edited June 10Jun 10 by scubascuba3

I will avoid early morning walks and take my walks in the evenings.

They may be more aggressive early morning as there are few people on the streets.

Best way to deter an aggressive oncoming dog is not to make eye contact, say no firmly and stand your ground, much like a charging Grizzly. They look at us as another animal, and the alpha can sense fear, and also smell adrenaline, although this doesn't mean they will attack. You are the alpha and must act like it. Looking into a dog's eyes is what other dogs that are aggressive do, so look to the side.

Carrying a piece of bamboo , the lower part, can thwart an attack, by keeping you and the dog separate, and used if necessary. Most are bluffs, but when you're walking away, keep your eyes on them as some will attempt to bite from behind. Pepper spray and air horns also work.

Edited June 10Jun 10 by fredwiggy

The best way to stop a pack of dogs is to become the Alpha dog and 'bark' louder and take control of the pack!
I've used a mini-airhorn for years when riding motorcycle around the US. It clipped onto the handlebars, so it was right there when needed. And in farm country, it was often needed to keep the dogs from chasing.
One good 'bark' from an air horn says 'Hey! I am the BIG DOG! Do not mess with me!'

Edited June 10Jun 10 by FolkGuitar

Instead of a stick you can carry a length of plastic garden hose that can be just as effective as a stick, but not really damage them.

If you want to damage them put a length of rebar inside the hose, but that makes it heavier to carry.

18 hours ago, GreasyFingers said:

If you want to damage them put a length of rebar inside the hose, but that makes it heavier to carry.

I think it is a good rule to want to avoid injuring a dog; besides the morality of injuring a highly sentient being, you might be surprised how fast such a dog then will attract an owner coming out of nowhere who wants compensation for their hurt "pet".

Also, the rebar would need to be quite massive to even hurt a medium-sized dog having the adrenaline rush of an attack, if you hit him over the head or shoulders. For the nose it does not need much, and a light and bendy object (like a bamboo pole or a plastic pipe) will do all the work that is needed, as dogs are extremely pain-sensitive there, while at the same time you will only create a lesson to remember for them instead of leaving a crippled animal.

If you are confronted by a whole pack of dogs, first order of the day is to find something that gives you cover from behind, like a wall or tree; dogs are pretty astute to guess the limited field of vision of a human. I you then really need to defend yourself against a dog of the size category of a thai street dog, try to kick against its front legs and chest, they are the weakest point in the attack. Obviously, this scenario would have you wearing not slippers but boots, else your toes will be the first taste of you the dog will get.

Having said that, even with the dog packs in Thailand, I can hardly imagine a situation how you could come into such a severe situation that you truly would need to fight it out, if you have not wantonly and stupidly entered their territory first.

Well maybe OT but my dog gripe is 7-11 dogs and I refuse to step over a dog.

There's a couple of dogs that got a big aggressive with each other this morning.

They were sniffing each other out for a couple of minutes and then both started growling and eventually just walked away.

I guess they realized they weren't compatible after the sniffing.

Not to repeat the door dog picture, but when looking for a picture I noticed this:

"They gather there for the blasting air conditioning and foot traffic. Locals and tourists generally respect them, stepping over or walking around them without disturbance."

To H with that -- you never know when a dog will conveniently take a nip at you and then you are off to the hospital.

2 hours ago, JerryM said:

Well maybe OT but my dog gripe is 7-11 dogs and I refuse to step over a dog.

Kanchanburi main street (where the bars are), this area has so many dogs when you walk towards the rail tracks. Absolutely horrific there are loads of them in packs.

One day after a massage we were going to walk back to our hotel, and suddenly a bunch of them came out barking aggressively. Rite at that moment the massage lady turned up in her car like some super hero, and told us to get in. What a star !!! She knew we would have trouble and told her staff she was going to get us.

If they are barking you are ok. Just don't run or lack confidence. Growling or silently walking towards you, different story. I have had some nervous moments in Thailand with street dogs I can't lie, but my main worry is the increase of Pitbulls and Staffordshire Bull Terriers as pets. If they start breeding with the generic Thai street dog then that could be a problem. Muscled up packs of street dogs? No thanks!

It is a known problem, and often there are talks about it. However no action is taken, even if they bite... Why not register them properly and if nobody claims them just remove them from the streets..

On 6/9/2026 at 5:58 PM, save the frogs said:

Just venting. I really wish they would do something about these dogs.

Take a stick with you.

I came to Thailand when wonderful Thaksin was ruling.

Why wonderful??

He sent out dog hunters all over Thailand. After a while you could walk in pease everywhere.

Unfortunately there was no majority for a tax on dog owners, I think it was 200 Baht per year for one dog