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 54 minutes ago54 min 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 37 minutes ago37 min 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