Thailand safety and crime rate

[yieldman]

I was surprised to find that numbeo.com (a crowd sourced website reporting CPI and various other statistics by country and major cities) rates Thailand as one of the safer countries, with a lower crime rate then for example Australia, USA and Sweden. It doesn't feel that way! I have noticed some curious things in the past, for example under reporting of number of deaths and injuries in the case of a fireworks explosion at the Dragon temple Suphanburi, where the hospitals indicated more than 35 death while in the news there were 4 or 5 death reported. Also a huge explosion a few months later where a factory was levelled near Suphanburi with a number of death: It never made it to the news. For safety on the roads Thailand has one of the worst safety records in the world.

How can Thailand be rated safe?

Incidentally in Healthcare Numbeo ranked Thailand second best in the world.

[ATF]

Don't believe statistics. It all depends where you live, what you do and how you travel. I've always found Thailand very safe.

[HeijoshinCool]

How can Thailand be rated safe?

The same way, I guess, that surveys can show Thais are 7th in the world for books read in one year.

Yeah, uh-huh.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Low crime.

High accident.

Which rate was more important?

Up to you!

[GuestHouse]

Here we go again.

I don't trust official Thai statistics - I do trust what ordinary Thai people tell me, both in words and their actions.

For an appreciation of crime, particularly violent crime in Thailand, ask Thai people if they are concerned about the matter.

For an appreciation of the level of house breaking in Thailand - witness the bars on windows and doors.

As for accidents: Simply look at the highways.

Edited July 2, 2014 by GuestHouse

[MJP]

It's an unsafe country with a high rate of violent crime.

That said my cousin was murdered in London and my uncle killed in a car accident on the A370 near Bristol. Any bicycle or motorbike I had in the UK was eventually stolen and most cars I've had vandalized.

[yieldman]

Numbeo is crowd sourced and not generated from official statistics. So the rating is generated from surveys of contributing members. I assume the results are biased because you have to be computer literate and know of the existence of Numbeo to contribute. Still biased as it may be, at least the people contributing rate Thailand relatively safe.

[NoshowJones]

Don't believe statistics. It all depends where you live, what you do and how you travel. I've always found Thailand very safe.

I would agree with you apart from when your driving or riding a motorbike, then you have to be on the defensive all the time as the Thai roads are full of idiots.

[NoshowJones]

It's an unsafe country with a high rate of violent crime.

That said my cousin was murdered in London and my uncle killed in a car accident on the A370 near Bristol. Any bicycle or motorbike I had in the UK was eventually stolen and most cars I've had vandalized.

Walk around the centre of Bangkok on a Friday or Saturday night after dark, then compare it with any British city, ie Glasgow, Manchester, London. I believe that Bangkok is much safer than any British city.

[neverdie]

It's an unsafe country with a high rate of violent crime.

That said my cousin was murdered in London and my uncle killed in a car accident on the A370 near Bristol. Any bicycle or motorbike I had in the UK was eventually stolen and most cars I've had vandalized.

Walk around the centre of Bangkok on a Friday or Saturday night after dark, then compare it with any British city, ie Glasgow, Manchester, London. I believe that Bangkok is much safer than any British city.

Me too. I would much prefer to walk around Bangers at nite, any part of bangers as opposed to walking around Sydney.

In Sydney, innocent people are getting punched, kicked and stomped to the ground in unprovoked attacks, then there's the shootings, rapes, carjackings and all the other senseless going ons.

I've seen a lot less of that in Bangers.

[GuestHouse]

In Sydney, innocent people are getting punched, kicked and stomped to the ground in unprovoked attacks, then there's the shootings, rapes, carjackings and all the other senseless going ons.

I've seen a lot less of that in Bangers.

In Sydney the local press are reporting on the matter in English.

In Bangkok, the local press are not reporting all crime and very seldom in English.

Your feeling of safety is simply one of perception based on incomplete reported crime.

[Bkungbank]

It has to do with religion as Thailand is Buddhist country and others like Cambodia, Myanmar, Japan and Taiwan are safe,

As the teaching not to harm others living being. Compare with Malaysia, Phillipines and Indonesia you feel not safe walking at night.

[Jdietz]

[neverdie]

In Sydney, innocent people are getting punched, kicked and stomped to the ground in unprovoked attacks, then there's the shootings, rapes, carjackings and all the other senseless going ons.

I've seen a lot less of that in Bangers.

In Sydney the local press are reporting on the matter in English.

In Bangkok, the local press are not reporting all crime and very seldom in English.

Your feeling of safety is simply one of perception based on incomplete reported crime.

Whilst I accept your analogy, I was not only considering the statistics and reported information but my general feeling when travelling outside at night. Given my previous occupation, I am no slouch when it comes to seeing what is going on around me, even if most people miss the important cues, I still feel safer in Bangers than I do in Sydney. Not a little bit safer, a lot safer. Edited July 3, 2014 by neverdie

[Kudel]

It has to do with religion as Thailand is Buddhist country and others like Cambodia, Myanmar, Japan and Taiwan are safe,

As the teaching not to harm others living being. Compare with Malaysia, Phillipines and Indonesia you feel not safe walking at night.

Comparing japan and Taiwan is comparing appels and pears,they don't fall in the same category as the other country's in your post.And forget about the buddhist thing ,haven't heard of the violant clashes between muslims and buddhists in Myanmar?

[T_Dog]

Stay off motorcycles and tuck yourself in bed by 8 PM and you will be fairly safe. The only times I have been nearly killed are those late nights in bars where someone is just looking for a fight.