Australian National Brutally Bashed & Robbed In Pattaya

[waza]

Amazing Thailand is promoted as a safe destination, a land of devoutly religious,smiling, friendly people, only too willing to play host to their welcome guests. Where they are protected by the dedicated tourist police and farrang volenteer police.Of beautifull landscapes, clean beaches and bargain holidays and an exciting nightlife. Why would a tourist be afraid to walk through a crowded tourist area carrying such a relatively small amount of money. The reality is if TOT, advertised the truth, then tourists would take more precautions and we would have less tourist victims. Then these Thai crime gangs would have to feed off the Thai and expat communities for a living.

[taninthai]

well said thaicbr agree 100% you will still get people saying pattaya is the most popular place in thailand though, been there once 4 years ago never to return it was bad enough then.

[tropo]

Needless to say, my next holiday will be in the Philippines

If you think Angeles and Manila girls don't have pimps/boyfriends, think again.

Pattaya, Soi 6 is hazardous these days. It's not like it was in the old days, in the last few years it has become very risky.

I say: Approach with caution.

You're much more likely to get robbed and beaten (or killed) walking around in Angeles or Manila. There's been quite a few brutal killings of foreigners reported in AC this year.

I feel safer in Pattaya than in AC by far. Walking around with a bum bag in Manila is just plain stupid.

[goatfarmer]

For those who think that Thailand is so safe. Its ranked 14 in the world murder wise.

You're getting tied up with stats and 14th place on the graph, but by the time the graph gets to 0.0800798 (14th place) you're close enough to zero for your comparison to be meaningless in reality, Next thing you'll be saying that a place is much safer because 0.01 people per 1,000 less are being murdered. Why not provide a link so we can discover the rest of your rankings to see the whole picture.

I provided a link for the rest, there you can see that it is bad here.. then also this is a 3rd world country not everything gets reported. I gave the Pattaya suicides as an example. Percentwise there are 32 times more murders here as in Holland. Its even more as 2,5 times the of the UK (never new the UK was that bad)

I agree with Tropo: the marginal difference between a few in 100,000 would hardly seem to be significant. Ranking is itself meaningless.

[robblok]

I provided a link for the rest, there you can see that it is bad here.. then also this is a 3rd world country not everything gets reported. I gave the Pattaya suicides as an example. Percentwise there are 32 times more murders here as in Holland. Its even more as 2,5 times the of the UK (never new the UK was that bad)

I agree with Tropo: the marginal difference between a few in 100,000 would hardly seem to be significant. Ranking is itself meaningless.

It is signifficant but you can keep fooling yourself. Look at the stats compared to civilized countries (never knew the UK was this bad) But still Thailand is 2,5 times worse and 3 to 4 times worse then the USA and 30 times worse then Holland. So just keep fooling yourself about how safe Thailand is.

[tropo]

and you think everything goes reported in thailand.. just look at the deaths in pattaya that are classified as suicide.

http://www.nationmas...r-crime-murders

Certainly suicides are not reported in many countries in the news media. You're speculating that most suicides reported in Pattaya are murders, but you can't do that as you don't have proof.

According to the link you provided 3.7 more people are murdered per 100,000 people than in Thailand than in the United States. This is supposed to indicate that Thailand is too dangerous a place to live?

6.5 more people are murdered per 100,000 in Thailand than in Australia. Yikes! I bertter get on home.

I never said you should go home, you just should not say Thailand is a safe country. Also you have to take into account that (and i cant prove it) things are not recorded well here. Im sure things are better recorded in the West. I just posted this because i got sick and tired of people saying how safe Thailand was.

I'm not running around saying Thailand is safe, I'm just making a point that your table doesn't make a good case for saying Thailand is much more dangerous than other big population centers around the world. Thailand is definitely not a 3rd world country either. You need to get out and see what a 3rd world country looks like before using such terminology.

As far as suicides and murders are concerned, I believe the Pattaya media report every single one, which is suprising considering it's a tourist hub and doesn't need bad publicity.

[Rico3000]

I have the misfortune to live in Jomtien. I can leave? No, I can't. The condo I own represents most of my assets and until I sell it, which I'm trying to do, I'm stuck here.

Today 22 Aug. 2010, an average day in Pattaya:-

9.00am rang Fascino Pharmacy Central Pattaya to ask if they stocked a drug an ill friend required. They did stock it but were out of it and offered to order it. I asked if their N. Pattaya branch would have it and they said probably it did. I rang there and got a gentleman who interrupted me before I'd finished my question with "No have." I told him their Central P. branch did stock it. I spelt the name of the drug for him using the British A phonetic alphabet. This proved too much for him. Eventually he got the name of the drug (I think) and he told me to hold on. He turned on the music and left me holding. After 4/5 mins I hung up. That shop has 4 tel. numbers and I rang all four and got no reply with several attempts.

Fortunately I did get the drug in a Jomtien pharmacy. The man who needed it is a farang in his 80's and suffers from panic attacks.

At 10.00am I ventured out and took a baht bus to the Continental Bakery. When I got off I paid the driver on the driver's side. He threw a rage yelling that I had to pay him on the other side and then snatched the money out of my hand.

I ordered breakfast in the Continental Bakery stressing that I would like the bacon well done, dry (heng heng). It is usually a problem getting crispy bacon here. Sure enough it arrived done Thai style i.e. lightly cooked. I pointed this out and the staff started a loud conversation among themselves, punctuated with laughter. I was informed it was well done.

Next I went to Tesco S. Pattaya to do some shopping and afterwards stopped at the open market nearby. I then took a baht bus which stopped at the Thepprasit/Thappraya junction. The driver ordered me out. As I paid him I asked if he wasn't going to Jomtien. He snarled that I had to take another baht bus in Thappraya road. He then turned left into Thappraya road and headed towards Jomtien. (I have done this route before. If there are Thais on board you do not get dumped out at the junction.)

I am now at home and thankfully have no need to have to face the gratuitous nastiness that is the daily lot of farangs in Pattaya. I will however have to endure the screeching from the bars that have sprouted around the condo building since I bought the unit 20 years ago.

I am assured by a Thai business woman that the vast majority of Thais "hate" farangs.

My advice to anyone who isn't stuck here, as I am, is to leave, and to those thinking of coming here, don't.

[Hans Brix]

Ha-ha , normally men only wear a waste bag when they have prostate problems , then it is strapped to thier thigh , as apposed to carrying money in a 'Fanny bag' which is strapped around the waist .

Being an American it may be a 'Fanny bag' but as the guy is an aussie it is a 'Bum bag'. Fanny is our slang for pussy.

Fanny is your slang for pussy; nothing to do with American slang for it. Fanny is and has always been slang for ass in usa

[robblok]

I never said you should go home, you just should not say Thailand is a safe country. Also you have to take into account that (and i cant prove it) things are not recorded well here. Im sure things are better recorded in the West. I just posted this because i got sick and tired of people saying how safe Thailand was.

I'm not running around saying Thailand is safe, I'm just making a point that your table doesn't make a good case for saying Thailand is much more dangerous than other big population centers around the world. Thailand is definitely not a 3rd world country either. You need to get out and see what a 3rd world country looks like before using such terminology.

As far as suicides and murders are concerned, I believe the Pattaya media report every single one, which is suprising considering it's a tourist hub and doesn't need bad publicity.

Im not comparing Thailand with other tourist destinations, im not a tourist i live here. So it would be silly to compare it to tourist destinations. I compare it with developed countries in Europe. Calling Thailand a 3rd world country is a bit over the top but how can you trust a police force that is so corrupt. How can you expect that all suicides were real. Many expats question it.

[corkman]

happening alot lately! but what is this editors note: <deleted>?

Hi my friend onenut,

i wonder why a few of my mates that have been involved in trouble in the uk over the last few months didnt get a mention in the local papers.Football related and drink related incidents happen in their hundreds at the weekend in England and i wouldnt dare to guess how many in Scotland and South Wales.

We have an incident in soi 6 of all places and people jump on the bandwagon and say happening a lot lately.

Give over man

Be that as it may, one of the reasons alot of us like living and holidaying in Thailand is that you can go out in the evening, in relative safety, and enjoy yourself, generally, without fear of this type of thing. I for one do not want this type of indcident to "happen in their hundreds at the weekend", and I would not like to think "it is ok" if it happens ocasionally just because other parts of the world are a walking, crawling, sesspit which are little more than open prisons after sundown.

With the above in mindhowever, sometimes foreigners in Thailand think that they are immune from bad fortune - whether thats driving around on a bitke hald pi$$ed with sunglasses on a 2am, or whether its not showing appropriate respect to the locals in one form or another..... and sometimes its just pure stupidity - folks who do not deserve trouble, but certainly asked for it...... half naked women walking beaches alone at night, and wealthy looking farangs walking around dodgy soi's at night for example......

[Thongkorn]

As I have said in the past " if you live in a Toilet don't complain about the smell of sh.t, Pattaya is a Toilet,

[chris1967]

Sounds like a good "Aussie National" name there! bum bag or no bum bag (not sure why this is an issue???) I'm sure there is more to this than meets the eye!

[Jingthing]

As I have said in the past " if you live in a Toilet don't complain about the smell of sh.t, Pattaya is a Toilet,

You may consider an emergency consult with the esteemed psychiatrist, Dr. Dinglemung Glitterberg, the world's leading expert in Pattaya Derangement Syndrome^TM (PDS). Admitting you have a problem is the first step towards recovery.

[chris1967]

I have the misfortune to live in Jomtien. I can leave? No, I can't. The condo I own represents most of my assets and until I sell it, which I'm trying to do, I'm stuck here.

Today 22 Aug. 2010, an average day in Pattaya:-

9.00am rang Fascino Pharmacy Central Pattaya to ask if they stocked a drug an ill friend required. They did stock it but were out of it and offered to order it. I asked if their N. Pattaya branch would have it and they said probably it did. I rang there and got a gentleman who interrupted me before I'd finished my question with "No have." I told him their Central P. branch did stock it. I spelt the name of the drug for him using the British A phonetic alphabet. This proved too much for him. Eventually he got the name of the drug (I think) and he told me to hold on. He turned on the music and left me holding. After 4/5 mins I hung up. That shop has 4 tel. numbers and I rang all four and got no reply with several attempts.

Fortunately I did get the drug in a Jomtien pharmacy. The man who needed it is a farang in his 80's and suffers from panic attacks.

At 10.00am I ventured out and took a baht bus to the Continental Bakery. When I got off I paid the driver on the driver's side. He threw a rage yelling that I had to pay him on the other side and then snatched the money out of my hand.

I ordered breakfast in the Continental Bakery stressing that I would like the bacon well done, dry (heng heng). It is usually a problem getting crispy bacon here. Sure enough it arrived done Thai style i.e. lightly cooked. I pointed this out and the staff started a loud conversation among themselves, punctuated with laughter. I was informed it was well done.

Next I went to Tesco S. Pattaya to do some shopping and afterwards stopped at the open market nearby. I then took a baht bus which stopped at the Thepprasit/Thappraya junction. The driver ordered me out. As I paid him I asked if he wasn't going to Jomtien. He snarled that I had to take another baht bus in Thappraya road. He then turned left into Thappraya road and headed towards Jomtien. (I have done this route before. If there are Thais on board you do not get dumped out at the junction.)

I am now at home and thankfully have no need to have to face the gratuitous nastiness that is the daily lot of farangs in Pattaya. I will however have to endure the screeching from the bars that have sprouted around the condo building since I bought the unit 20 years ago.

I am assured by a Thai business woman that the vast majority of Thais "hate" farangs.

My advice to anyone who isn't stuck here, as I am, is to leave, and to those thinking of coming here, don't.

[EODghost]

I have the misfortune to live in Jomtien. I can leave? No, I can't. The condo I own represents most of my assets and until I sell it, which I'm trying to do, I'm stuck here.

Today 22 Aug. 2010, an average day in Pattaya:-

9.00am rang Fascino Pharmacy Central Pattaya to ask if they stocked a drug an ill friend required. They did stock it but were out of it and offered to order it. I asked if their N. Pattaya branch would have it and they said probably it did. I rang there and got a gentleman who interrupted me before I'd finished my question with "No have." I told him their Central P. branch did stock it. I spelt the name of the drug for him using the British A phonetic alphabet. This proved too much for him. Eventually he got the name of the drug (I think) and he told me to hold on. He turned on the music and left me holding. After 4/5 mins I hung up. That shop has 4 tel. numbers and I rang all four and got no reply with several attempts.

Fortunately I did get the drug in a Jomtien pharmacy. The man who needed it is a farang in his 80's and suffers from panic attacks.

At 10.00am I ventured out and took a baht bus to the Continental Bakery. When I got off I paid the driver on the driver's side. He threw a rage yelling that I had to pay him on the other side and then snatched the money out of my hand.

I ordered breakfast in the Continental Bakery stressing that I would like the bacon well done, dry (heng heng). It is usually a problem getting crispy bacon here. Sure enough it arrived done Thai style i.e. lightly cooked. I pointed this out and the staff started a loud conversation among themselves, punctuated with laughter. I was informed it was well done.

Next I went to Tesco S. Pattaya to do some shopping and afterwards stopped at the open market nearby. I then took a baht bus which stopped at the Thepprasit/Thappraya junction. The driver ordered me out. As I paid him I asked if he wasn't going to Jomtien. He snarled that I had to take another baht bus in Thappraya road. He then turned left into Thappraya road and headed towards Jomtien. (I have done this route before. If there are Thais on board you do not get dumped out at the junction.)

I am now at home and thankfully have no need to have to face the gratuitous nastiness that is the daily lot of farangs in Pattaya. I will however have to endure the screeching from the bars that have sprouted around the condo building since I bought the unit 20 years ago.

I am assured by a Thai business woman that the vast majority of Thais "hate" farangs.

My advice to anyone who isn't stuck here, as I am, is to leave, and to those thinking of coming here, don't.

I feel your pain, been here three years and lately I am ready to leave and never look back.

I have about four restaurants that I go to regularly. All are foreign owned and the owners are there all the time; otherwise the staff will screw off, give customers a hard time so there's no business and the staff can sleep all day. (typical)

Went to North Face in Central Festival Mall. I bought a bag that when I got home was too small for my work gear. I returned it the same day with the original tags still on it and the staff told me 'No refund, can exchange for the the bigger bag (which was cheaper) but no money back.

I told her I wanted to speak to the boss, Snottily she snapped, "boss not here!". I replied, loudly, "Then get off your Monkey ass and call him!!!" she called the boss and I got my refund.

I go to the Market to buy X, the salesman (and I use that term loosely) says "50 baht" my girlfriend cuts in "Why you charge him 50 baht when I know it's only 30 baht?" "Oh sorry farrang, 30 baht" I go back the next day by myself..."50 bath farrang" <deleted> off!

Unlike you I work off in Malaysia and Vietnam. I am so glad I'm here only 50% of the time otherwise I'd be crazy or in jail for cutting some Thai Key-Gong's throat.

I tell my friends in the states not to come here and I'm on my way to greener pastures as soon as a better deal comes up.

Cheap beer and cheap pussy is not worth getting stabbed for no reason or being fleeced by the Police on some trumped up, make0believe charge.

To Thailand, som nam na, you are getting what you deserve.

[w11guy]

happening alot lately! but what is this editors note: <deleted>?

Hi my friend onenut,

i wonder why a few of my mates that have been involved in trouble in the uk over the last few months didnt get a mention in the local papers.Football related and drink related incidents happen in their hundreds at the weekend in England and i wouldnt dare to guess how many in Scotland and South Wales.

We have an incident in soi 6 of all places and people jump on the bandwagon and say happening a lot lately.

Give over man

I am English and totally agree with you. I have been to a few football matches in the UK and have ended up in some very frightening situations. From my personal experience there is much more violence in the UK than in Thailand. For some reason there are lots of farangs on this forum that have nothing better to do than put Thailand and its people down all the time. It makes you wonder why some of them are here. Oh yes, most probably because it's the best place to pay for a girlfriend because they can't get a real one for free. They hang around in bars and with prostitutes and then complain if there is any trouble. You would get in trouble in any country if you hang out in those areas and with those types of people. I have found Thailand to be very safe and very friendly.

[waza]

I guess your right, If a drunk tourist is going to force a Thai to rent him a bike and then ride around town wearing sunglasses. With the greatest threat being stopped by the BIB and pay a bribe. Or a female tourist wears a bikini on or near the beach and walks around. In an area where the whole community is there to provide a service and make a profit from the tourists, and that service is mainly the sale of alcohol. How dare they come to Thailand without taking a course in Thai culture so they dont risk the offending the local community. They obviously deserve to be beaten, robbed, ripped off or killed for this blatant bad behaviour, but just in small numbers. Well just in numbers that doesnt reflect too badly when compared to other world class tourist destinations.

[robblok]

I am English and totally agree with you. I have been to a few football matches in the UK and have ended up in some very frightening situations. From my personal experience there is much more violence in the UK than in Thailand. For some reason there are lots of farangs on this forum that have nothing better to do than put Thailand and its people down all the time. It makes you wonder why some of them are here. Oh yes, most probably because it's the best place to pay for a girlfriend because they can't get a real one for free. They hang around in bars and with prostitutes and then complain if there is any trouble. You would get in trouble in any country if you hang out in those areas and with those types of people. I have found Thailand to be very safe and very friendly.

How long have you lived in the UK and how long in Thailand ? I mean else you cant really compare. I came with cold hard figures (and the UK really looked bad in them) but still Thailand was worse as the UK. That is not putting Thailand down that is taking of the pink tinted spectacles that many wear. I love it here but i am not under the illusion that this is a safe place. Just look at iron bars in front of doors and windows.

[chrisinbangkok]

I have the misfortune to live in Jomtien. I can leave? No, I can't. The condo I own represents most of my assets and until I sell it, which I'm trying to do, I'm stuck here.

Today 22 Aug. 2010, an average day in Pattaya:-

9.00am rang Fascino Pharmacy Central Pattaya to ask if they stocked a drug an ill friend required. They did stock it but were out of it and offered to order it. I asked if their N. Pattaya branch would have it and they said probably it did. I rang there and got a gentleman who interrupted me before I'd finished my question with "No have." I told him their Central P. branch did stock it. I spelt the name of the drug for him using the British A phonetic alphabet. This proved too much for him. Eventually he got the name of the drug (I think) and he told me to hold on. He turned on the music and left me holding. After 4/5 mins I hung up. That shop has 4 tel. numbers and I rang all four and got no reply with several attempts.

Fortunately I did get the drug in a Jomtien pharmacy. The man who needed it is a farang in his 80's and suffers from panic attacks.

At 10.00am I ventured out and took a baht bus to the Continental Bakery. When I got off I paid the driver on the driver's side. He threw a rage yelling that I had to pay him on the other side and then snatched the money out of my hand.

I ordered breakfast in the Continental Bakery stressing that I would like the bacon well done, dry (heng heng). It is usually a problem getting crispy bacon here. Sure enough it arrived done Thai style i.e. lightly cooked. I pointed this out and the staff started a loud conversation among themselves, punctuated with laughter. I was informed it was well done.

Next I went to Tesco S. Pattaya to do some shopping and afterwards stopped at the open market nearby. I then took a baht bus which stopped at the Thepprasit/Thappraya junction. The driver ordered me out. As I paid him I asked if he wasn't going to Jomtien. He snarled that I had to take another baht bus in Thappraya road. He then turned left into Thappraya road and headed towards Jomtien. (I have done this route before. If there are Thais on board you do not get dumped out at the junction.)

I am now at home and thankfully have no need to have to face the gratuitous nastiness that is the daily lot of farangs in Pattaya. I will however have to endure the screeching from the bars that have sprouted around the condo building since I bought the unit 20 years ago.

I am assured by a Thai business woman that the vast majority of Thais "hate" farangs.

My advice to anyone who isn't stuck here, as I am, is to leave, and to those thinking of coming here, don't.

all the above you mention happens to everyone everyday, and its took you 20 years to work that lot out??????????

time to start enjoying it my friend, buy a push bike so you dont have to deal with scam bus drivers, and pick your mates pharmacy up be fore he runs out ie the week before when in town, and your bacon sandwhich is always done best by yourself

stop passing the book, and move on to a better life, im sure your home country has changed a little in 20 years, maybe you wont like that anymore??

good luck for your future and your friend.

[hardy1943]

Somehow I think there is more to this Story.

Yes there is! Who ever lives there is..........! Who ever goes there should be warned from not only the Thai but Russian Mafia as well.

Been there one time. I am a Vietnam Vet. felt saver in Vietnam

[chris1967]

What you have just described is typical of Pattaya; Samui; Pha Ngaan and Phuket; basically where the thais that live there are mostly not from there; simply scumbags drawn to those areas due to the opportunity to extort from tourists any opportunity they get. Yes the majority of Thais do hate Farangs in those areas because the majority of farangs they see are either sex tourists, pothead backpackers or groups of young lads on the piss who are generally not too bothered about cultural aspects etc. Don't give up on Thailand; just move away from Pattaya buddy

[tropo]

Im not comparing Thailand with other tourist destinations, im not a tourist i live here. So it would be silly to compare it to tourist destinations. I compare it with developed countries in Europe. Calling Thailand a 3rd world country is a bit over the top but how can you trust a police force that is so corrupt. How can you expect that all suicides were real. Many expats question it.

In Pattaya we get reports every month or so that a foreigner has fallen from a building. Even if they were all murders it doesn't really make Pattaya more dangerous statistically over a year. Crime is dramatised to a great degree in Pattaya due to the crudeness of the local media. They don't only report, but make dumb opinions on everything that happens. We hear about stuff that would never make the news in most other countries.

[brewsterbudgen]

As a major tourist destination why is anyone surprised that this has happened? Luckily it's still so rare (especially if it really was unprovoked) that it makes headlines unlike in most other tourist destinations.

[Stump]

What you have just described is typical of Pattaya; Samui; Pha Ngaan and Phuket; basically where the thais that live there are mostly not from there; simply scumbags drawn to those areas due to the opportunity to extort from tourists any opportunity they get. Yes the majority of Thais do hate Farangs in those areas because the majority of farangs they see are either sex tourists, pothead backpackers or groups of young lads on the piss who are generally not too bothered about cultural aspects etc. Don't give up on Thailand; just move away from Pattaya buddy

I haven't been to Thailand for 8 years.Are thia dependent on Drugs a reason for a increase of robberies? It is a problem around the whole world.You would expect Pattaya would be a good place to rob someone for a wod of cash..

[robblok]

Im not comparing Thailand with other tourist destinations, im not a tourist i live here. So it would be silly to compare it to tourist destinations. I compare it with developed countries in Europe. Calling Thailand a 3rd world country is a bit over the top but how can you trust a police force that is so corrupt. How can you expect that all suicides were real. Many expats question it.

In Pattaya we get reports every month or so that a foreigner has fallen from a building. Even if they were all murders it doesn't really make Pattaya more dangerous statistically over a year. Crime is dramatised to a great degree in Pattaya due to the crudeness of the local media. They don't only report, but make dumb opinions on everything that happens. We hear about stuff that would never make the news in most other countries.

You dance on an other tune all the time after i blow your arguments away. Anyway the figures said it all Thailand is 4 to 5 times more dangerous then the average European country.

Im sure Pattaya gets a bad rep, but part of it is deserved too. I don't visit it much but that is not because i think its dangerous, i just like diving and snorkling and the ocean around Pattaya is dead. So there is not much for me to go there. I just don't live with the illusion that Thailand is safe. I enjoy my time here but i watch out with what I do.

[tropo]

As a major tourist destination why is anyone surprised that this has happened?

Because it happened on a very busy street at a time when many people are about.

[jupiler]

Sorry to see this happen, but wearing a waste bag out in plain view in that area is an advertisement for trouble.

You mean probable: walking arround in Pattaya is nowadays an advertisement for trouble...

Edited August 22, 2010 by jupiler

[BangrakBob]

I cant believe some of you thaier than Thai apologists! Yer lets blame the victim. How dare a tourist to carry a bum/fanny/waste bag, How dare he enter a tourist area and in the early evening too. He obviously provoked and forced the nice local lads to beat him and steal his money. He was just lucky he wasnt in the UK or he would have been beaten worse and more often. Unlike you I have empathy for the guy and hope this poor victim, of violent crime in Thailand, wounds heal well and the criminals caught and punished.

Aah waza, sounds like you got a bit sand in your fanny.....bag

[waza]

Im not comparing Thailand with other tourist destinations, im not a tourist i live here. So it would be silly to compare it to tourist destinations. I compare it with developed countries in Europe. Calling Thailand a 3rd world country is a bit over the top but how can you trust a police force that is so corrupt. How can you expect that all suicides were real. Many expats question it.

In Pattaya we get reports every month or so that a foreigner has fallen from a building. Even if they were all murders it doesn't really make Pattaya more dangerous statistically over a year. Crime is dramatised to a great degree in Pattaya due to the crudeness of the local media. They don't only report, but make dumb opinions on everything that happens. We hear about stuff that would never make the news in most other countries.

Maybe the crimes are dramatised but they are not imaginary. I am not sure where your from but where I live this would make front page news. In Australia crimes against tourists are taken very seriously, investgated throughly and punished accordingly. Maybe, Aussies just feel its a loss of face to be a poor host. I think this was demonstrated recently when there was a spate of violent crimes against Indians students here. Perhaps it will take government and community level protests, expats protesting in the street to force the Thai government to make an effort to stop these tourist attacks.

PS: nige, I am just tired of those with vested interests trying to justify attacks on tourist. They dont provide or suggest solutions but try to cover them up, blame the victim cloud the issues. They are part of the problem, not the solution. Personally I would like to feel safe walking around Pattaya.

Edited August 22, 2010 by waza

[taninthai]

Im not comparing Thailand with other tourist destinations, im not a tourist i live here. So it would be silly to compare it to tourist destinations. I compare it with developed countries in Europe. Calling Thailand a 3rd world country is a bit over the top but how can you trust a police force that is so corrupt. How can you expect that all suicides were real. Many expats question it.

In Pattaya we get reports every month or so that a foreigner has fallen from a building. Even if they were all murders it doesn't really make Pattaya more dangerous statistically over a year. Crime is dramatised to a great degree in Pattaya due to the crudeness of the local media. They don't only report, but make dumb opinions on everything that happens. We hear about stuff that would never make the news in most other countries.

You dance on an other tune all the time after i blow your arguments away. Anyway the figures said it all Thailand is 4 to 5 times more dangerous then the average European country.

Im sure Pattaya gets a bad rep, but part of it is deserved too. I don't visit it much but that is not because i think its dangerous, i just like diving and snorkling and the ocean around Pattaya is dead. So there is not much for me to go there. I just don't live with the illusion that Thailand is safe. I enjoy my time here but i watch out with what I do.

its all generalizations yes some partrs off thailand are dangerous some are not where i used to live in london if you walked through the housing estate at night drunk alone 100% you would get robbed other ares no problems i would say where i live in thailand is pretty safe we all know the dodgy parts of thailand and most normal people stay away from them ,they are only tourist traps anyway why would you go to them if you live here

Edited August 22, 2010 by taninthai