Is Thailand Safe?

[BKK Blues Brother]

The British Embassy travel warnings for Thailand are a sobering reminder of the seamier side of its resorts.

It states: "Western tourists have been victims of vicious, unprovoked attacks by gangs in Koh Phangan. These attacks are particularly common around the time of the Full Moon parties and generally occur late at night near bars in Haad Rin on Koh Phangan.

"There have been sexual assaults against foreign men and women."

The deaths of David Miller and Hannah Witheridge now bring the total number of British citizens murdered in Thailand since 2009 to 13.

So is Thailand a safe place to visit?

[thai20144]

Only if you have your wits about you and understand their culture.

Btw I have warned my family not to visit Thailand as I couldn't guarantee their safety.

Edited September 22, 2014 by thai20144

[robertthebruce]

Is anywhere safe really ????

I personally don't feel threatened in Thailand...... But that's how I feel.....others might disagree...

[jspill]

Are you beautiful? If so you can't expect to be safe. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/thailand-beach-murders-thai-pm-suggests-attractive-female-tourists-cannot-expect-to-be-safe-in-bikinis-9737016.html

Edited September 22, 2014 by jspill

[thai20144]

Is anywhere safe really ????

I personally don't feel threatened in Thailand...... But that's how I feel.....others might disagree...

I also feel safe in Thailand but I know the dos and don't.

Tourist and westerners are clueless when they arrive here, no mention of personal safety in the holiday brochures.

[indo247]

The land of smiles is safe, but what's behind the smiles a xenophobic race that only wants your hard earned cash

[thai20144]

The land of smiles is safe, but what's behind the smiles a xenophobic race that only wants your hard earned cash

You mean society? If its in a more civilized and PC way most counties people are the same.

[khunjamesjohnson]

Thais beating tourist.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=545813125473297

[pinkpanther99]

I've felt safer in Thailand than I have in say London, Manchester, Sydney, Brisbane, Amsterdam.

The one and only time I haven't felt safe in Thailand was when I was traveling in a mini bus!

[AnotherOneAmerican]

10x the murder rate of most western countries (excluding USA).

17x more likely to die as a foreigner, then in most western countries.

I always had very bad feelings around the Islands, especially around the ports and landings.

But felt (falsely) safe in most other places.

I wouldn't want to be travelling here as a young woman.

As an old man, I've not got much to lose.

Edited September 23, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican

[robertthebruce]

I've felt safer in Thailand than I have in say London, Manchester, Sydney, Brisbane, Amsterdam.

The one and only time I haven't felt safe in Thailand was when I was traveling in a mini bus!

Yes with you there, the moment you get on any form of transport or the roads, it's dangerous.....

[rotary]

I like the sexual assaults against men part.........can I get a GPS position on these attacks for future reference after I have been drinking?

[green job]

No not safe. Same as many other 3rd world countrys.

[asdecas]

Thailand, as everywhere else in the World, is only as safe as your experience, your understanding of the culture and your common sense allows it to be. The problem arises because our natural conceit in answer to these questions is, of course I have experience, I'm an expert on Thai culture, my common sense is second to none. You can quote statistics till the cows come home but there really is no definitive answer to the question posed.

In thirty years I have seen some ugly things, even in my cups been tempted to get involved, but I've never had more than a sleazebag traffic cop try to shake me down for two hundred Baht. Other people walk into trouble as soon as they get off the plane.

There really is no answer.

[kinmaew]

From my recent experience yes. Provided that you stay off the booze and don't wander around late at night in compromising areas like dark alleys etc Cops checked me a couple of times no big deal stay clean and enjoy.

[sitti]

The land of smiles is safe, but what's behind the smiles a xenophobic race that only wants your hard earned cash

If you not a citizen of a country, you won't be welcomed in any country if you don't have your hard earned cash or anyone support you.

[bunuel]

Have written a bit about travel safety and tried to offer advice to travelers in dicey destinations like Brazil and South Africa, which are genuinely dangerous in terms of violent crime. Problems arise when Westerners see a beach and think they are in a "resort" - which is certainly not the case in , say, Rio de Janieiro, where all the criminal elements of Brazil go to the beach to rob the tourists.

A similar phenomenon seems to be at work in LOS on the islands known for their full moon parties. What could be easier for a predator than to ambush a drunken or high farang on an isolated beach in the middle of the night? The bit difference seems to be rhe chronic state of denial which plagues the Thai authorities. Brazil may have all sorts of problems, but at least they admit they

exist, and advise tourists to be careful where appropriate. Brazil has also had a number of major public education campaigns designed to get the population to respect tourists. LOS would be well advised to learn from the experience of other countries in both preparing visitors and changing the attitude of the Thai population towards farang ( known as " gringos" in Brazil) . That much said. the roads in Thailand are the second most dangerous in the world , statistically speaking - and are the biggest threat to your safety.

[samuijimmy]

No not safe. Same as many other 3rd world countrys.

Same as first world countries too.... read or watch news from first world countries.... murders and assaults everywhere ....

....no where in the world, can one be sure to be 100% safe.... So Thailand is a safe as anywhere else....

[sitti]

Feel safe or not is quite subjective. In my opinion, it is not any worse than the US. Statistic is just a statistic. I lived in the US for 15 years and nothing serious has ever happened to me or my family. This is my 2nd year in Thailand, so far nothing yet. I guess it is all up to you. As long as you don't choose to go to the wrong place at the wrong time, you will be fine anywhere.

[Doc46]

It's safer here in Thailand than in Uk &Wales,In Uk & Wales there were 2310 murders from 2010/2011/2012/2013

[khunjamesjohnson]

Really, the USA if you get into a scuffle passers by will stop and start kcking you in the head ?

[brewsterbudgen]

Thailand's roads are not very safe, and renting/riding motorcycles, particularly at night or when under the influence, is very unsafe. But in general Thailand is a safe place to visit, as long as you take the normal precautions that hopefully you would in any tourist destination or city. To claim anything else is just scaremongering.

Edited September 23, 2014 by brewsterbudgen

[chrisinth]

13 British murdered in 5 years. As high as that may sound, it is relatively small considering the number of tourists that have visited in that period.

Nowhere in this world is 'safe'. Perhaps more information from relevant tourist authorities regarding what to do and what not to do while here may help.

IMHO, Thailand is low on my list of danger areas on the planet.

[umbanda]

I traveled around Europe and North and South America since the 60's and live in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and the US.....I feel more safe and accepted in Thailand than in any other country.....even than in my hometown.

[Frank James]

When I saw the subject tag, I immediately thought of the character Eleanor in the US TV series The Bridge. She's a psycho, wanted for murder, but her favorite question is "Is it safe?"

It's a question that's impossible to answer. Generally speaking, the "safety" factor goes down whenever there is a large unruly crowd of drunk/wired people milling around. That's true anywhere.

[ggt]

It does seem a bit odd to me that tourists who have been living a perfectly normal life in their country of origin...come to Thailand and decide to jump from high rise hotels and condos...stab themselves to death...choke themselves to death...and the all time winner...cut off their own heads...

Way too many deaths of foreigners are blamed on suicide...so that the death can quickly be disposed of and not mess up the statistics for Thailand...

You may be safe...if you create a safe environment to live in...security is a serious issue...not to be taken lightly...

[54321]

And you can gaurantee their safety elsewhere?

Only if you have your wits about you and understand their culture.

Btw I have warned my family not to visit Thailand as I couldn't guarantee their safety.

[Kabula]

Thailand is safer than most countries.

No where on planet earth is safe if you drink, and do drugs in excess, walk dark streets/beaches late at night, and argue with criminals!

Never talk about money, nor show large amounts of cash in a hotel room or apartment to anyone.

Don't wear gold chains nor expensive jewelry.

Never take a drink from a strange woman and when in a bar be sure no one drops a mickey in your drink.

Don't fight with taxi drivers.

Picking up women off the street is not recommended. Many working gals over 9 years told me that.

Avoid crazy/drunk women. If she is a hard drug user run.

Understand many women in Thailand are married and will tell you they are single. Jealous, angry, violent husbands and boyfriends are rare, but from time to time a Farang will get a beat down by them. This is a bigger problem in small beach and village communities.

Before traveling, investing, shopping, looking for doctors, hospitals, clinics and dentists, talk to expats that have lived here for many years. Don't repeat their mistakes and we have all made them.

Learn basic self defense and how to use a pen, pepper spray or a expandable baton to ward off an attacker in the event you have a bad experience.

As world economies retreat and more and more small businesses close, more folks will be forced to steal to eat.

Lose any normalcy bias, as the world is changing and not for the better!

Use common sense and enjoy the country.

[TheKnave]

No.

At least, not if you have to ask. Worldly travelers insure their own safety by behaving as the situation requires. Getting drunk/high around 100s of unknown partiers, in the dark, in unfamiliar circumstances doesn't fit those criteria.

Otherwise, in 30+ years, I have never felt in any serious danger in Thailand.

[umbanda]

Thailand is generally safe but if you act irresponsibly then it can be dangerous. Walking around a deserted beach at 3 am wearing a bikini is not a good idea. Hannah might as well have worn a sign saying "Please rape me".

Sorry Chris...what you said is an insult to a young girl, unaware of the danger in walking a desert places at night..in any country.

If you want to blame somebody in this case, blame the hotels for not advice foreigners about culture customs and dangerous acts......and the police for not provide enough security in tourist areas. Unfortunately they only do after something very bad happens....

Edited September 23, 2014 by umbanda