Hitch-hiking All The Way South

[Thulemin]

Hello

We are two 23y/o girls living in Thailand (me in Chiang Mai, the other one in BKK) and we were planning to travel to Malaysia in October during our holidays. Were planning to hitch-hike, we don't mind spending 3 days for the trip between BKK and Penang, as long as we can meet and chat with Thai ppl along the way. We both speak enough Thai to ensure the basic conversation.

Do you think it's generally unsafe ? I'm a bit worried about the southern part (though we would go along the east coast, i think it's more quiet). I've never heard of anyone hitch-hiking. Mainly, I guess, because transportation are cheap, but we don't want to hitchhike because of a lack of money but rather to meet people on the way...

Any recommendations or advices or "you young girls are totally crazy" ? Any insight would be welcome

Thanks

Gaelle

[GungaDin]

Not a great idea, I'd say very dangerous.

I'm sure someone will disagree with me.

How do you propose to get thru the 3 southern provinces where they would just love to use/murder 2 young farang girls.

Don't you read the news???

Edited September 10, 2008 by GungaDin

[lazeeboy]

you,re crazy ,you said it yourself,you;re asking for trouble ,get on a bus and stop on the way and eat in thai restaurants ,and meet people that way ,maybe im being over protected but i would freak out if my daughter was going to do that,step back and think of the dangers ,there is no need to put yourself in a situation in thailand ,theres enough dangers without making more ,be carefull

[Ciaphas]

Why don't you go by train, a lot safer and a really nice journey. I would never attempt to hitch-hike in Thailand due to safety concerns and I'm a 6'2'', 35 year old rugby player.

[midasthailand]

Are you implying that you cannot meet people on buses and trains? It seems to me that it would be very naiive of you to expect the conditions you and your friend experience in your respective daily lives in Chiang Mai and Bangkok to be just as safe as they would be whilst hitch-hiking to Malaysia. I would suggest that the venture is very foolhardy and would strongly advise against it! I would hate to read on this forum about two farang girls raped and murdered while hitch-hiking to Malaysia.

Generally Thailand is a very safe place to live, move away from the cities and towns and present truck drivers, hyped up on speed, with the opportunity to have his way with two pretty young foreigners and the safety index declines rapidly.

Please re-consider, there are some wonderful peole to be met on trains and buses too you know.

[TheWalkingMan]

Take the bus and chat with people on your way to your destination as another poster said. Easy enough to meet people, stay safe and not have to worry about some person or persons causing you problems.

TheWalkingMan

[Shah Jahan]

Hello

We are two 23y/o girls living in Thailand (me in Chiang Mai, the other one in BKK) and we were planning to travel to Malaysia in October during our holidays. Were planning to hitch-hike, we don't mind spending 3 days for the trip between BKK and Penang, as long as we can meet and chat with Thai ppl along the way. We both speak enough Thai to ensure the basic conversation.

Do you think it's generally unsafe ? I'm a bit worried about the southern part (though we would go along the east coast, i think it's more quiet). I've never heard of anyone hitch-hiking. Mainly, I guess, because transportation are cheap, but we don't want to hitchhike because of a lack of money but rather to meet people on the way...

Any recommendations or advices or "you young girls are totally crazy" ? Any insight would be welcome

Thanks

Gaelle

You are delusional in your understanding of this culture if you think that two 23 year old white girls can hitchhike around thailand. this is the culture where if a girl allows herself to get into a situation where she is alone in a room with a man, then she has already consented to sex. moreso if she has already taken gifts/transportation by his good graces.

you would be putting yourself in a very vulnerable situation.

[taxexile]

i have never seen anybody hitchhiking in thailand , apart from monks.

i doubt if many thais have either , and the thai view would be that if you can afford the fare , as every foreigner can , then why stand on the roadside waiting for rides , just take the bus or the train.

a truckdriver or a driver of one of those overloaded pick up trucks with 40 people in the back would wonder why on earth 2 young girls would be waving them down , and the answer they came up with might not be to your liking.

i would think that the only people who would stop for you are not the sort of people you would want to be meeting.

if you can speak some thai then you will have been here long enough to know all this , if you can read the thai newspapers , then you will be aware of the frequent crimes committed by men against women here , especially when sexual expectations are not met , so i cant understand why you are asking the question in the first place.

dont do it.

[zorro1]

I'm speechless. You going to walk in the stifling heat, assuming with back packs, sweaty ,dirty and rained on and that alone doesn't put you off. If that doesn't then be prepared to maybe make the front page of the papers in a gruesome sort of way.

[Cuban]

Were planning to hitch-hike, we don't mind spending 3 days for the trip between BKK and Penang, as long as we can meet and chat with Thai ppl along the way.

Look at the roads throughout Thailand - you do not generally see hitch-hikers, consider why this is.

I'm sure as two young ladies you will be offered lifts - I would guess some you would rather turn down.

Consider exactly where you will be spending the night during your road trip - you might be best finding a place by 4-5pm rather that wandering around small towns after dark. Also have your list of transport options for each leg of the route.

There is a safe way to do things and the other way...

Is there someone that you can check in with on a daily basis that will put some effort into finding you should you disappear?

There are many cases that you would be wise to learn from Lucie Blackman & Julie Ward for example, yes you are travelling together but each others safety should be your agreed paramount priority, overriding any disputes or romantic encounters en-route. With that in mind consider having a few telephone numbers that will get a taxi to your location if need be. Have credit and keep the phones charged.

Much better to spend time preparing for a worst case situation and then laughing about that wasted time when you are sitting back at home looking at pictures from your road trip. Not doing the trip it is easy, not preparing and 'just go for it' it also easy but if one kink in the chain leads to a more serious problem the person to blame for any situation mentioned in the posts above that comes to pass will be you.

HTH.

[Shah Jahan]

hel_l, I have been here long enough that If I saw two young girls hitchhiking, I would think that all they wanted was some sex.

In fact I remember I did meet some hi-so bangkok girl who asked me for a ride once and actually did end up having sex - that was her way of approaching me.

[allcladrad]

If against all the advice to the contrary, you decide to do the trip, then pick your route to stay on the main highways and only pick up and drop off at major chain gas stations. When looking for rides talk with the girls working the pumps and they will help you get rides. Chat them up by them a soft drink or whatever, explain what you are doing.

Probably not good to walk just hang at the station until you get a ride.

[Mrjlh]

Hello

We are two 23y/o girls living in Thailand (me in Chiang Mai, the other one in BKK) and we were planning to travel to Malaysia in October during our holidays. Were planning to hitch-hike, we don't mind spending 3 days for the trip between BKK and Penang, as long as we can meet and chat with Thai ppl along the way. We both speak enough Thai to ensure the basic conversation.

Do you think it's generally unsafe ? I'm a bit worried about the southern part (though we would go along the east coast, i think it's more quiet). I've never heard of anyone hitch-hiking. Mainly, I guess, because transportation are cheap, but we don't want to hitchhike because of a lack of money but rather to meet people on the way...

Any recommendations or advices or "you young girls are totally crazy" ? Any insight would be welcome

Thanks

Gaelle

I just asked my Thai GF if this was a good idea. VERY BAD IDEA. Where do you want your body sent? In Thailand people don't hitchhike. For two reasons: One you can't trust the person you pick up no matter how well they are dressed. They may take your car, or rob you or worse. For the second, you don't know who you are getting a ride from. They may see you as easy targets. You don't know the land so you don't know where they are taking you. They may look safe enough but looks are deceiving here. Word spreads quickly in some communities about anything that's going on that's not normal. Especially two "Farang" young women hitchhiking! Take the bus and be safe. It's cheaper than losing something you don't intend to give away.

Monks are an exception to the rule. They ride "free" everywhere.

[midasthailand]

With respect to monks, they also figure prominently in the annals of Rape/Murder of farang female tourists. I hope that by now you and your friend have realised the folly of your proposed method of transport to Malaysia and have changed your plans accordingly. Have a nice trip.

[Mosha]

Hello

We are two 23y/o girls living in Thailand (me in Chiang Mai, the other one in BKK) and we were planning to travel to Malaysia in October during our holidays. Were planning to hitch-hike, we don't mind spending 3 days for the trip between BKK and Penang, as long as we can meet and chat with Thai ppl along the way. We both speak enough Thai to ensure the basic conversation.

Do you think it's generally unsafe ? I'm a bit worried about the southern part (though we would go along the east coast, i think it's more quiet). I've never heard of anyone hitch-hiking. Mainly, I guess, because transportation are cheap, but we don't want to hitchhike because of a lack of money but rather to meet people on the way...

Any recommendations or advices or "you young girls are totally crazy" ? Any insight would be welcome

Thanks

Gaelle

You actually live here and you need the folks here to advise you? Have you no Thai (female) friends to tell you what a barmy idea this is. I would advise the train, 2nd class overnight sleeper, and chat with the folks sat near you.

[Uros]

Not a great idea, I'd say very dangerous.

I'm sure someone will disagree with me.

How do you propose to get thru the 3 southern provinces where they would just love to use/murder 2 young farang girls.

Don't you read the news???

I haven't heard of any news about farangs being targeted. Their targets are usually have something to do with the Thai government and establishment.

I know many people who have hitchhiked for short distances in Thailand and have heard of nothing but positive experiences of helpful and cheery rides. This sort of longer ride for females is probably not a good idea unless you get some sponsors and media coverage.

[rockhardbkk]

If you're so poor or so cheap you can't afford a bus ticket, you shouldn't even be in Thailand. Just what Thailand needs, a couple of stinky, sweaty backpacker chicks asking for trouble because they're too cheap to pay for bus fare....

[khunron13]

I wouldn't say "totally crazy". Stupid I think is a better term.

[Lancashirelad]

2nd class train (as already said) is the way to go. Cheap, saves a night's hotel cost, choose fan or air. Superb way to meet people, a large cross section of society on trains from poor to wealthy...... yes, many will ride 2nd class who can easily afford 1st because they don't wish to spend a long journey in a tiny little freezing cold compartment all alone.

[photojourn]

Reads like a troll to me. Either that or the OP was incorrectly released from whatever institute he or she had previously been committed to. I can't believe that anyone with even a modicum of intelligence and who has lived here for any period of time would even contemplate such a stunt - unless they were hoping to receive front page exposure after their folly bites them on the bum.

[Jimjim]

I don't know why they'd just love to murder two farang girls in the South as someone said, but I wouldn't suggest it. It would be taking a risk I think. Who knows, may have been safer or even more dangerous in the past to do such a thing, I'm not sure. But there are always those who will cause harm in the world. There has been violence against white tourist women in any part of Thailand, so I don't think the South where the problem is political and has nothing to do with white people would be any different than other areas. But it still is relatively unsafe most likely. I've hitched a ride or two in a rural area of Thailand with no problems but then I'm a man.

[mtitude]

All the 25 people who replied, are sheer ridiculous. I am a young girl myself, 23 year old and I was backpacking for a month in Malaysia and Thailand.

That's where I hitchhiked in Thailand for 7 days.

I started all the way from Malaysian-Thai border to Hat Yai -> Rattaphum -> Phattalung -> Krabi -> Ao Nang Beach Krabi

-> Trang -> Nuea Khlong -> Khlong Thom -> Ko Lanta -> and all the way back to Songkhla! - All this throughout my 1 week in Thailand.

More than 13 rides and over 1000 km.

Most importantly, all of the people who stopped were Thai.

It was amazing and all the people (single men/familes/rock bands/young people) who gave me a ride were fabulous.

Out of the 13 rides in the period of 7 days, 2 rides were from a single woman - we talked, cracked up, had beers and it was fantastic.

Also, a lot of men from these that I hiked with did not speak any English at all, but it was absolutely okay! They just wanted to help me!!!

In couple of rides, the offered me to join them for restaurant etc and it was just fantastic.

I would say, its absolutely safe to hitchhike in Thailand, irrespective of your gender.

Edited June 17, 2010 by mtitude

[roamer]

Not a troll, OP been on forum since 2008. Actually, I would say the biggest risk is probably the risk of someone running into you whilst you have your thumb out.Two girls, traveling together,some knowledge of Thailand and the language, probably no more at risk than they would be going home with some guy they met in a bar. I would actually question whether this is the best way of meeting Thai people. You could probably have more fun, and more interchange, traveling on local buses, and I do mean local, then hitching.

Edited June 17, 2010 by roamer

[Maenromo]

I am a 23 year old big guy and i would not do it, would not even do it in my country or in the united states, there are other ways to meet locals. hope you great luck in your travel and wisdom in making your decision

[craigt3365]

All the 25 people who replied, are sheer ridiculous. I am a young girl myself, 23 year old and I was backpacking for a month in Malaysia and Thailand.

That's where I hitchhiked in Thailand for 7 days.

I started all the way from Malaysian-Thai border to Hat Yai -> Rattaphum -> Phattalung -> Krabi -> Ao Nang Beach Krabi

-> Trang -> Nuea Khlong -> Khlong Thom -> Ko Lanta -> and all the way back to Songkhla! - All this throughout my 1 week in Thailand.

More than 13 rides and over 1000 km.

Most importantly, all of the people who stopped were Thai.

It was amazing and all the people (single men/familes/rock bands/young people) who gave me a ride were fabulous.

Out of the 13 rides in the period of 7 days, 2 rides were from a single woman - we talked, cracked up, had beers and it was fantastic.

Also, a lot of men from these that I hiked with did not speak any English at all, but it was absolutely okay! They just wanted to help me!!!

In couple of rides, the offered me to join them for restaurant etc and it was just fantastic.

I would say, its absolutely safe to hitchhike in Thailand, irrespective of your gender.

I can't believe anybody would encourage this. There have been so many young, farang women killed here that your advise is terrible. Several women on Samui/KPN raped and killed. Several in Phuket. Etc. Most Thai's are fantastic. But the drunken ones...especially from Cambo or Burma...will be on the lookout for you. Crazy to encourage this.

To say it is absolutely safe is wrong. It is absolutely NOT safe. And that can be pretty much said for any country in the world. Sure, you can get away with it, but why risk it. Especially here...and especially in the south.