Avoid Phuket At All Costs: Crime Capital Of Asia

[boomerexpat]

Phuket is no dream spot and Patong is a hole, but where are the statistics? For example, according to the UN, Thailand is 5th (doesn't give Phuket specific info) in Asia for homicide with Cambodia 1 and Philippines 2. Maybe Phuket is where the action is murder and crime wise in Thailand so it could be possible but I would like to see the facts.

[sting123]

For tourists Phuket is a nightmare waiting to happen, but for an expat who knows better than to live in the tourist hotspots it's as crime free, peaceful and friendly as anywhere else in Thailand.

In 4 years of living away from the tourist areas I'm yet to have a single problem. The local Thais near me are as friendly as anywhere else in the country as far as I'm concerned.

I live among fantastic countryside, near amazing beaches and all the restaurants you care to mention. Not a tuk tuk or suit seller, or violent mugger in site. Let Patong, Karon, Kata etc go to the dogs. The other 70% of the island is doing just fine.

Remenber me, you are living in Frejus, St Tropez or eventually Nice (Marseilles or Monaco would be considered as acceptable).

After 10 years here, I am starting to wonder if we do live in the same island!

[sunshine51]

I think this is some sesationalist journalism, taking advantage of a couple of recent crimes, plus an incident that wasn't even Phuket.

Maybe this guy is trying out for The Sun? Or in America, trying to get on the Dr. Phil show?

"Crime Capital of Asia" prove that one for me, show some statistics, because that is pure B.S. Phuket no longer safe for visitors or Thais, again just sensationalist journalism.

The Sri Panwa guy at a club in Phuket town at 3:30 or 4 in the morning. That story still has to be yet confirmed how he was acting in the situation. O.K. recent death of the Australian lady tragic for sure, but for the journalist to say "police considered possible rape" is tossing fuel on his article's fire and there is no proof to that, at all.

Then comes the Phang-Nga drowning, not in Phuket !!!

Washington D.C., inner parts of LA, certain parts of London, Rio, I can go on and on with more dangerous places than Phuket. And as far as Asia, I believe the last UN report had crime in China higher. "Crime Capital of Asia"............horsesh*t.

I used to live up on the hillside overlooking Ban Dong Kam...got tired of the generic BS as

the once near idyllic U shaped beach lost it's charm to cement, steel and glass so I moved

inland and to the north...close to he airport and a better beach. To me Patong lost it back

in 1985...before many of you TV posters knew anything about Phuket. Let alone Manila.

That's when Club Med came to Phuket by the way...the beginning of the end so to speak.

Metro Manila; a rather large city, has a much higher crime rate than all of Thailand put

together. Daliy. Go there and find out for yourselves. Leave the rest of us who like this

island alone to get on with our lives. I reckon the author of this "story" and I say story loosely,

wouldn't even qualify for a Manila tabloid paper let alone The Sun.

Another old adage...If you go and look for trouble you won't have to look far cause

trouble will find you first.

[h5kaf]

It seems that not long ago, there would be a small brigade of people defending Phuket in a thread like this. However, the same passion to defend it doesn't appear in this thread. Those past defenders appeared to be foreigners who had business interests there (and would understandably want people to think well of Phuket). Does the the lack of defensive comments indicate that those business people have given up trying to redeem Phuket's reputation, moved away from Phuket (maybe to Chiang Mai), or are now in agreement that Phuket really is a dangerous place?

After 15 years in Thailand - 12 of them in Phuket - enough is enough. I have returned to the UK where it is colder, more expensive (just) and a politically correct mess, BUT it is civilised, law abiding and safe. My whole family feel comfortable and not threatened here. When Burma opens up I may try again in SE Asia.

[necronx99]

It seems that not long ago, there would be a small brigade of people defending Phuket in a thread like this. However, the same passion to defend it doesn't appear in this thread. Those past defenders appeared to be foreigners who had business interests there (and would understandably want people to think well of Phuket). Does the the lack of defensive comments indicate that those business people have given up trying to redeem Phuket's reputation, moved away from Phuket (maybe to Chiang Mai), or are now in agreement that Phuket really is a dangerous place?

After 15 years in Thailand - 12 of them in Phuket - enough is enough. I have returned to the UK where it is colder, more expensive (just) and a politically correct mess, BUT it is civilised, law abiding and safe. My whole family feel comfortable and not threatened here. When Burma opens up I may try again in SE Asia.

Law abiding and safe......that whole riot thing was just a misunderstanding was it?

[kjun12]

No doubt you,ll be hounded for being alarmist by both those who have vested interests in maintaining the facade of Thailand as a dream holidat destination and those who prefer to keep there heads burried in the sand.

Phuket truly is a wretched place, I was beaten unconcious by two Thais outside 7*11 around 3 years ago myself, all for the grand sum of around 600 bht.

check this link http://www.thephuket...amily-31469.php

The fact is the veil is really being lifted oh Thailand these days as the crooks and skum become ever bolder, with scams and deciets getting taken to a whole new level.

Just last week I had a Thai guy come up to outside the mall in Siam square and demand 20 bht, I politely said mai pen rai cap and moved away. The nutter started screaming and frothing at the mouth calling me everything under the sun. I do not doubt he was on the point of attacking me until the mall security overheard and started coming in my direction. He walked away pretending to shoot me with his finger.

These stories are everywhere everyday and soon people will start turning there backs on the place en masse.

I've also seen incidents like that in UK and USA. Not just a Thai problem. I've been here for 2 years and haven't seen any violent incidents at all. I've spent 6 months In New York and seen a few. And I've seen plenty of incidents like this in the UK. What you describe is just one mad person. It sounds like an isolated incident. I've been to Siam Square lots of times and never seen anything remotely like what you described.

You are the opposite of an alarmist. But you are, also, totally incorrect. Phuket is MUCH worse than any other places I've been. Dishonesty permeates the place. Liers and thieves abound.

[Pinot]

This is sensationalistic nonsense. It's just not true. Fine with me, stay home. Too many tourists creating too much traffic but a hotbed of crime...ridiculous. Daily crime happens far more often in the West. The worst of it here in Patong is letting the ladyboys pickpocket on beach road. Why they let that go on so openly is beyond me but this is not a dangerous place.

[bangkokheat]

why is all this happening mostly in phuket, why not pattaya? Im starting to get the feeling that some powers in pattaya are trying to draw more business by creating this crime in phuket, just my thought

[sunshine51]

It seems that not long ago, there would be a small brigade of people defending Phuket in a thread like this. However, the same passion to defend it doesn't appear in this thread. Those past defenders appeared to be foreigners who had business interests there (and would understandably want people to think well of Phuket). Does the the lack of defensive comments indicate that those business people have given up trying to redeem Phuket's reputation, moved away from Phuket (maybe to Chiang Mai), or are now in agreement that Phuket really is a dangerous place?

After 15 years in Thailand - 12 of them in Phuket - enough is enough. I have returned to the UK where it is colder, more expensive (just) and a politically correct mess, BUT it is civilised, law abiding and safe. My whole family feel comfortable and not threatened here. When Burma opens up I may try again in SE Asia.

Burma IS open...and cheap...go there now before it's too late.

[madmitch]

Sensationalist pseudo-journalism.

Yes, there does seem to be an increase in violent crime in Phuket but most of it is Thai-on-Thai. Most tourists will not witness any sort of violence here and if they do it is just as likely to be farangs involved in a fight in a dodgy nightclub or bar in Patong.

The last few weeks have seen a few incidents involving crime against tourists which have been well-publicised. If this continues, then is the time to start worrying. Every Thai I know was appalled at the murder of Michelle Smith and whether involved in the tourist industry or not they do not want similar incidents ruining even more the already tarnished reputation of Phuket.

I have been made aware of many robberies and attempted robberies against tourists but no more than would be expected in many other tourist resorts throughout the world. I personally have never been witness to a crime in Phuket. I saw a bag snatch with an elderly lady dragged by a motorcyclist into a ditch in Penang, and got scammed and robbed of some money in Kuala Lumpur. It can happen anywhere.

I am not a Phuket-lover or a Phuket-defender and there is much I dislike about the island, including this increase in crime-rate. But get things into perspective: the vast majority of tourists have a great holiday in Phuket and go home very happy. And as long as that continues Phuket will continue to thrive and develop (though maybe that continued development is not such a good thing!).

Edited June 28, 2012 by madmitch

[blueshark]

Only when the masses stop coming and the money spigot dries up will the local governor and police really get serious, how many times have consulates and ambassadors met with the governor to express these problems that continually occur with foreigners, and nothing ever gets done about it.

Thats the point I totally agree. When the oil drys up America goes to war.

The same will happen here.

I hope and pray Burma will take Thailands mantle away.

[blueshark]

It seems that not long ago, there would be a small brigade of people defending Phuket in a thread like this. However, the same passion to defend it doesn't appear in this thread. Those past defenders appeared to be foreigners who had business interests there (and would understandably want people to think well of Phuket). Does the the lack of defensive comments indicate that those business people have given up trying to redeem Phuket's reputation, moved away from Phuket (maybe to Chiang Mai), or are now in agreement that Phuket really is a dangerous place?

After 15 years in Thailand - 12 of them in Phuket - enough is enough. I have returned to the UK where it is colder, more expensive (just) and a politically correct mess, BUT it is civilised, law abiding and safe. My whole family feel comfortable and not threatened here. When Burma opens up I may try again in SE Asia.

Coming to a pub near you soon.

Me too, Cant wait to get home.

:-)

[korkenzieher]

Sure you can find more crime in certain parts of London, Sydney and New York. But here is a clue - They Are Not Tourist Destinations! If anything the opposite is true. If you are trying excuse the situation by attempting to compare Phuket's crime statistics favourably with some of the most crime blighted spots on the planet, then you really _are_ living in Fantasy Land.

Compare like with like. Which other tourist destinations have similar patterns of crime. Once upon a time, South Beach Miami might have done; no longer. Agra perhaps? It is a tough job to find anywhere that consistently gets so much bad press _as a tourist destination_ as Phuket.

[TomTom55]

LOL 'the crime capital of Asia' give me a break. Go and travel around Tokyo and explore the criminal underworld there, the Yakuza alone will cause 10x the amount of crime that is happening in Phuket. Phuket may be getting worse and could be one of the worse places to be in Thailand, but the crime capital of the world, BS. More crime goes on in Bangkok for heavens sake..

[maxjay]

For tourists Phuket is a nightmare waiting to happen, but for an expat who knows better than to live in the tourist hotspots it's as crime free, peaceful and friendly as anywhere else in Thailand.

In 4 years of living away from the tourist areas I'm yet to have a single problem. The local Thais near me are as friendly as anywhere else in the country as far as I'm concerned.

I live among fantastic countryside, near amazing beaches and all the restaurants you care to mention. Not a tuk tuk or suit seller, or violent mugger in site. Let Patong, Karon, Kata etc go to the dogs. The other 70% of the island is doing just fine.

Shh... Don't want too many tourists or ex-pats discovering the other side...

It seems that not long ago, there would be a small brigade of people defending Phuket in a thread like this. However, the same passion to defend it doesn't appear in this thread. Those past defenders appeared to be foreigners who had business interests there (and would understandably want people to think well of Phuket). Does the the lack of defensive comments indicate that those business people have given up trying to redeem Phuket's reputation, moved away from Phuket (maybe to Chiang Mai), or are now in agreement that Phuket really is a dangerous place?

Perhaps they are not defending Phuket any longer, because they want that tarnished image to continue?

Many people equate Phuket Province only to be Kata, Karon, and Patong, IMO, let them continue that mindset.

The same could be said for Pattaya. There is more to Chonburi Province, than South Pattaya's Beach Rd., and the Walking St., but that's the area that gets all the bad press.

There are many good people, doing good things, living decent lives, in both Pattaya and Phuket, however those things never get reported in the media. Only the stuff that appeals to the tabloid mindset recieves the newstories, IMO.

Edited June 28, 2012 by maxjay

[hansnl]

No doubt you,ll be hounded for being alarmist by both those who have vested interests in maintaining the facade of Thailand as a dream holidat destination and those who prefer to keep there heads burried in the sand.

Phuket truly is a wretched place, I was beaten unconcious by two Thais outside 7*11 around 3 years ago myself, all for the grand sum of around 600 bht.

check this link http://www.thephuket...amily-31469.php

The fact is the veil is really being lifted oh Thailand these days as the crooks and skum become ever bolder, with scams and deciets getting taken to a whole new level.

Just last week I had a Thai guy come up to outside the mall in Siam square and demand 20 bht, I politely said mai pen rai cap and moved away. The nutter started screaming and frothing at the mouth calling me everything under the sun. I do not doubt he was on the point of attacking me until the mall security overheard and started coming in my direction. He walked away pretending to shoot me with his finger.

These stories are everywhere everyday and soon people will start turning there backs on the place en masse.

I've also seen incidents like that in UK and USA. Not just a Thai problem. I've been here for 2 years and haven't seen any violent incidents at all. I've spent 6 months In New York and seen a few. And I've seen plenty of incidents like this in the UK. What you describe is just one mad person. It sounds like an isolated incident. I've been to Siam Square lots of times and never seen anything remotely like what you described.

You sound like the governor.........

[Chopperboy]

Most of the problems I see aren't related to buying commercial goods or credit, but to Thai's pandemic addiction to Yaba.

Amost everybody underestimates how many people here are addicted and how far they will go to have more.

I Agree Yaba use is now common place.

I have a truck driver and one day he's sleepy and going slow, next day he's clearly "speeding" and smells from meters away of AMP BO (amphetamin body odor - a sharp chemical metallic smell).

He probably needs Yaba to be where I'd be with a couple of strong coffees - simply brain chemistry.

Edited June 28, 2012 by Chopperboy

[xylophone]

>>The Tuk Tuk owners are required to pay the BIB every month, that's why more of them appear on the road than are actually necessary and the reason why the BIB won't get rid of them because it is a major source of income.

No no, that's wrong. The tuk tuk association pays the bibs after each operator makes his monthly contribution to the association. Corruption would never be so transparent that you would see individual drivers handing over their 10-15K/mo .

OOPS, sorry about that..............one more link in the corruption chain. However you CAN see many of the bar owners handing over their monthly "contribution" to the plain clothed BIB collector if you look carefully.

[brewsterbudgen]

Shock horror - there's crime in a massively popular tourist resort with huge disparities between the rich and poor and a serious drugs problem as well! Why the surprise? And certainly no different to countless other popular tourist destinations.

But hey that's journalism and alarming people creates great headlines and sells papers.

[peterdk]

Sure you can find more crime in certain parts of London, Sydney and New York. But here is a clue - They Are Not Tourist Destinations! If anything the opposite is true. If you are trying excuse the situation by attempting to compare Phuket's crime statistics favourably with some of the most crime blighted spots on the planet, then you really _are_ living in Fantasy Land.

Compare like with like. Which other tourist destinations have similar patterns of crime. Once upon a time, South Beach Miami might have done; no longer. Agra perhaps? It is a tough job to find anywhere that consistently gets so much bad press _as a tourist destination_ as Phuket.

What fantasy island are you living on ???

Sydney, London and New York are most likely the single biggest tourist magnet in each of the 3 countries.

Here is a hint, where is the olympics taking place this year ? Where is the most famous skyline in the world ? Where is the most famous opera house and most famous harbour bridge in the world ?

[dude007]

The problem, like for many other places, are the money. There are so much investors and money around Phuket, so many peoples bought a car or a new motorbike and almost all has an iPhone or iPad. Few years ago around we had a lot of internet cafe' now many are closing because so many peoples bought a computer or tablet and play from home using 3G. The quick and easy way the people here make money is the base for criminals. If few years ago they can get an handbag where inside the contents was an old nokia phone and few thb now is different. If you come in any of the disco in Patong you can easy see how many iPhone there are, is a 20k device, sold in a black market can give the amount of a normal monthly salary this is why the crimes is increased and will increase more.

The crime increase where are the money because the interest increase. I live in Phuket since 8 years and i can easy see the differences between now and few years ago.

Partly right but there is much more than that! Everything starts [has started] with the tuk-tuk maffia. They were the first in place and hijacked/monopolised about all sorts of transport by their unified rip-off prices, being five to tenfold of any other transport anywhere else in the country. The Governor, reportedly benefitting from this wealth, hasn't done anything against this situation and this has lasted for many years where it suddenly became "institutionalised". Now, police announces these exhorbitant tuk-tuk tarrifs in their police station and by this, nobody can complain anymore...

It's a whole maffia all together...

My suggestion: start cleaning the dirt from the stairs from the top downwards... and not in the other direction!

[atyclb]

Is it me or does CNN not have anything online regarding the recent woman in phuket robbed and murdered? Can anyone find a link?

[simple1]

Sure you can find more crime in certain parts of London, Sydney and New York. But here is a clue - They Are Not Tourist Destinations! If anything the opposite is true. If you are trying excuse the situation by attempting to compare Phuket's crime statistics favourably with some of the most crime blighted spots on the planet, then you really _are_ living in Fantasy Land.

Compare like with like. Which other tourist destinations have similar patterns of crime. Once upon a time, South Beach Miami might have done; no longer. Agra perhaps? It is a tough job to find anywhere that consistently gets so much bad press _as a tourist destination_ as Phuket.

What fantasy island are you living on ???

Sydney, London and New York are most likely the single biggest tourist magnet in each of the 3 countries.

Here is a hint, where is the olympics taking place this year ? Where is the most famous skyline in the world ? Where is the most famous opera house and most famous harbour bridge in the world ?

A bit more detail:

Tourist visitors to London 2011 - 14.6 million

Tourist visitors to Sydney year end 2010 - 2.8 million

Tourist visitors to New York end 2011 - 50.5 million

Edited June 28, 2012 by simple1

[peterdk]

Is it me or does CNN not have anything online regarding the recent woman in phuket robbed and murdered? Can anyone find a link?

Can find any recent events after the earthquake with tsunami scare on CNN to do with Phuket.

http://edition.cnn.com/search/?query=phuket&primaryType=mixed&sortBy=date&intl=true

Edited June 28, 2012 by peterdk

[Muggi1968]

I feel sad for the real this living on Phuket.

My thai wife and I went to phuket 6 Years ago.

Pease and quit. People on phuket was proud of the low crime and

every body told us... come to phuket..much more safe than pattaya....

Saaaaaddddd things has changed

[Kwamfun]

What are the chances of an organised "Farang stop crime against tourists campaign" event day with organised walk? Which begs the question will this have any effect at all besides highlighting?

[Baloo22]

Most of the problems I see aren't related to buying commercial goods or credit, but to Thai's pandemic addiction to Yaba.

Amost everybody underestimates how many people here are addicted and how far they will go to have more.

I agree with you that drug addicts are probably a contributing factor in the "crime wave" of Phuket. But, IMO, the much larger problem is Thailand's pandemic addiction to corruption. What kind of "clean-up" is possible when a country has a national police force that has very little connection with enforcement of laws but instead is often an integral part of the criminal activities and criminal organizations?

The thing that seem to really frustrates so many posters here is not solely the crimes committed but rather the attitude and reactions of the Thai police and Thai government to those crimes. Crimes are committed against tourists and residents in U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, and other countries also. But there, the police, for the most part, seem to consider public safety and enforcement of the law their job. Crimes are actually investigated and, in most cases, best efforts are made to arrest, try, and convict the criminals. Reaction is not guided solely by how much money the police can extort or "how bad it makes __________ look".

[maidu]

Most of the problems I see aren't related to buying commercial goods or credit, but to Thai's pandemic addiction to Yaba.

Almost everybody underestimates how many people here are addicted and how far they will go to have more.

If you look at alcoholic drinks as drugs, which they are, then you might adjust your outlook. If you're like most ex-pats, you probably drink beer or harder stuff, so you naturally don't want to perceive of alcohol as 'drugs.' BTW, the sicko stabbing of the two Aussie women, was drug-related. The stabber need money to pay his bar bill. I'm not in favor of criminalizing alcoholic drinks and the plethora of dealers involved with that trade. Rather, I'm in favor of de-criminalizing all drugs, and deal with druggies as people with problems, rather than criminals.

Easy solution is cheap mass transit the Tuk Tuks will disappear and people can hop on and off buses /light trains so to eradicate the opportunist watching and waiting for people having to walk due to the over priced short rides of the present day available transport ,as for the police well kick the lot out start again...

Good point, but much too sensible for Thai authorities to take seriously. Plus, Phuket authorities couldn't implement it (mass transit in lieu of overpriced taxis), even if they wanted to, .....any more than they could outlaw jet-ski rentals. The reasons are obvious.

[jackh]

This report has hit the nail on the head. No doubt about it. The tourist that come to Phuket are walking into a dangerous place. The odds of being a victim of violent crime there is very high.

I would not recommend Phuket to my worst enemy. It is a crap hole full of criminals and the police will not protect or help you when you have trouble. They're good only for ripping you off nightly with the "tourist road blocks". The criminals know this and so the crimes become more bolder and violent day by day.

There is a tremendous choice of other locations to go and enjoy safe fun AND reasonable pricing, You have to be a bloody fool to even consider Phuket. The word is out, and year by year less people will vacation there. About the only attraction there now is for the other criminals to come and play with each other.

Go to Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia, Viet Nam, China and get a lot more for a lot less than Phuket. And the best part is you won't have to return home in a body bag or scammed out of all your money.

Phuket is nothing more than a crime infested crap hole. I feel sorry for you guys looking through your rose colored glasses. I understand that as business owners you stand a lot to lose. Such is life. If it were me, I'd sell out while the getting is good. You really put your families in danger sticking your heads in the sand about the fact Phuket is a dam_n dangerous place to be. Best to start thinking about family as opposed to your pocketbook (which will dry up soon enough anyway).

Good Luck and Happy Trails.

Edited June 28, 2012 by jackh

[Acemaker]

Stories still abound of record numbers of tourists entering through Phuket airport and hotels having bumper years . It seems for all the people who realise how expensive it is compared to the rest of the country and how dangerous it can be , there are still more coming from Russia and China and Hong Kong etc who have heard none of this and still think its the idyllic paradise getatway.....and i have seen some horrendous violence here,...Thai on Thai and Ladyboy on farang,...the latter quite nasty ,...very skilled with a stiletto .

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