Over the last 7 days my street has had two lots of gunfire. The first occasion was when a Thai lady wanted to turn off Laplay Rd into our Village near the Thai Etoh Technical School. She was riding a Honda and had to stop to let oncoming traffic pass before making her turn. The guy in a black Chevy or Toyota Suburban became impatient and began honking his horn. When the traffic cleared she made the turn and he wound down his window and fired one shot from a 9MM hand gun at her. The police were called and took the 9MM shell away as evidence if they catch him.

The second incident was last night at 10.30PM. The Police and Volunteer Police were out the front of the same Tech School checking bikes for helmets, rego, drugs and whatever. There was a screech of brakes and 2 bikes with 3 persons on them flew down our street to escape the blockade. Their only mistake is it is a dead end street and they were trapped. Then a few seconds’ later 3 bikes carrying 2 police each flew down the end towards them. A few seconds later 5 gunshots were exchanged as the 3 guys jumped the fence. Don’t know what the outcome was however everyone was told to go indoors and lock their houses while the armed police searched the area for them.

One thing I did notice was when the gun shots were heard and the neighbors in the street came out to see what the commotion was about, I did not realize how many of my neighbors had guns in their hand. So I am not sure how safe that makes me feel. Good because every second house has a handgun or nervous as they probably don’t know how to use them.

Crime is out of control in Thailand.

and they laughed when i moved to wongamat..........

Even the dark side obviously have good and bad neighbourhoods. In the 10 years I've lived here I've never even heard of gunshots in this area (SSCC/Nongprue Road).

No matter what anyone says, crime in Pattaya continues to grow. And in my humble opinion it's driven by drugs and corruption.

Jetski, bike rental mafias, youth gangs shooting each other every weekend, gang bashings, embezzlement and intimidation on a grand scale, real estate scams, unlimited supply of drugs, murders on a daily basis, not to mention suicides by people found hanging with their hands tied behind their backs or feet touching the ground. Not all is Thai because and from what I read foreign gangs are settling up shop. No doubt this will bring another dimension.

I'd go as far as saying that Pattaya would probably be the most dangerous city in SE Asia. I can't think of anywhere with more crime.

I've been living in Pattaya for 8 years and have never had a problem myself. Just need to apply some street smarts.

Still love the place, but there is a very sleazy and dangerous underbelly.

Turning right off a busy road is a nightmare when you have to wait in the centre. Much safer to just pull over to the left and be patient. Now it has become even more dangerous with impatient drivers shooting guns.

Turning right off a busy road is a nightmare when you have to wait in the centre. Much safer to just pull over to the left and be patient. Now it has become even more dangerous with impatient drivers shooting guns.

A bit hard to pull over in the area in question, as the road narrows to just 2 small cars wide and a barb wire fence built right on the edge of the road on one side and 2 Light Poles on the other side making it even squesier.

Turning right off a busy road is a nightmare when you have to wait in the centre. Much safer to just pull over to the left and be patient. Now it has become even more dangerous with impatient drivers shooting guns.

A bit hard to pull over in the area in question, as the road narrows to just 2 small cars wide and a barb wire fence built right on the edge of the road on one side and 2 Light Poles on the other side making it even squesier.

Problem is no one in the oncoming traffic (if they could see far enough ahead) would think to stop and let her turn which would have freed up the traffic behind her. It seems they just aren't taught to think ahead unfortunately

12 years here and have never heard a gun-shot or seen a fight except with farangs in the beer bars. Yes it is sleazy and I have witnessed gold necklace snatchings and I do hear ambulances almost every night here on the dark side.

I do hope the police deal with these recent gn shooting as you say. Maybe time to move to a different village?

Thats what you get when you buy into a cheap neighbourhood.... same worldwide really

2 assassinations of drivers nearby where we live in last 12 months.

The other issue with so many neighbours with guns is where the stray bullets go, even the police I doubt take that into consideration. So last thing I would be doing is coming 'OUT' to see what the commotion is, I would be hiding behind my fridge.

Hiding is not the correct word...taking cover would be better.

hear gunshots outside... possible police presence.... come out of house with handgun in your hand... surely nobody can be that stupid :/

Edited July 31, 201213 yr by William Osborne

hear gunshots outside... possible police presence.... come out of house with handgun in your hand... surely nobody can be that stupid :/

He said Thai neighbours.

Even the dark side obviously have good and bad neighbourhoods. In the 10 years I've lived here I've never even heard of gunshots in this area (SSCC/Nongprue Road).

There was a farang shot a couple of years ago at the lake near the bars. Random shooting of some juvenile idiot.

Even the dark side obviously have good and bad neighbourhoods. In the 10 years I've lived here I've never even heard of gunshots in this area (SSCC/Nongprue Road).

There was a farang shot a couple of years ago at the lake near the bars. Random shooting of some juvenile idiot.

You're telling me this NOW? After all the nights we've spent there?

This isn't the first time I've seen guns and tech schools in the same post. Maybe a coincidence this time, but I find the rivalries here puzzling. Never heard of that happening elsewhere.

And in my humble opinion it's driven by drugs and corruption.

I'd go as far as saying that Pattaya would probably be the most dangerous city in SE Asia. I can't think of anywhere with more crime.

Drugs and corruption? Nahhhhh ......really?

Oh.........Manila has much more crime.

Even the dark side obviously have good and bad neighbourhoods. In the 10 years I've lived here I've never even heard of gunshots in this area (SSCC/Nongprue Road).

There was a farang shot a couple of years ago at the lake near the bars. Random shooting of some juvenile idiot.

You're telling me this NOW? After all the nights we've spent there?

....that was all over the press and lively discussed in here....

And in my humble opinion it's driven by drugs and corruption.

I'd go as far as saying that Pattaya would probably be the most dangerous city in SE Asia. I can't think of anywhere with more crime.

Drugs and corruption? Nahhhhh ......really?

Oh.........Manila has much more crime.

Yeah, Angeles City and Manila are both far more dangerous than Pattaya. There are parts of Manila where you'd be lucky to survive 30 minutes walking around.

I think the way the local papers report every little mishap here makes it seem more dangerous that it really is.

Edited July 31, 201213 yr by tropo

And in my humble opinion it's driven by drugs and corruption.

I'd go as far as saying that Pattaya would probably be the most dangerous city in SE Asia. I can't think of anywhere with more crime.

Drugs and corruption? Nahhhhh ......really?

Oh.........Manila has much more crime.

Yeah, Angeles City and Manila are both far more dangerous than Pattaya. There are parts of Manila where you'd be lucky to survive 30 minutes walking around.

I think the way the local papers report every little mishap here makes it seem more dangerous that it really is.

I agree it was only Gun Fire & neighbours rubber necking with several carrying handguns. Those B****y newspaper scaremongers , I can't get over it.

Heck everyone knows how safe it is to have people shooting off handguns over road rage and firing bullets to avoid arrest

. It is much more dangerous in Syria also. So I guess we should just 'suck it up' and stop reading those scaremongering papers.

There is a reason why I choose to live in an overpriced central pattaya condo and not a house on the darkside, those articles always remind me of my wise choice

And in my humble opinion it's driven by drugs and corruption.

I'd go as far as saying that Pattaya would probably be the most dangerous city in SE Asia. I can't think of anywhere with more crime.

Drugs and corruption? Nahhhhh ......really?

Oh.........Manila has much more crime.

Yeah, Angeles City and Manila are both far more dangerous than Pattaya. There are parts of Manila where you'd be lucky to survive 30 minutes walking around.

I think the way the local papers report every little mishap here makes it seem more dangerous that it really is.

I agree it was only Gun Fire & neighbours rubber necking with several carrying handguns. Those B****y newspaper scaremongers , I can't get over it.

Heck everyone knows how safe it is to have people shooting off handguns over road rage and firing bullets to avoid arrest

. It is much more dangerous in Syria also. So I guess we should just 'suck it up' and stop reading those scaremongering papers.

The point of my reply escaped you. You should have read it in context and saved yourself the trouble of posting a sarcastic response.

Let me explain: My post was in reply to a comment about Pattaya being the most dangerous city in SE Asia - which it most definitely is not.

at you

Edited August 1, 201213 yr by tropo

I don't do scaecasm . I was having a bit of fun.

Lighten up

There is a reason why I choose to live in an overpriced central pattaya condo and not a house on the darkside, those articles always remind me of my wise choice

Nice to know it's safe to live in central Pattaya 555555555555555

It's the Wild Wild East.

There is a reason why I choose to live in an overpriced central pattaya condo and not a house on the darkside, those articles always remind me of my wise choice

Nice to know it's safe to live in central Pattaya 555555555555555

Yes it would be nice to know it's safe in Central Pattaya. However take a look at these links.

http://www.pattayamail.com/localnews/5-hurt-in-songkran-shootings-12317

http://www.pattayamail.com/localnews/3-arrests-close-book-on-2-shootings-11939

http://www.pattayadailynews.com/en/2012/01/17/brit-shoots-his-brains-out-at-pattaya-firing-range/

http://www.pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/52543/14-year-girl-injured-random-shooting-north-pattaya/

http://www.pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/53354/injured-shooting-north-pattaya-restaurant/

http://www.pattayadailynews.com/en/2012/03/30/4-pattaya-teens-arrested-for-deadly-shooting/

http://www.pattayadailynews.com/en/2010/07/06/random-shooting-in-pattaya-leaves-bargirl-wounded/

http://www.pattayamail.com/news/5-injured-in-east-pattaya-shooting-2220

Just look at Thai TV, guns, guns and more guns in every programme allday everyday.....used to be mobile phones were a must have, now its a handgun....With the price of buying a new handgun legally starting around 100K for the cheapest, surely most are unregistered and ilegally owned.

I Live here on the Darkside, It has developed here considerably Housing Estates, Shops, Bars Etc. I feel far safer travelling Around Pattaya and suburbs than any City in the UK.Of course you have to be sensible and have your wits like anywhere else. There are isolated incidents, But generally far safer here than the UK. Far more chance of getting killed on Motorbike than a gun here

Edited August 2, 201213 yr by DARKSIDEDONK

No matter what anyone says, crime in Pattaya continues to grow. And in my humble opinion it's driven by drugs and corruption.

Jetski, bike rental mafias, youth gangs shooting each other every weekend, gang bashings, embezzlement and intimidation on a grand scale, real estate scams, unlimited supply of drugs, murders on a daily basis, not to mention suicides by people found hanging with their hands tied behind their backs or feet touching the ground. Not all is Thai because and from what I read foreign gangs are settling up shop. No doubt this will bring another dimension.

I'd go as far as saying that Pattaya would probably be the most dangerous city in SE Asia. I can't think of anywhere with more crime.

I've been living in Pattaya for 8 years and have never had a problem myself. Just need to apply some street smarts.

Still love the place, but there is a very sleazy and dangerous underbelly.

spot on - been saying the same for months now, even attitudes of thais around the city have changed, they used to be good at hiding the general contempt for falangs - now a lot don't seem to care, my guess is the money flow is drying up due to a change in the type of tourist coming here - middle east - India - China etc they have very different habits than us falangs

Edited August 2, 201213 yr by smedly