Do You Get Nervous When Travelling Outside Tourist Areas?

[mogoso]

Safe, safe as houses. I live out in the sticks, and I have the NEVER NEVER felt worried. (well thats a lie, the only time I was scared was when I nearly trod on a massive snake lying on out patio) Out in the sticks is great, and you still can buy 3 large bottles of Chang for 100thb. The village where I live is at least 15=20 min to a hospital, and we have no police station near by. As for the MONEY statements here on this thread, I really think it's down to how good a GUARD DOG one married, I have never had any issues on this subject. In fact sometimes I feel embarrassed on how tight my GUARD DOG wife can be.

CF

I'm never embarassed at how tight my wife is, I rather enjoy it.

As for the saving of money, she lets naught escape her clutches unless absolutely necessary, and then with a delay. My womens all about the future, and saving for it, and during our four years of marriage, she's saved well.

[scotsman]

I have been all over most parts of thailand and the only time i felt uneasy was about 20 years ago in south thailand a place called pattini. I was at a fun fair with my gf and everyone was looking at me and people came over to touch me and some would say words in english like I love you as they did not know what they were saying. I found so many people touching me very unnerving but it was all in a very freindly manner. I have just come back from my trip to my wifes family in pechabun as my wifes mother has just died and it was my first thai funeral. I found the 3 days of partying to be so enjoyable a mixture of happyness & sadness, as her family believe that her spirit has not gone from the body until 3 days after she died so they all keep her company 24 hours a day with card games & music & lots of food & drink. The people were very good to me, very frendly and my thai is not that good so it was difficult but I managed the best I could. I have nothing but respect for the people in the villages of thailand and as long as you treat them with respect they will give you so much hospitality.

[billd766]

Going back to thailand in 12 days. Cant wait!!

Will be going back to visits the wife family in a village in kaemphang Phet.

I have been before and was a little nervous with all the attention i was drawing to myself being the only farang in the village. With 50 minutes to the nearest police station and same for hostpital.

I was just wondering does anyone, when visiting outside the tourist areas, get nervous or feel threatened. I know this post will lead to thailand not being as dangerous as blah blah or thailand is the same as blah blah, but do you ever feel that, when visiting these poor areas, some thais could see you as the rich farang and take advantage ie muggings ect.

Do you feel you have to watch your back more than normal or are there things one should look out for? How do you feel when travelling out into the sticks?

Hi Spuds

I live about 50 km south west of Khampaeng Phet in a mooban near Klong Lan Pattana.

I have been living here for about 18 months and my wife was here a year before that whilst the house was being built.

I get more nervous in BKK than nywhere upcountry and a lot of the local people know me or know of me and I have never had any problems here at all. Yes we usually lock the gate at night (if we remember) but you can always get through the wire anyway or go into the resort next door and come through the hole in the fence.

Most of the upcountry people are much more friendly than the city people but do be careful if you are offered Lao Khao. It is about 2% less alcoholic that rocket fuel.

Some of the food it very spicy and you can ask for phet nit noy and they will happily serve you that.

I assume that Mrs BS will be with you so she can help out where necessary

I have a French guy moved in about 4 km nearer the village but I haven't met him yet. There is an American about 12 km towards Khampaent Phet, My Danish friend is building a house next door but one and I quite often meet with RC who is only about 180 km away.

My main problem is that I don't wear a watch and the only 2 ways that I know what day it is are my mobile phone or the laptop.

I love it up in the sticks and I would never live in a city again by choice.

Where do your family live in changwat Khampaeng Phet?

Cheers

Bill

[Neeranam]

I've been in a few dangerous situations and been robbed/mugged. They were mostly all to do with my being bleezing drunk and getting in the wrong places.

However it could have been a lot worse!

Even when sober I've been in some potentially dangerous places. Mostly upcountry but not "baan nawk", on the edge of major cities - Khon Kaen, Lopburi, Had Yai. After 9pm where I stay - on the edge of Khon Kaen, it is very dangerous - there have been murders in the last year. I don't walk around very often, but when I do I sense danger and sometimes passing motorcycles have stopped ahead of me, probably thinking if it is worth mugging/killing the farang.

[Nignoy]

Going back to thailand in 12 days. Cant wait!!

Will be going back to visits the wife family in a village in kaemphang Phet.

I have been before and was a little nervous with all the attention i was drawing to myself being the only farang in the village. With 50 minutes to the nearest police station and same for hostpital.

I was just wondering does anyone, when visiting outside the tourist areas, get nervous or feel threatened. I know this post will lead to thailand not being as dangerous as blah blah or thailand is the same as blah blah, but do you ever feel that, when visiting these poor areas, some thais could see you as the rich farang and take advantage ie muggings ect.

Do you feel you have to watch your back more than normal or are there things one should look out for? How do you feel when travelling out into the sticks?

Hi Spuds

I live about 50 km south west of Khampaeng Phet in a mooban near Klong Lan Pattana.

I have been living here for about 18 months and my wife was here a year before that whilst the house was being built.

I get more nervous in BKK than nywhere upcountry and a lot of the local people know me or know of me and I have never had any problems here at all. Yes we usually lock the gate at night (if we remember) but you can always get through the wire anyway or go into the resort next door and come through the hole in the fence.

Most of the upcountry people are much more friendly than the city people but do be careful if you are offered Lao Khao. It is about 2% less alcoholic that rocket fuel.

Some of the food it very spicy and you can ask for phet nit noy and they will happily serve you that.

I assume that Mrs BS will be with you so she can help out where necessary

I have a French guy moved in about 4 km nearer the village but I haven't met him yet. There is an American about 12 km towards Khampaent Phet, My Danish friend is building a house next door but one and I quite often meet with RC who is only about 180 km away.

My main problem is that I don't wear a watch and the only 2 ways that I know what day it is are my mobile phone or the laptop.

I love it up in the sticks and I would never live in a city again by choice.

Where do your family live in changwat Khampaeng Phet?

Cheers

Bill

But Lao Khao makes everyone smile nignoy

[Tippaporn]

I've been in a few dangerous situations and been robbed/mugged. They were mostly all to do with my being bleezing drunk and getting in the wrong places.

However it could have been a lot worse!

Even when sober I've been in some potentially dangerous places. Mostly upcountry but not "baan nawk", on the edge of major cities - Khon Kaen, Lopburi, Had Yai. After 9pm where I stay - on the edge of Khon Kaen, it is very dangerous - there have been murders in the last year. I don't walk around very often, but when I do I sense danger and sometimes passing motorcycles have stopped ahead of me, probably thinking if it is worth mugging/killing the farang.

Neeranam, does it rain often by you?

Really nothing to fret over, Big Spuds. Most of the posters make that very obvious. Chances are more than great that you'll have a memorable time - and be safe. Keep the excitement.

Edited February 10, 2006 by Tippaporn

[qualtrough]

Like others, I find that the further I am from tourist areas the safer I feel, not that I feel in any particular danger when in tourist areas. That being said, in tourist areas, or rather over-touristed areas, you find the touts, scam artists, and general riff-raff that prey on tourists in almost all countries. In addition, if you are back-packing it you are likely to run into fellow-tourists who are into rip-off rackets, picking their victims from among those who are worried about the locals but trust anyone else who looks like them. Unless he is particularly unfortunate, the OP is likely to be far safer upcountry in Thailand than he would be just about anywhere else in the world.

[monsieurhappy]

Hi Spuds,

Looks like most people here have said the same thing, that you're more safer up country than where there's tourists and I agree with them. Just thought I'd mention one thing we do when we go to visit. I'm not too keen on basic Issan food so we always do a shop in Tesco on the way to the village. Then my wife cooks the food that I can eat and her family loves it because they don't get to eat it so often. I'm only talking about pork musaman and soup noodles etc. nothing special. But the thing is I can join in the meal with them and know what I'm eating. LOL

[Tippaporn]

Hi Spuds,

Looks like most people here have said the same thing, that you're more safer up country than where there's tourists and I agree with them. Just thought I'd mention one thing we do when we go to visit. I'm not too keen on basic Issan food so we always do a shop in Tesco on the way to the village. Then my wife cooks the food that I can eat and her family loves it because they don't get to eat it so often. I'm only talking about pork musaman and soup noodles etc. nothing special. But the thing is I can join in the meal with them and know what I'm eating. LOL

Could be a great opportunity to diet!

And while you're in Krueng Thep . . .

[TBWG]

[

Hi Spuds

Never been an issue where I live near Buriram.

However, I have had lots of things disappear in mysterious circumstances, always food going missing from the fridge in out of school hours!

Seems if a Thai goes to the fridge and sees food or drink it in compulsory that they consume it.

It might explain why most Thai families have big fridges containing nothing but bottled water!

Seriously I have felt much more intimidated in London than anywhere in LOS.

TBWG