Early Morning Massacre Near Chalong...

[JetsetBkk]

Now the stabbed receptionist..

With the 2 from that murder suicide that makes 4 new bodies since your post on the 15th.

Not quite the 64 gun deaths per day that you believe from the UN report, eh?

[Thongkorn]

Totally agree with markg keep your head down, don't piss people off. Try Manila if you think Phuket is dangerous, I always travel with an armed body guard in Caviti. Plus he can and will protect me, but then the Philippines are beautiful. Same as Thai Islands. I can say Ive had more problems with druken farrangs than Thai, Phuket is still a safe place to live.

Why travel with body guards

, Those who live by the sword die by the Gun.How do you keep your head down with body guards,

[markg]

Now the stabbed receptionist..

With the 2 from that murder suicide that makes 4 new bodies since your post on the 15th.

Not quite the 64 gun deaths per day that you believe from the UN report, eh?

Yes, great sadness and shame about the Thai hotel receptionist being stabbed by her Thai boyfriend who then went on to kill himself. The statistics will show 1 homicide and 1 suicide, but does that overall add to Phuket being a 'dangerous' place?

I say not.

For Thai (and Burmese) then Thailand is a dangerous place - but they already know this, it's their home!

For expats and tourists alike, i continue to maintain that it's no more dangerous than anywhere else, including my hometown.

I don't feel unsafe here and never have.

Keep your head down, go about your business in a normal manner and you're unlikely to be a victim of violent crime.

Some people have suggested that you need to sleep with one eye open, or keep looking over your shoulder whilst on holiday. This, i believe, is not the case at all in Phuket.

I did ask for a list of suggestions of places that are similar to Phuket yet have significantly lower violent crime rates.

No one has suggested anything yet.

Is Phuket dangerous? Yes! - but so is everywhere else. If you're that paranoid, go buy a south pacific island, fortify it, and live alone.

[JR Texas]

Is Phuket dangerous? Yes! - but so is everywhere else. If you're that paranoid, go buy a south pacific island, fortify it, and live alone.

You said "so is everywhere else." That is a bit misleading. The actual data on violent crime shows Thailand near the top.......there are countries that have almost no violent crime (e.g., Oman).

The data also show the Philippines to be less violent than Thailand, dispelling the myth that it is more dangerous to live in the Philippines.

No, I am not going to post for the 1000th time the data on this. Just search it on Google if you don't believe me or search ThaiVisa for the threads on it.

It is a fact: Crime is increasing in Thailand. But, for me, I don't feel afraid here and never have.

[LivinLOS]

Not quite the 64 gun deaths per day that you believe from the UN report, eh?

What in an island population of 300k ??

Or the entire country.

[JetsetBkk]

Now the stabbed receptionist..

With the 2 from that murder suicide that makes 4 new bodies since your post on the 15th.

Not quite the 64 gun deaths per day that you believe from the UN report, eh?

What in an island population of 300k ??

Or the entire country.

I don't believe the stabbings were done with a gun, or that Phang Nga is in Phuket.

[Valentine]

Whatever the motive for the Chalong killings they do highlight the rising crime rate in Phuket & it does not matter what statistics are quoted from elsewhere they are not relevant to this island upon which we choose to live unless one is making a decision to live here based on the crime rate compared to elsewhere. Although the official population figure for Phuket is around 350,000 the number must surely be around one million. I seem to recall recently some published figures of 700,000 vehicles registered in Phuket plus there are quite a number of vehicles from out of town which would indicate a much larger population.

Number of murders per head of population could be quite high in Phuket if using the official number but changes considerably when the real number is taken into account.

[Felt 35]

Is Phuket still a safe place to live ?

No