Is Thailand Safe?

umbanda · September 23, 2014

Thailand is one heck of a lot safer than most European countries........all you have to do is see how many foreign women are not afraid to walk alone at night time...I still notice this after 12 years here....I think to myself...."isn't it fantastic that they can go about their business at night time without fear of being accosted, not like at home Above it says........."Western tourists have been victims of vicious, unprovoked attacks" .... you could re-write that and say " Western ladies have been victims of vicious, unprovoked attacks while walking in their home towns at night time"

The crime rate in the State of California is the lowest in the US considering its population, but......nobody risk to walk a park or beach at night time, or the bad side of downtowns. Even Go Go dancers walks aoutside the bars with bodyguards, and most young women never walks big parks alone even during the day. Children walks "on the leach"..never playing alone outside their homes, Can go on forever about people's safety problems on the US....

And...if somebody here knows Palo Alto...you do know what I am talking about.. Palo Alto is a district on the South Bay, close to San Francisco, divided by the freeway. The very rich class live in West Palo Alto, the very poors in East Palo Alto. The separation is a 100 mts bridge.

West Palo Alto is famous. It is the house of the Stanford University and many billionaires hightech people.

East Palo Alto ls famous. It is the most dangerous place in the US, with the highest crime rate and violence in all the country.

A non local crossing the bridge at night into the East side.... never will go back alive. Period!

ttthailand · September 23, 2014

Is Thailand safe, No ! But no country is really safe.

The bad part about Thailand is that there is a perception that it is safe and thus people lower their guard. You have to be very careful here. Don't drop your guard. Don't trust anyone you don't know. Don't go in places where there are few people late at night. Don't get drunk and argue with Thais. Don't ride on motorbikes without a helmet.

The police and legal system are not same as first world countries and when things go wrong they may not be there to help you.

Basically, when things go wrong here they can get out of control very quickly. Avoid all conflict, eat your pride and live another day.

bigyin · September 23, 2014

I have lived in Thailand for 5 years and been visiting for 15. I agree with most of the above posts and feel as safe here as anywhere else subject to sensible precautions but accepted...no!. I would say it is very difficult for a farang to be accepted here. The surface reaction is very rarely what is going on underneath.

billd766 · September 23, 2014

I was born and brought up in Poole. There are more murders of Brits per year in Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset per year that Thailand over the last 5 years.

Strangely enough that is a holiday destination too.

Just1Voice · September 23, 2014

I live in the north (CNX) which, to me, has a totally different mind set than BKK and tourist spots in the south. Prior to having a stroke a year ago next month, my favorite thing was to take a trip once a month on my CBR to different cities in the north and north east. Always rode with very good protective body armor and helmet, but never had an accident. No matter, better safe than sorry. Have stopped at literally hundreds of road side fruit stands, vegetable markets and small restaurants, and have always encountered friendly, curious people. Not a hostile among them. One time got run off the road by an idiot. Was having trouble getting the back back up when a pick up full of THAI stopped and the men all jumped out to help. One spoke limited English and made sure I was ok and didn't need medical help, then told me of a small hospital about 6 kilometers down the road if I did. In almost 7 years I've only had one incident, which happened on the outskirts of Chiang Mai, and it didn't end well for the 4 Thai punks intent on robbing me of a gold neck less I had recently purchased for my wife. (20 year Marine and various degrees of Black Belt in 3 different forms of martial arts. Not bragging, just stating facts.)

I never ride the highways at night. Once it get's dark, I look for a hotel, cheap or otherwise.

I don't get confrontational with people.

If I sense any kind of trouble, I leave, but that has rarely happened.

I don't drink.

I have found Thailand as safe as my own Midwestern roots in the US. But then, I avoid the "tourist traps", which anyone with any sense would know are breeding grounds for trouble.

I love it here and have no intentions of leaving.

Thai at Heart · September 23, 2014

I entered through Suvarnabhumi on my own recently. I guess you'd have assumed I was here for sex?

Like most places, Thailand is much safer if you don't get involved in the seedier side of life.

I make no judgement about individuals. However, I had noticed that the only attraction of some of the largest resorts in Thailand is actually the a sex industry.

Don't ask me how I know, but they say the pink neon is visible from space. Small minority. Lol

Thai at Heart · September 23, 2014

I was born and brought up in Poole. There are more murders of Brits per year in Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset per year that Thailand over the last 5 years.

Strangely enough that is a holiday destination too.

Why do.people keep flogging this idea inspite of numerous statistics to prove it is untrue by a massive margin?

timewilltell · September 23, 2014

I was born and brought up in Poole. There are more murders of Brits per year in Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset per year that Thailand over the last 5 years.

Strangely enough that is a holiday destination too.

Why do.people keep flogging this idea inspite of numerous statistics to prove it is untrue by a massive margin?

I expect there are far more British people aged 90 or over who die in Poole, Bournemouth and Dorset than do in Thailand as well. I wonder if it might have anything to do with the fact that the population of Poole, Bournemouth and Dorset over 90 are 96% British but the population of over 90 year old Britons in Thailand is almost nil. Well well are we surprised?

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

watcharacters · September 23, 2014

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".

I'm sure you don't care but I think you've posted the most insensitive and unkind post I've had occasion to read on Thaivisa Forum.

September 23, 2014

Moderators. Are you bothering to read this? do you really feel the comment by Chris 2004 is suitable for a decent forum, or is this the kind of comment you condone??

chiang mai · September 23, 2014

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".

I'm sure you don't care but I think you've posted the most insensitive and unkind post I've had occasion to read on Thaivisa Forum.

I think it's not about sensitivity as much as it's about fact, visitors need to understand this.

Robert24 · September 23, 2014

I think Thailand is safer than most countries in Europe incl the UK and the US. Of course there are safer countries in Asia like Singapore, Japan etc. But overall it's quite alright here.

David48 · September 23, 2014

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.

Humm ... I am here now on a Tourist Visa .. that makes me officially a 'Tourist'.

Would I say that I am ... "clueless when they arrive here" ...

Interesting ...

EnglishJohn · September 23, 2014

The thing to remember in Thailand is that there is nobody to hold your hand and tell you what is safe. You have to live by your own wits and common sense. This is the 'dangerous' part for clueless tourists. If you will trip over a raised kerbstone then think it is your right to sue somebody, go somewhere else. In this respect it is much more dangerous than Western countries.

The people are much more laid back and less aggressive than people in the UK. There is some risk because retarded people tend to be left to wander around, so you can never be quite sure - but overall I feel much safer walking around Bangkok than my home town in the UK.

billd766 · September 23, 2014

I was born and brought up in Poole. There are more murders of Brits per year in Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset per year that Thailand over the last 5 years.

Strangely enough that is a holiday destination too.

Why do.people keep flogging this idea inspite of numerous statistics to prove it is untrue by a massive margin?

Tell me what is not true in this post.

1 I was born and brought up in Poole

2 There are more murders in that area of Brits than in the last 5 years in Thailand

3 The area IS a holiday destination

Now given those 3 facts please prove me wrong and I will apologise

If you cannot prove me wrong will you then apologise to me?

worgeordie · September 23, 2014

Over the years I have traveled,Europe,US,Central,South America,Pacific islands,inc PNG

Oz,Africa and Asia,the only place i felt uneasy was in the Bahamas,but nothing happened,

you just have to be-aware of your surroundings,not advisable to go drinking with people

you do not know,its all about common sense,but that seems to be in short supply where

some people are concerned.

It also helps if you look like a mugger,people tend to leave you alone,25 years living here,

no problems really,just a couple of road rage incidents that were dealt with.the roads are

the most dangerous places in Thailand by far

regards Worgeordie

bigyin · September 23, 2014

The thing to remember in Thailand is that there is nobody to hold your hand and tell you what is safe. You have to live by your own wits and common sense. This is the 'dangerous' part for clueless tourists. If you will trip over a raised kerbstone then think it is your right to sue somebody, go somewhere else. In this respect it is much more dangerous than Western countries.

The people are much more laid back and less aggressive than people in the UK. There is some risk because retarded people tend to be left to wander around, so you can never be quite sure - but overall I feel much safer walking around Bangkok than my home town in the UK.

The first paragraph above is spot on. In Thailand it is 'Up to you' and on that level it is therefore less safe. Thais are fairly repressed emotionally because it is just not done to show a lot of emotion but what happens is that they are like a kettle with nowhere for the steam to go and one day they just erupt. In a western country if you have a problem with someone in traffic or on the street you might get abuse but here the guy in the other car might produce a gun...and use it. Great care is required around Thai men especially if they have been drinking which, of course, is another issue here. There is a much stronger drinking culture here than in the west...partly to forget the poverty in which most Thais live. These are all things which we need to think about when living (or visiting) here.

Edited September 23, 2014 by bigyin

thai20144 · September 23, 2014

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.

Humm ... I am here now on a Tourist Visa .. that makes me officially a 'Tourist'.

Would I say that I am ... "clueless when they arrive here" ...

Interesting ...

No I would say your a Visa runner and your time in Thailand is Limited.

Thailand is trying to crack down on your type.

meand · September 23, 2014

There are only two things I miss about thailand when back in the homeland. Those damn water squirted things in the bathroom, and the overall safety.

I don't think a country can get much safer than thailand myself.

Keesters · September 23, 2014

Don't feel threatened too much. Been here 30 years. Mugged once. Wonder how many times it would have been if I'd been living in London, Birmingham or Brighton and was walking home up a dark street in the suburbs. Street light were out.

Some of my rules now are: don't get drunk, don't stay out all night, always walk with my dog and a big stick but never after dark. Lock house and front gate up tight each evening with dog inside. Don't drive at night. Most to do with age rather than safety.

The one place in the world I always felt threatened in was Los Angeles USA. Always looking over my shoulder. Only stayed a few days then got the hell out. And that was like 35 years ago.

Edited September 23, 2014 by Keesters

David48 · September 23, 2014

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.

Humm ... I am here now on a Tourist Visa .. that makes me officially a 'Tourist'.

Would I say that I am ... "clueless when they arrive here" ...

Interesting ...

No I would say your a Visa runner and your time in Thailand is Limited.

Thailand is trying to crack down on your type.

...

May I add one more for effect?

'My Type' ...