Nongkhai Unsafe By Night ?

[Prajak]

In the past two months two farang males have been attacked in centre of town in the middle of the night. At about 1 am, I heard. Did they just visit the ATM ? No. Did they get problems with a few drunk Thai ? No. They were attacked by a group young Thai armed with sticks. Robbed too. Farang, usually 50+, are easy to rob in the middle of the night. After a lot of beers in the pub you have no chance against young people who are there with just one goal: to beat someone black and blue.

OK, they are still alive but the farang community is worried about this. Nongkhai always was a safe place to be, even in the middle of the night. Things change......

[cali4995]

i'll answer since no-one else appears to be doing so. i think this is a general trend throughout thailand,

by that i mean these young boys 18-30, usually drunk, sometimes high on yaba, thinking it's cool or to show

their toughness by name-calling or juvenile attempts at intimidation and yes, when in groups, it can form

like a mob mentality. unfortunately, all the anti-farang rhetoric just adds fuel to their misguided ideas

about what is acceptable. i stay in udon now and i'm routinely shocked by what some of these young lads

say to impress their peer group or because they think it's funny. when i stayed in patters, i actually got

into a couple of fights because i don't like all that sh_t-talking you have to listen to all day long from

this particular group. and i learned something quite unexpected. when you get tired of turning the other

cheek and are just as ready to defend yourself or taunt them back which really shocks the little punks,

they generally leave you alone. having said that, i wouldn't be staggering about drunk, unable to defend myself.

Edited November 18, 2010 by cali4995

[isanbirder]

I agree. I've nothing against having a few beers, but if you are going to become incapable of looking after yourself, you should make sure someone is going to get you home safe. Anyone wandering the streets of any Asian town after midnight in a drunk and incapable state is asking for anything he gets. That said, in my 17 years in Chiangmai, which is generally a pretty safe city (redshirts being avoided!), I have seen a young man pull a revolver on Chotana Road, and a drunken youth kicking his 'mate' in the head on a public street. Life in Asia is no bed of roses, Prajak.

Edited November 20, 2010 by isanbirder

[Prajak]

Isanbirder, in this case there was no agression by the farang towards Thai people. They did nothing. There just was a gang of young people walking in the streets with sticks and looking for some "fun". I know this can happen in every country and in every big town. But for Nongkhai it was a big surprise. We did not know this in Nongkhai. Now we know.

S... happens.....

[Tokay]

That's why you should carry a gun. Sure, it's not legal but neither is the robbery that will happen. Besides, if you never have to pull it out, no one will ever know about it.

The alternative is get robbed or killed.

Violence is on the rise all over Thailand. You either prepare for it or pay the consequence when it happens.

[isanbirder]

Isanbirder, in this case there was no agression by the farang towards Thai people. They did nothing. There just was a gang of young people walking in the streets with sticks and looking for some "fun". I know this can happen in every country and in every big town. But for Nongkhai it was a big surprise. We did not know this in Nongkhai. Now we know.

S... happens.....

Prajak, I said nothing about 'aggression by the farang'. Basically what I implied was "Watch your back, anywhere, especially late at night."