Why does everyone get so worked up about these isolated incidents in Phuket?

Tourists around the world get thumped and robbed and a lot worse all around the world.

Look at italy for example. You havent been to Rome unless you have been pickpocketed. Kings Cross in Sydney is a mecca for back packers, the thugs come out in droves to wallop them.

New York city? Anything can and does happen to tourists there.

What about Brazil or the whole of South America? Drugs, hookers, violence, kidnapping

Do tourist stop going to these places? No

I think the scams and isolated incidents in Phuket are seriously over sensationalised. Considering how many people visit the place.

Yes it does happen to tourists. I am not doubting that. It seems in Phuket when an incident happens its never just a simple case of theft. There is always more to every story

The tourists that get done in Phuket seem extremely stupid or under prepared.

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i kind a stopped going to those places you mention.

as did stop going to Phuket.

while scams happen everywhere, Thailand has a lot more than Phuket when it comes to beach and all...

isolated scams in Phuket?

just think of taxi/transportation....a forever going on scam, right from you set your foot on the island as a tourist.

higher prices for everything in general, while it is just about as any mainland, with road connection, so, no reason to claim extra shipping costs really, in my vocab also a scam, just to point you to a few non isolated things

if you like there good for you.

Agree with you Ivan, but this is a pointless discussion, only leading to the usual arguments from 2 sides.

This'll go to ten pages.........easy.

I'm sure the OP will get what he's looking for from this thread.

Eastern Europeans, North African French migrants and Nigerians are all fighting for a piece of the Phuket pie.

I shouldn't leave out the usual thug Aussie and English scammer.

Tourist destinations always attract these types wherever it is in the world.

This'll go to ten pages.........easy.

I'm sure the OP will get what he's looking for from this thread.

Doesn't look good for either of the 2 so far.

I am sure you are right about all those other places IrishIvan, but I am equally sure those places have sites like TV or maybe even newspapers reporting on these events, just like here. I think many of us have an admittedly very distant dream, that the more these "isolated insidents" are reported, especially abroad, the more the Thai authorities will eventually do to stop it. If not, then at least the reporting will give some future tourists a chance to hear about the "isolated insidents" prior to arriving on Phuket, thereby giving them a chance to avoid becoming victims.

Authorities don't need do anything about Phuket. Its just the usual crime rate that's steady.

Not like a crime wave has suddenly appeared.

Authorities don't need do anything about Phuket. Its just the usual crime rate that's steady.

Not like a crime wave has suddenly appeared.

"Authorities don't need do anything about Phuket." - and they haven't been, hence "the usual crime rate that's stead" - that is, steadily increasing.

yes, it is really exaggerated. its normal to scam and/or wallop tourists, all locals do it, everywhere. once home i often give tourists a slap or two when i encounter them. even my old mum beats up the odd tourist now and then. so when i go abroad i expect to be cheated and slapped around, its just part of traveling. so wake up and stop whining and take it like a man.