Thailand Is Deadliest Holiday Destination For Britons

[marsteele]

I'm a Brit living in Thailand and I have to say I agree with the comments above. Too many Brits come here and use the country like a playground wherer anything goes.

I have been coming to Thailand for many years and have recently noticed some Thais becoming a little tired of farangs in their country. I don't blame them, I'm tired of some farangs being here and I'm a farang!!

Its not excusivly British who use the country as a playground - i've seen plenty of American and Europeans doing the same

I agree and I am not British.

I would like to see these stats brocken down a little more ie: gender and aged group based and then we might get a clearer picture of what group of tourist it is. It would also be interesting to see figures on other nationalities also.

The majority of tourists and expats in Thailand are actually british. If there were some stats say against the ratio of nationalities coming those dying thier gender and age group you might find that say the % of deaths for a male australian aged between 18 - 35 is higher. But anyway the british might still win.

[IngKJ]

This article is a total mistinterpretation of the facts and of the report. Thailand is not the deadliest country for Britians to visit, Spain is. Thailand features in the top ten for the first time along with India and Australia. This is attributed to ' Britons are becoming more adventurous, they are not taking adequate precautions'

TOP TROUBLE HOTSPOTS

1. Spain - 13.8m visitors, 5,627 serious assistance cases

2. USA - 4.1m/3,006

3. Greece - 2.4m/2,316

4. France - 11m/1,408

5. Germany - 2.5m/1,381

6. Cyprus - 1.4m/996

7. India - 847,000/914

8. Thailand - 381,000/897

9. Czech Republic - 813,000/845

10. Australia - 650,000/815

Source: British Behaviour Report for 1 April 2005-31 March 2006

Top of the list of countries where Britons require consular assistance is Spain - also the most popular holiday destination.

A total of 13.8m British travellers visited Spain in 2005/06.

During that time the country had the highest number of deaths (1,325), the most lost or stolen passports (6,078) and the most arrests (1,549).

Overall, Britons in Spain ALSO had the biggest number of serious cases needing consular assistance (5,627).

Planning ahead

Other key findings were: Greece had the most cases of rape (48) and the highest number of Britons hospitalised (955)2

Australia had a disproportionate number of lost or stolen passports. Some 2,023 of the country's 650,000 visitors mislaid or lost their travel document - the third highest total despite not being in the top 10 most popular destinations

France - the second most popular country with 10.98m British visitors - only had 713 reported lost or stolen passports

India, Thailand and Australia appeared in the top 10 countries requiring consular assistance despite not being among the most popular destinations. This could be because while Britons are becoming more adventurous, they are not taking adequate precautions, the FCO said.

FCO minister Meg Munn said many problems faced by British holidaymakers could be avoided.

"Simple precautions like researching your destination, getting comprehensive travel insurance, checking out medical requirements and taking copies of important documents could help avoid common travelling traumas, risks and dangers in the long-run," she said.

Fair Trials Abroad senior policy officer Amanda Cumberland, said: "We fully support the Foreign Office campaign to ensure that Britons travelling abroad prepare appropriately for their trip, are familiar with relevant travel advice, and behave responsibly when they are on holiday.

"As an organisation that deals with many cases of British nationals facing real distress in foreign countries, we are just as keen as the Foreign Office to see fewer Britons getting into trouble and to see the numbers needing assistance fall."

The FCO advises travellers to visit its website www.fco.gov.uk/travel before heading abroad.

I disagree with you conclusion, please note the percentage portion of the figures you provided, Thailand is champion with 0.24 percent

visitors serious assistance cases Percent

Spain 13,900,000.00 5,627.00 0.04

USA 4,100,000.00 3,006.00 0.07

Greece 2,400,000.00 2,316.00 0.10

France 11,000,000.00 1,408.00 0.01

Germany 2,500,000.00 1,381.00 0.06

Cyprus 1,400,000.00 996.00 0.07

India 847,000.00 914.00 0.11

Thailand 381,000.00 897.00 0.24

Czech Republic 813,000.00 845.00 0.10

Australia 650,000.00 815.00 0.13

[Thaiblue]

Yet again it's only the Brits that drink and get out of order.

I've seen plenty of Australians, Irish, Americans, Russians to name but a few countries also getting out of order.

As a brit myself i am aware that a lot of my fellow countrymen like to enjoy themselves a bit too much, but let's not turn a story of statistics into yet another brit bashing. Where ever you are from you all have people from your home country that you would be embarrased of.

Should i start onto the subject of Americans being rude because they won't learn the language and Thailand is'nt enough like America, Russians trying to bully everyone out of Pattaya, all Germans being paedophiles, Arabs all smell, Australians are all stupid, Kiwis are all tight, and the Japanese are all sex freaks, no, i won't start it because comments like these help nothing other that to cause even more problems. Feel free to have a go at individuals but remember sweeping statements show a lack of education.

Fair edit.

Edited August 26, 2009 by Thaiblue
I removed the one word that turned a good post into a poor one.

[NinjaGladiator]

This thread is really gettin' up my nose. It's not just other nationalities writing and swallowing this crap, even the Brits are 'avin' a go. I repeat this was not a comparison of nationalities. But you want to make it such, so lets go...

On your travels through Thailand and stopping at various watering holes, who fits the following catregories

The most balshy bar-stool-lawyers? REALLY THINK ABOUT IT!!!!!

The obnoxious one in the corner, he can't speak english, he loves vodka, and doesn't make sense?

The pervert that grabs every slight and pretty girl that goes by as if she is an object?

The trouble maker who want's to start a fight with everyone that looks his way?

The most unfriendly and arogant person?

I have lived here for 7 yrs, I believe the british to be the most friendly and down-to-earth people I have ever met, and no British spring to mind when I considered the above 5 stereo-types, but I do have some idea of what nationality would fit best in each, but I'm not a racist so keep my untested opinions to myself.

Yes we have trouble makers, loud-mouths, pi$$heads, idiots, but in ratio most definately less than all other nationalities, remember more Brits come to Thailand second to the Chinese, in fact before the credit crunch do you know that all yanks and other European countries added together was almost equal to the number of brits.

British boys - don't be so quick to shit on your country, while it is going down hill rapidly (mainly cos of the open gate policy with the EU) the U.S have slums and gettos that make our council estates look like holiday camps. We had Hungerford in my life time, they get Hungerford once a week.

Remember where you came from, and don't allow these racists to rubbish our world renoun good/gentlemen nature.

[hammered]

Loads of people come to Thailand to indulge in the seemy pleasures offered at Pattaya, bits of Bangkok, bits of Phuket etc etc. Spending loads of time in red light districts consuming alcohol, mixing with dodgy locals and dodgy expats exposes people to a higher level of risk than say a nice holiday taking the waters of southern France.

This study is about Brits. It would be interesting to see similar studies of other nationalaities. I wouldnt doubt that the percent for them would be similar to that of Brits in Thailand copmpared to the other countries listed.

As an aside, a couple of years back I was talking to an embassy representative iof a large EU country (not UK) over a few beers in a bar and he told me more bodybags went home from Thailand to his country than any other.

Anyway guess its back to the xenophobic stereotyping. Dont think I'll join in that as my couple of decades have shown me that Thailand is visited by both idiots and good people from every country

[Rudyruns]

I'm a Brit living in Thailand and I have to say I agree with the comments above. Too many Brits come here and use the country like a playground wherer anything goes.

I have been coming to Thailand for many years and have recently noticed some Thais becoming a little tired of farangs in their country. I don't blame them, I'm tired of some farangs being here and I'm a farang!!

[Rudyruns]

I am an American Guy, I have lived in Thailand 5 years, Brittan 6 months, Spain a month and France a month, the British behavior while on holiday is outrageous. I fully understand the Spanish Government arresting them repeatedly, if not in bulk and deporting them, Drunk and fighting every night in the pubs, France too. There were bars in France where I couldn't get a drink until I showed my passport to prove I was not British. Thailand is a little further, we can hope only the somewhat more responsible Britts get that far from home, that they might not still be somewhat special, I have no doubt. Behave yourselves! English speakers around the world suffer the consequences of what U do on Holiday!

I pretty sure you can't deport EU citizens from an EU country.

I am an American living in Thailand for 7 years (5 yrs. in Bkk) and have mostly Brit mates...as good friends here. I had a good lady friend from south Africa visiting me in Bangkok, her son came to visit her and I warned him about certain bars he should avoid and guess what happened? He ended up getting into a fight on Kaosan Road...hmmm, funny after 7 years I never got into a fight here. I think and see there are places you just avoid and for good reason. It's amazing how Thailand puts up with some of the drunks here...and that's when most of the trouble starts. My guess is 90% of the accidents with Farangs are alcohol related. I always tell my friends...you don't want to go to jail here, then the nightmare really starts. I guess as we get older we get smarter. Well, at least for some of us.

[marsteele]

Loads of people come to Thailand to indulge in the seemy pleasures offered at Pattaya, bits of Bangkok, bits of Phuket etc etc. Spending loads of time in red light districts consuming alcohol, mixing with dodgy locals and dodgy expats exposes people to a higher level of risk than say a nice holiday taking the waters of southern France.

This study is about Brits. It would be interesting to see similar studies of other nationalaities. I wouldnt doubt that the percent for them would be similar to that of Brits in Thailand copmpared to the other countries listed.

As an aside, a couple of years back I was talking to an embassy representative iof a large EU country (not UK) over a few beers in a bar and he told me more bodybags went home from Thailand to his country than any other.

Anyway guess its back to the xenophobic stereotyping. Dont think I'll join in that as my couple of decades have shown me that Thailand is visited by both idiots and good people from every country

Good comment

[hayden76]

Great publicity for attracting more tourists! I imagine these overly rowdy Brit tourists are the ones they call "Lager louts", A? Too bad, they make it look bad for the majority of really OK British folks here. Probably a bit similar to the way some Yanks perform, and give the rest of us a bad name. The world is full of idiots (just look at the Thai drivers?), and not much we can do about it. Amen.

[Rdrokit]

Too bad the stats don't reveal the ages. I would bet most are below 30. The younger group seems to drink like there is no tomorrow and for a lot of them there is no tomorrow.

[tmd5855]

British boys - don't be so quick to shit on your country, while it is going down hill rapidly (mainly cos of the open gate policy with the EU) the U.S have slums and gettos that make our council estates look like holiday camps. We had Hungerford in my life time, they get Hungerford once a week.

Apologies for abridging your post, but, felt I had to comment.

Maintain a property in Newbury (Market town beside Hungerford) for the ex and lived there up till 2003. It was Michael Ryan who went crazy with his AK47 and the 9mm browning, that he then took his own life with, my ex lost an eldery aunt in the carnage.

This was a madman, target shooting in the woods who attacked (Sexually) a young mother, then went on a killing spree throughout the high street.

That sort of unplanned, slaughter does not really happen in the US of A, what does happen is school massacres, same as what happened at Dunblane primary school in 1996. When all the school children were slaughtered, prompting the hand gun ban in the UK.

Edited August 26, 2009 by tmd5855

[Jaidii]

It's unfortunate that we farang tend to get 'tarred with the same brush' based on the activities of a mindless few. These few fall into 2 categories. The sex tourists (we don't see them in Rayong) and the short-term all-expenses-paid contract workers (we've got lots of them) flashing their big wallets and thinking they can buy any Thai girl.

An earlier post failed to mention Koreans working here, they are despised by Thais who 'tar' them like we tend to think of Americans... brash, loud mouthed and disrespectful. The Chinese are regarded as miserly as are Russian and East European types who are also branded loud and disrespectful.

I'm a Brit and here hopefully for the long-haul. I have made many friends with Thais here in the past 4 years and they have a BIG respect for me and the mostly good mannered English people.

[cdnvic]

In the interest of our members' vision, post made entirely in caps deleted.

[sunnymarky]

As a British expat in Thailand it sickens me when I see some of these "Scum Young Male Brits" with their dangerous loud mouth, filthy behaviour. One of the reasons I left Uk and worked In Thailand , China, Hong Kong is to escape the yobbish culture that ran like a sewer through Britains society. I am not often in any tourist area in Thailand but when I visit I am disgusted by some of the antics. Frankly these idiots can kill themselves on motorbikes. it does us all a favour , sadly it impacts on others in the country.

When teaching in China recently I was always explaining to students , teachers and others who had this "image" of most males from Uk being "British gentlemen". I would kill it stone dead and explain it was from a bygone era, a time when "good behaviour and respect" could be attributed to 95% of young to middle aged men in the country

Edited August 26, 2009 by sunnymarky

[leebeeUK]

A lot of us ride motorcycles out here, but hopefully we learn what the roads are about and how best to ride to keep the possibilities of accidents down as much as possible. That's those of us who live here. Tourists obviously aren't hiring bikes for anything more than a some holiday japes, alchohol included.. = perfect recipe for disaster on any road, especially Thai roads where no one's properly schooled in riding/driving anyway!! Sad statistics but all I would advise to any friends or family coming for a trip out here is DON'T hire yourself a motorcycle.. I travelled on these roads as an observing - sometimes disbelieving! - passenger for almost 2 years before I got my bike, out of necessity, and still don't take anything for granted except there's plenty of hazards waiting out there!!!

[Soutpeel]

and the short-term all-expenses-paid contract workers (we've got lots of them) flashing their big wallets and thinking they can buy any Thai girl.

Do I detect a hint of jealousy here ??...

Seriously though...Koreans are certainly despised around the Rayoug/MPT area, nearly took a swing at one myself not so long ago..

[OurManinSamui2008]

Interesting Stats...... on Radio, BBC, yesterday in the UK, they put Spain well before Thailand,.mmmmmm

I am returning Muang Thai, soon for my well earned 3 months sabbatical and, I will go up North to Surin to chill, for xmas,

But I will return to Koh Samui, new year, to see what has happened there in the last 7 months, and I do see the mayhem, happens every year, and it has got worse, New Year can be carnage, BUT .... also nice to see close friends.

You are all right in aspects of this post, Brits abroad mmmmm......

I will not desert this lovely country, lets hope they,,,,,...Government, .get there act together

OMIS 2008

[SussexExpat]

Interesting comments from our American cousins.

How many of them have been to Cancun, (it's in Mexico for our American friends), during the American College Semester period?

I have, and it wasn't a nice experience. If anyone wants to see loudmouthed, arrogant, selfish behavior, I'd recommend visiting during the school holidays.

All nationalities have their idiots. I'm sure if the British and American idiots came here in the same numbers we would unfortunately have a similar number of fatalities.

[sunnymarky]

British boys - don't be so quick to shit on your country, while it is going down hill rapidly (mainly cos of the open gate policy with the EU) the U.S have slums and gettos that make our council estates look like holiday camps. We had Hungerford in my life time, they get Hungerford once a week.

Apologies for abridging your post, but, felt I had to comment.

Maintain a property in Newbury (Market town beside Hungerford) for the ex and lived there up till 2003. It was Michael Ryan who went crazy with his AK47 and the 9mm browning, that he then took his own life with, my ex lost an eldery aunt in the carnage.

This was a madman, target shooting in the woods who attacked (Sexually) a young mother, then went on a killing spree throughout the high street.

That sort of unplanned, slaughter does not really happen in the US of A, what does happen is school massacres, same as what happened at Dunblane primary school in 1996. When all the school children were slaughtered, prompting the hand gun ban in the UK.

ABSOLUTE RUBBISH. The USA have guns as a fashion accessory and hundreds of random , unstable crazed gun related killings every week, that are NOT the school massacres which occur every so often. In fact we must be due one soon

Edited August 26, 2009 by sunnymarky

[Brewsta]

I am an American Guy, I have lived in Thailand 5 years, Brittan 6 months, Spain a month and France a month, the British behavior while on holiday is outrageous. I fully understand the Spanish Government arresting them repeatedly, if not in bulk and deporting them, Drunk and fighting every night in the pubs, France too. There were bars in France where I couldn't get a drink until I showed my passport to prove I was not British. Thailand is a little further, we can hope only the somewhat more responsible Britts get that far from home, that they might not still be somewhat special, I have no doubt. Behave yourselves! English speakers around the world suffer the consequences of what U do on Holiday!

dear KF,

I also have lived in Thailand for a while now- 10 years this time since 2000 - and have met lager louts from many many countries, incl. US and Canadian heavy-drinkers, in the Med, Middle East, China, Thailand, to name but a few.

It is not really valid to focus on the nationality that gets crazy from booze or pills or whatever, but the social norms that seem to be acceptable nowadays.

When I worked for Club 18-30's (part of Thomsons Holiday plc) in Corfu and other Med islands, Holiday Reps were encouraged to max the number of excursions (primarily alcoholic nights out) to supplement our meagre salary with excellent commisions.....no wonder Europeans (Germans, Scandinavians, French....and, yes, the Brit Abroad, all shame themselves and the rest of us at some time or other).

24 hour clubs & pubs world-wide, lack of motivation to be moderate in consumption and a general apathy of 'Future' should be factored in, esp. for the 'younger generation'.....

So..... why not look at root causes similar to a few I have mentioned above and maybe, just maybe things would get back to those Golden Days we all un-erringly and falsely recall.....sigh.....

rgdz,

Brewsta

Edited August 26, 2009 by Brewsta

[magmur]

We, a married couple from germany 53 and 59 y, live here for 12 years now, owning several cars up to now and driving ourselves up and down the country and neighbouring countries for almost 500.000km and both of us still ride big bikes around Pattaya, Rayong, Koh Chang and down to Cambodia.

Of coursse it's different than being a motorist in germany but we never ever got into any dangerous situations.

Unfortunately we've wittnessed several severe accidents around Pattaya and Rayong and all of those involved foreigners, usually drunk or hangovered around breakfast time. Also inside pattaya it's sometimes horrific how foreigners behave driving a bike or a car. Those guys would lose their license in germany within 3-6months and a fortune on fines and fees.

What the hel_l do they think who they are to put normal people into the danger of being hit by their vehicles, if it's just about their own lives who cares, they surely don't.

[barky]

I'm a Brit living in Thailand and I have to say I agree with the comments above. Too many Brits come here and use the country like a playground wherer anything goes.

I have been coming to Thailand for many years and have recently noticed some Thais becoming a little tired of farangs in their country. I don't blame them, I'm tired of some farangs being here and I'm a farang!!

Tend to agree here. Western tourists, not just Britons who come to Thailand and behave like uncouth buffoons make it doubbly hard for those westeners trying to live peacefully here. Because of these fools, many Thais look on westeners in a poor light painting us all with the same black brush, and treating us disrespectfully and unfairly.

It seems common sense goes out the window with a lot of the tourists who visit Thailand, and in this case Britons.

[tmd5855]

the short-term all-expenses-paid contract workers (we've got lots of them) flashing their big wallets and thinking they can buy any Thai girl.

You must be inferring myself and colleagues.

We work offshore, live in Thailand. I have been here 6+ years. Never had a fight or stopped on a bike by the BIB.

Company takes care of me very well with a good package of benefits, pension, sickness cover and flights.

Do not have a wallet, let alone a big one (?), need cash, go ATM.

Have a Thai GF these past 3 years.

Can speak reasonable Thai and have many thai male and female friends.

Do I detect a little bit of green.................envy even??

Edited August 26, 2009 by tmd5855

[jpolten]

Yep, the Brits don't do themselves any favours, but attitudes to alcohol in the UK are very different from other European countries.

I cringed on the weekend in Bangkok when a group of young guys pitched to check in in the hotel in Bangkok. Huge marble lobby,

"F****g great this", "F*****g great that" "lets go get a F*****g beer" "F*****g chicks mate". There is something about young Brits on tour that make them completely oblivious to their surroundings and make them believe also that they can hold their beer from 9am to midnight.

Its not just abroad,like you said attitudes are different to alcohol in the UK, every city in the UK all hel_l breaks loose on the weekends with alcohol to blame...fighting....accidents...ect

Most young brits have little or no respect for the law,and the women are just as bad as the blokes...if not worse!,and when im in LOS i pretend not

to speak english to those who are overly loud and causing trouble(but its hard to keep your cool with the abusive comments when they think you dont

speak english)

It makes my toes curl to see people speeding past on (sports bikes) with only sun glasses,shorts and flip flops for protection,even a small spill

would need a lot of skin graphs! Could never understand why people buy or rent sport bikes when the roads and driving in LOS are

I love my country but sometimes im ashamed to call myself british because of the few that carry on like they do,but what piss's me off

is we all get tared with the same brush.

[KKK]

I as a Brit who learnt to drive a motorcycle 40+ years ago in the UK and have been driving a motorcycle in Thailand for over 20 years has never had an accident here that was my fault. I've been hit a few times by some crazy Thai drivers, mostly motorcycle taxis, who were driving down the street the wrong way; pulled out in front of me without looking; etc.

But today you hardly see a motorcycle in UK except for couriers. Is it any wonder that there are so many accidents involving inexperienced, un-licensed Brits. Renter of motorbikes here should check for valid license before renting and if they still rent without one should be made jointly responsible for any accident.

But in Thailand money comes before good sense so I don't expect it to happen........

[highway]

i am english, and in responce to the american guy who seems to think were to blame for the bad press the english speaking tourists get look at yourself.

is this ok for the moderators.

[brahmburgers]

One would think Brits have a slight advantage over here, as they're accustomed to driving on the left - yet so many Brits getting rubber-faced pickled on alcohol more than cancels any such advantage.

If the OP was an article about Thais dying on average of one per day in Britain, due to drunk and reckless driving, would the Brits (and other farang) respond, "....well, just thinning out the gene pool." ?

That's been the standard response, along with "serves them right" ...when stories surface of Thais getting knocked off for one dumb reason or another.

Still, an average of over 3O Thais per day dying from road accidents is macabre.

[jbhh]

I wonder why all these reports are for a single country, what happened to good journalism, where they dig out the same stats for lets say ALL European countries... I bet Thailand is pretty much the deadliest country for ANY European.

When I read the title in my email, I knew already this would become an interesting news thread where 90% of the people talk about Brits - not the actual news... so I prepared something in my head:

I don't give a shit where you come from, you're still an ass - or not - simple as that.

Some of the nicest people I know come from the UK, some of the worst do too. Same goes for pretty much any other country...

I would like to say "It's the tourists!", but honestly it is not. Some of the worst things that have happened here that I know of and that involved foreigners happened with expats - not tourists.

Tourists just get stupid, because they don't realize that Thais can smile at you while thinking you're a tard, and because tourists think they are "free" to do things they can't or wouldn't do at home...

expats on the other hand...

I think most Expats really think they are better than Thais, that Thais are just a bunch of dumb monkeys and that they as the smart ones can do whatever they want. It's sad how little respect most Expats have for Thais while complaining that the Thais don't like them and make it hard for them to stay here (visas etc)... I think it sucks that people who come to Thailand to live here expect the country to lay down the red carpet and become like the country they are from. It's our choice to live here... leave if you don't like it.

Edited August 26, 2009 by jbhh

[The Philosopher]

I am an American Guy, I have lived in Thailand 5 years, Brittan 6 months, Spain a month and France a month, the British behavior while on holiday is outrageous. I fully understand the Spanish Government arresting them repeatedly, if not in bulk and deporting them, Drunk and fighting every night in the pubs, France too. There were bars in France where I couldn't get a drink until I showed my passport to prove I was not British. Thailand is a little further, we can hope only the somewhat more responsible Britts get that far from home, that they might not still be somewhat special, I have no doubt. Behave yourselves! English speakers around the world suffer the consequences of what U do on Holiday!

The worst behaviour i have seen in Thailand is fron US Navy guys off a boat in Pattaya. I was sitting with my 12 year old son waitng to go in and see a movie not bothering a soul when he was happy slapped from behind from one of these louts who was drunk this was at one o clock in the afternoon. Thai people including whay happened to be an off duty Thai police man wintnessed the beahviour and was through whatever channels were able to arrange for the SP to pick this guy up. Now he would have been taken back to ship and probably given a slap on the wrist. Really proves that everyone is capable of outragous behaviour.

[jbhh]

I am an American Guy, I have lived in Thailand 5 years, Brittan 6 months, Spain a month and France a month, the British behavior while on holiday is outrageous. I fully understand the Spanish Government arresting them repeatedly, if not in bulk and deporting them, Drunk and fighting every night in the pubs, France too. There were bars in France where I couldn't get a drink until I showed my passport to prove I was not British. Thailand is a little further, we can hope only the somewhat more responsible Britts get that far from home, that they might not still be somewhat special, I have no doubt. Behave yourselves! English speakers around the world suffer the consequences of what U do on Holiday!

The worst behaviour i have seen in Thailand is fron US Navy guys off a boat in Pattaya. I was sitting with my 12 year old son waitng to go in and see a movie not bothering a soul when he was happy slapped from behind from one of these louts who was drunk this was at one o clock in the afternoon. Thai people including whay happened to be an off duty Thai police man wintnessed the beahviour and was through whatever channels were able to arrange for the SP to pick this guy up. Now he would have been taken back to ship and probably given a slap on the wrist. Really proves that everyone is capable of outragous behaviour.

Well said, I've heard a lot of stories of US Navy seaman going totally nuts in Thailand. I'd like to reply to the sentence " ....English speakers around the world suffer the consequences of what U do on Holiday!...." the following to the American Guy: Native English speakers around the world suffer the consequences of what U do on Invasions!

Good thing Thai people don't care about International News...