Survey: How Serious Is Crime Against Foreigners?

[ttthailand]

Just like every country, it depends where you live and visit. Inter city LA ,Miami or London around the drug or bar areas Crime is a part of everyday life. If you live in the country or small town the crime is normally very low. If you stay in your home or guarded compound and not go anywhere their is also little chance you will see or experience any crime. You will only read about it in the news. Assaults also normally happen to people who are perceived as weak. If you are a 90 or 110 kg man it is different than being a woman weighting 45 kg or an older man weighting 65 kg.

The problem here is that Thailand try's to advertise this as a safe country " The Land of Smiles" and tourists drop their guard.

Dangerous ? Yes ! Don't drop your guard !

[StealthEnergiser]

When police cannot even stop jet ski crime gangs in pattaya and phuket after years and years of complaints I think crime worst than in western countries.

Until the thai police actually do their job and stop taking bribes crime it will continue .

[car720]

I made friends with a senior detective in Kalasin and he took me on a tour of the town, both night and day.

For all you folk who think there is no crime in Thailand then I suggest you arrange a similar tour or to make it simpler,, take a closer look at the next guy you see who wears his shirt outside his pants.

The fact that you are a falang means nothing. All you represent is a different mark.

Next time that bit that you think is too good to be true for someone like you gives you a smile, just think about how much her boyfriend or husband is going to come around demanding.

Good luck!!!

[ttthailand]

One of the major problems here is the police. They will sometimes either not do anything or make things worse. In most countries you can at lease trust the police to do their job.

Ambulance service and many hospitals here are also terrible and if you are seriously injured chances are you will die.

[maidee]

well, if you are murdered, than you will not care for this poll anymore

[dbrenn]

When it comes to crimes against innocent and law abiding victims, I'd say that Thailand is no worse than anywhere else, i.e., a rare occurrence.

People who look for trouble will definitely find it here though -- most of the 'victims' of crime here seem to have been doing something stupid or illegal in the first place.

[Time Traveller]

This is the follow up from the 70% of people came to thailand for sex survey?

Another stupidly worded survey. If you've been the victim of crime, then you'll say it's very serious. If you have not then you probably one.

[grantbkk]

No one knows how much serious crime occurs in Thailand. There is no uniform crime reporting which is expected in a developing country. Serious crime obviously is under reported on orders of the government as constant mayhem and homicide reports will have a negative effect on tourism and cast the Kingdom on a bad light.

Since 2004 the raging civil war in the deep south usually only receives cursory attention. In a developed country it would be on the front burner. It is wildly reported that only 6,000 men, women and children have been shot, beheaded, burned alive and blown up over the past eleven years. I would bet money it is probably double that number but the country must save face. It is officially referred to not as a civil war for independence but an small insurgency by factions with different religious views. These 6,000 to 12,000 deaths are not even considered in the country's crime statistics and almost never make world headlines.

The harsh reality is that Thailand has a very high crime rate, especially violent crime. It takes some effort but the blogs, Thai language newspapers and websites, Twitter, Facebook paints a much darker picture of what goes on especially in Bangkok. Corruption is off the hook here as well and the number of have nots. Tourists are prime targets because they are never armed, don't pay attention to there surroundings, are unfamiliar with tactics to prevent crime, display money and jewelry and basically have there heads in the sand, thinking it won't happen to them.

In the cities and tourist areas there are the usual have and have nots. Traditionally many of the have nots want what they see others enjoy. That combined with rampant drug use by younger men leads to high rates of crime. Blame the parents, western television, Thai soaps or greed it doesn't really matter. The fact is there is crime and it is here to stay. The trick is to not become a victim.

There are tens of millions of good honest Thais but a large the large number of criminals here can turn a holiday into your worst nightmare.

[Bernard Flint]

Very safe

[greenchair]

1.I have been beaten with a steel bar.

2.punched and got black eye.

3.attempt to run me over

4. Shit and piss on my fence every other day.

5.punched again.

6. My bag snatched

7. My friend got bag snatched

8. My friend got hit on head with stick and passed out.

9. I have had my drink mickyfinned and robbed.

10.my friend had drink mickyfinned and robbed.

11. My thai partner was attacked and had head stomped on. Had to learn to walk, talk and eat. For 3 years.

12.got 800,000 in compensation a lawyer cheated and victim got nothing.

Could go on but I am tired now.

[Bernard Flint]

When police cannot even stop jet ski crime gangs in pattaya and phuket after years and years of complaints I think crime worst than in western countries.

Until the thai police actually do their job and stop taking bribes crime it will continue .

simple

dont hire a jet ski

[Bernard Flint]

1.I have been beaten with a steel bar.

2.punched and got black eye.

3.attempt to run me over

4. Shit and piss on my fence every other day.

5.punched again.

6. My bag snatched

7. My friend got bag snatched

8. My friend got hit on head with stick and passed out.

9. I have had my drink mickyfinned and robbed.

10.my friend had drink mickyfinned and robbed.

11. My thai partner was attacked and had head stomped on. Had to learn to walk, talk and eat. For 3 years.

12.got 800,000 in compensation a lawyer cheated and victim got nothing.

Could go on but I am tired now.

of course

[gavinski]

I have never had a here. There are criminals in every nation of course. Locking up house and vehicle. Protecting bags and pockets in crowds etc but I need to do that back home in Australia!

[SoiBiker]

Obviously, if you deliberately spend your time in areas renowned for illicit activities, you're more likely to encounter crime. But then what did you expect?

[mca]

18 years and the only crime I've personally experienced was having my crash helmet stolen from my bike while I popped in a 7-11 about 15 years ago. I knew one westerner who had a break-in. That's all I can recall.

[Ralf61]

1. Lost about 1,000,000 THB to a fraudulent Thai/Farang couple 7 years ago, due to my own inexperience and naivete, and due to this credulity of my Thai family members (they believe, ALL Thais are Buddhists). Is one Million a "minor" crime.? No way to get justice, as the couple acted really smart. Being "somewhat uneducated" has nothing to do with being stupid.

2. Got my bag snatched, with <deleted> 3.000 THB in cash, but a lot of hassle and expense to get a new passport. (Well, a "minor" crime)

3. Do no know about any Farang tourist/short visitor, who got any trouble...

[MrWorldwide]

With the exception of some of the ladyboys, I dont feel threatened by the Thais in central Pattaya, despite the tabloid headlines that greet me every time I log in. I've had a couple of minor altercations with other Farang here but no violence. Worst assault I've seen in Thailand was 4 or 5 Poms giving another Brit a kicking for having the audacity to wear the 'wrong' football team's shirt. They were all drunk, including the victim, but there's no justification for that kind of madness, particularly in broad daylight on lower Suk.

Generally speaking, I've been pretty lucky in Asia - most of the locals tend to completely ignore me. Any discussion of alternatives to Thailand inevitably comes down to perceptions of personal safety in other countries in the region - I'll revisit Cambodia but I doubt that I'll ever set foot in the PI. As for Pattaya, my luck could all change in a heartbeat, but I dont see how things would have been any different back in an Australian city, and I'm convinced that women are safer here at night than in Oz, and events on Koh Tao havent changed that conviction. Crossing Third Road, on the other hand, is a distinctly dangerous undertaking

[redandyellow]

It's actually far worse than how I voted, but I tire of telling the truth, when it's perceived as fear mongering

signed,

if you can't beat 'em join 'em

[Dkr]

I am pretty safe traveller. I get drunk very rarely and I don't pretend to be Richie Rich and show off, but during the last ten years in Thailand from which I lived 5-years there. I have had my share:

- My hotel room was broken into. Hotel didn't take any responsibility even though burglar had a key and the hotel was a "better" one.

- My house was broken into during when I was working in one of the rooms. I didn't notice anything until I stopped working.

- Twice motorcycling teens though they would like to have my bag, luckily they were bad at it.

- Once caught pickpocket hand in my wife's backpack

- Found my friend beaten and unconscious

[ronwparker]

I have been pickpocked twice in Bangkok but have only seen very poor driving and gang fights with swords in Chiangmai where I live.

There is much more crime in Thailand than England-except for football hooligans!

[ronwparker]

Oh I forgot we had a burglary from our house about 6 years ago and I have lived here 12 years

[orientalsf]

1.I have been beaten with a steel bar.

2.punched and got black eye.

3.attempt to run me over

4. Shit and piss on my fence every other day.

5.punched again.

6. My bag snatched

7. My friend got bag snatched

8. My friend got hit on head with stick and passed out.

9. I have had my drink mickyfinned and robbed.

10.my friend had drink mickyfinned and robbed.

11. My thai partner was attacked and had head stomped on. Had to learn to walk, talk and eat. For 3 years.

12.got 800,000 in compensation a lawyer cheated and victim got nothing.

Could go on but I am tired now.

Gee with all the sh&t that's happen to you, I would have left long time ago and never came back.

[lopburi3]

A poll that starts in the middle? My vote would be far below the first option.

[Ming Mueng]

In my first year in Thailand I got pick pocketed once and once a burglar visited my house when I wasn't home and made off with a radio and an air gun. In the next following 47 years no incidents whatsoever.

[teacher0826]

I am new to this forum, but I have been reading it for a very long time. I am very impressed with the members, very professional. OK, first there is no law in this country to protect foreigners. Example the teacher agencies, they can do what ever they ant and not even pay the teacher and there is NOTHING he or she can do about it.

Second if you are involved in a confrontation with a Thai and even if you are in the right and the Thai had a weapon if you touch that Thai you will be arrested. It doesn' t amtter what the Thai or what you say, because you HIT a thai national. I have been here since 1989 and have seen this city and country grow and also decline in nurmous ways. But all in all it is a good place to live if you can accept the culture deal with the ignorance and ralize that the police will never help you, only ask you for money.

[Benmart]

If you don't mention it or make it public the it's not prevelent

I would like to see the RTP provide an annual crime statistical report for Bangkok and other urban areas upon demand and on-line.

As is said, if it's not made public or isn't discoverable, it didn't happen.

[roo860]

1.I have been beaten with a steel bar.

2.punched and got black eye.

3.attempt to run me over

4. Shit and piss on my fence every other day.

5.punched again.

6. My bag snatched

7. My friend got bag snatched

8. My friend got hit on head with stick and passed out.

9. I have had my drink mickyfinned and robbed.

10.my friend had drink mickyfinned and robbed.

11. My thai partner was attacked and had head stomped on. Had to learn to walk, talk and eat. For 3 years.

12.got 800,000 in compensation a lawyer cheated and victim got nothing.

Could go on but I am tired now.

I take it your not in Thailand now?

[kannot]

biggest crime Ive had is " post removal"

[kannot]

I am new to this forum, but I have been reading it for a very long time. I am very impressed with the members, very professional. OK, first there is no law in this country to protect foreigners. Example the teacher agencies, they can do what ever they ant and not even pay the teacher and there is NOTHING he or she can do about it.

Second if you are involved in a confrontation with a Thai and even if you are in the right and the Thai had a weapon if you touch that Thai you will be arrested. It doesn' t amtter what the Thai or what you say, because you HIT a thai national. I have been here since 1989 and have seen this city and country grow and also decline in nurmous ways. But all in all it is a good place to live if you can accept the culture deal with the ignorance and ralize that the police will never help you, only ask you for money.

funny I got stuck in some mud recently and those nasty police pulled me out.

[kannot]

In my first year in Thailand I got pick pocketed once and once a burglar visited my house when I wasn't home and made off with a radio and an air gun. In the next following 47 years no incidents whatsoever.

give it more time