I was walking along a wide, busy soi just off Chang Klan the other day and could hear dog barking close by.

I ignored it and kept walking until about 100 metres on, (no, I didnt measure in Gonzo- I know you like to be precise about such things), I could feel a dog at the back of my bare calf. Turned round to shout at it and saw there were 2, and a thai guy rushed over from the shop opposite and beat them back.

Didnt think too much about it (normal occurrence in Chiang Mai) until I met 2 friends later that day . Both were sporting scars from deep bites inflicted by soi dogs. One on the calf where the dog sunk its teeth and wouldnt let go, and the other on the thigh- bit close for comfort....

And of course they both had had a series of anti-rabies and tetanus jabs after.

Got me thinking that these dogs probably breed, and live quite a few years, so their population will grow unless steps are taken to control them.

I realise there will be howls of protest from dog lovers, probably louder than the howls from the soi dogs, but surely Chiang Mai is overdue a cull of all dogs without collars, after giving dog owners appropriate notice that they need a collar and disc on their pet - say 7-10 days?

Anyone know where to buy pepper spray or a collapsible baton in Chiang mai? Feel it would be an idea to carry something portable to keep them at bay. (I suppose Tazers are out of the question?)

Just get a bamboo stick. I ride a bicycle everywhere and once in a while a dog will chase me -usually one with owners - and I kick at it and it runs away. There may be fierce soi dogs out there somewhere, but I almost never run into them.

Dogs behave much differently in packs of even two, or more. I would carry a piece of rebar. Mace is illegal in Thailand. They do sell some form of it at the Night Bazaar. I've heard you can mix your own and put it in a spray bottle.

start another indian or chiness eating place in area

Just get a bamboo stick. I ride a bicycle everywhere and once in a while a dog will chase me -usually one with owners - and I kick at it and it runs away. There may be fierce soi dogs out there somewhere, but I almost never run into them.

You carry a long bamboo when you cycle??

I dont think it's possible to kick a dog with any strength while you cycle- and a misplaced weak kick will get you a bite! Not sure where you cycle or when but anytime outside the heat of the day, dogs will go for cyclists - and even slow motorsai. Happens a lot and I am sue my 2 pals are not the only folks to get bitten here.

They need culling

Just get a bamboo stick. I ride a bicycle everywhere and once in a while a dog will chase me -usually one with owners - and I kick at it and it runs away. There may be fierce soi dogs out there somewhere, but I almost never run into them.

I saw a Thai bicycling in our area and he had a PVC pipe, about 2cm diameter, attached to his bike within easy reach as it appeared clipped to the bike frame.

Just get a bamboo stick. I ride a bicycle everywhere and once in a while a dog will chase me -usually one with owners - and I kick at it and it runs away. There may be fierce soi dogs out there somewhere, but I almost never run into them.

You carry a long bamboo when you cycle??

No. A fairly short one. When they see you swinging at them, they usually run off or at least keep a distance. You don't have to actually hit them, but the stick would be a lot better than nothing, if they actually attacked. I have never had one do so though.

Homemade Pepper Spray from Instructables

http://www.instructables.com/id/Homemade-pepper-spray/

Get a wooden cane with a brass handle at the Night Bazaar. Whittle the wooden end to a point. Now you have a sturdy stick to swing, a pointed object to jab, and a metal club all in one.

Works well on people too.

Pedalling a bike you are really a sitting target, excuse the pun ,its far better to dismount ,if you do see a potentially aggressive dog and always carry a 1m piece of bamboo or aluminium pipe,I have one filled with sand.

Having been bitten by a soi dog in Bangkok, which required 6 trips to the hospital for a series of rabies,shots it pays to be prepared. I don't see mace as an answer because many dogs will attack from the rear and the calf muscle is a pretty attractive target and you just wouldn't have time to get a shot away.

No point in waiting for culling,it won't happen, though it should. If you do get bitten and it draws blood don't ever not go to a hospital it could well be fatal.The annual death rate from rabies nationally is in the hundreds I was told at the Bangkok hospital.

I vote for a cull, throughout the whole country. Soi dogs are a menace, as are dogs where owners leave the gate open, or don't fence off their land to keep the dogs in. We have 4 large dogs. They STAY within our land. Time for the army to act.

I knew a salesman who carried Hornet Spray with when he was in a questionable neighborhood. He told me it was not expensive and had a solid stream accurate to about 20 feet. He really didn't care what after affects it had on any dogs!

I echo all the above: General Prayuth is too busy as yet to tackle this serious problem. Taking the law into your hands will have to do until he is less busy. Rat poison meat patties would suffice - so I've heard.

Maybe we should cull the owners of these dogs? Ok, that may raise other problems, but I think culling the dogs is a short term solution. If dogs run free, they will produce a lot of other dogs that run free.

I have gone for many walks in CM, and I see these dogs coming out of homes to chase, no gate, etc. Dogs are territorial, and the owners know that. I believe the long term solution is to make the owners, not the dogs, responsible for every bite. If the owners had to pay for every bite, the bites would stop (or at least be significantly reduced).

Nous devrions peut-être abattre les propriétaires de ces chiens? Ok, ça peut soulever d'autres problèmes, mais je pense que l'abattage des chiens est une solution à court terme. Si les chiens courir librement, ils vont produire beaucoup d'autres chiens qui courent gratuit.

Je suis allé de nombreuses promenades en CM, et je vois ces chiens qui sortent de maisons pour chasser, pas de porte, etc chiens sont territoriaux, et les propriétaires le savent. Je crois que la solution à long terme est de rendre les propriétaires, pas les chiens, responsables de chaque bouchée. Si les propriétaires devaient payer pour chaque bouchée, les morsures seraient arrêter (ou au moins être réduit de manière significative).

Yeah.

Across the country stray dogs breed at high speed.

They are a danger to the weak.

But Thais don't want permanent solution because they can be bad Grandfather reincarnated

Not simple ...

Thank you all for all the helpful comments and good ideas- including about the Home made pepper spray.

Seems crazy having to go walking/cycling 'armed' with sticks/spray - and maybe wearing long trousers and boots in a hot climate, but in the absence of a cull, and a growing soi dog population, maybe that makes sense.

Unfortunately, in Thailand, the owners deny ownership if the dog bites. But if you kill it or hit it with your car they are suddenly the owner of every soi dog around. Basically, there is no accountability in these people, or responsibility. Mai pen rai,

Rocks, the dogs will never forget you. Bleach diluted with a little water and squirted in their face results in same dog respect. After a couple times of either, the dogs will remember you and never bother you again. Hahahah I love the looks on the faces of my favorite mutts. They actually put tails between legs and run. Hahahahah its great. I hate the little SOBs as much as motorbike drivers. LOL

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This soi dog problem is a very difficult situation.

Down my way there are sois where the so-called dog owners let the dogs loose in the sois to run around in packs as a deterrent to stop strangers and those who do not live in those sois from entering the areas. Some sois have literally become no go areas.

Close by to where we live extra dogs are let loose during the night, some appear to be rottweiler type breeds, powerful and dangerous dogs. If going out on my motorbike I have to make diversions and travel the longer routes to avoid those dogs. Then when daylight appears the dogs mysteriously disappear, probably caged up during the day by the owners.

If anyone becomes threatened or injured by those dogs, the owners claim that they only feed the dogs and do not belong to them.

Unless the authorities decide to take action and enforce the laws to control these dogs, than I cannot foresee the situation ever changing, not in my lifetime anyway.

Rocks, the dogs will never forget you. Bleach diluted with a little water and squirted in their face results in same dog respect. After a couple times of either, the dogs will remember you and never bother you again. Hahahah I love the looks on the faces of my favorite mutts. They actually put tails between legs and run. Hahahahah its great. I hate the little SOBs as much as motorbike drivers. LOL

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Does your carer actually let you out onto the streets with normal people?

I echo all the above: General Prayuth is too busy as yet to tackle this serious problem. Taking the law into your hands will have to do until he is less busy. Rat poison meat patties would suffice - so I've heard.

It is not the dogs fault but he gets a nasty death if you use poison. Beware of Karma.

Is not dog trafficking (to Laos and Vietnam) a form of culling?

Religion in SE Asia doesn't allow so that option is off the table...

Many articles on sterilization birth control rabies control dog bite prrevention non ownership etc...most programs ending w/o success ineffective or too costly....

Then you compare this issue to other public health problems like TB Makeria HIV dengue fever drownings motor vehicle accidents pesticide exposure chemical poisoning etc and one can better understand why this issue is way down their to do list...

Buy a small fog horn for your bike...your objective is to buy a few seconds of escape time....no need to be combative...

CB

When I ride my bike and see a dog coming towards me, I scream/growl and raise my hand. That scares the heck at of them and anybody else whose nearby.

Maybe we should cull the owners of these dogs? Ok, that may raise other problems, but I think culling the dogs is a short term solution. If dogs run free, they will produce a lot of other dogs that run free.

I have gone for many walks in CM, and I see these dogs coming out of homes to chase, no gate, etc. Dogs are territorial, and the owners know that. I believe the long term solution is to make the owners, not the dogs, responsible for every bite. If the owners had to pay for every bite, the bites would stop (or at least be significantly reduced).

I don't dispute what you say.

I do how ever believe that no matter how they got there they should never be a problem for a passer by. The number of dog bites in the country would more than likely be five to ten times as high if the passer by did not turn around and face them instead of letting them come right up to them from the back side.

I for one have no use for people who place dogs first and humans second.

Rocks, the dogs will never forget you. Bleach diluted with a little water and squirted in their face results in same dog respect. After a couple times of either, the dogs will remember you and never bother you again. Hahahah I love the looks on the faces of my favorite mutts. They actually put tails between legs and run. Hahahahah its great. I hate the little SOBs as much as motorbike drivers. LOL

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Does your carer actually let you out onto the streets with normal people?

Strange response coming from the author of post number 19.

All most places dogs ahead of humans.

Thank you all for all the helpful comments and good ideas- including about the Home made pepper spray.

Seems crazy having to go walking/cycling 'armed' with sticks/spray - and maybe wearing long trousers and boots in a hot climate, but in the absence of a cull, and a growing soi dog population, maybe that makes sense.

Sad to say that is true.

I am not a dog lover. But I don't believe in cruelty to animals and making them into a pet responsible only to you and allowing them to act viciously to others is just asking for them to be abused. In short just another form of cruelty to animals.

I think you mean almost and not all most...

CB