The under current of violence in Thailand.

[beenitseenitdoneit]

Is the level of violence , perceived or factual, higher than that of other countries?

It struck me many, many years ago when I first got off the plane in Bangkok, that there was a profound under current of violence here.
Maybe I was just over sensitive, but has anyone else picked this up?

The longer I say here the more it feels like some giant pressure cooker, all it needs is a small spark over a small incident, to set off some kind of explosion.
As if years of mai pen rais have been bottled up on a daily basis, and when this frustration is finally released, you don't want to be around to witness it.

[CharlieH]

Sorry, but that's utter nonsense in my opinion, and only perceived by you in your circumstances/location/attitude perhaps.

MOVED to the Pub

[partington]

I find the Army takes over the government here quite a lot. That's an undercurrent of something...

[chrisinth]

While the south of the country is in turmoil with 'weapons of war' being used everyday, and the entire country is still under martial law, brought about by a coup, it is easy to imagine there is more violence here than elsewhere.

However, i find there is less violence here (southern situation excluded) than in the country that i originated from, which is supposedly a 'first world' country.

Sure it happens, but it happens everywhere, violence has no borders....................

[Emster23]

No undercurrent. Bubbling up to surface now....

[brewsterbudgen]

No undercurrent. Bubbling up to surface now....

I guess you must be in the deep south then?

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

Depends if you consider deaths by fire arms violent, then yes Thailand is among the top 20. If you ask me if I feel unsafe then the answer is no because I have experienced no voilence here. If you know which areas to avoid you could go through life without seeing it. If you hangout in bars and clubs the chance of seeing it increases.

[jdinasia]

If it struck you (many years ago) when you first got off the plane.... It is just you.

IMHO there are places that tend to be more violent or aggressive than others (Patong, Pattaya, Lower Sukumvit). But I have never felt unsafe in any of these places much less in my daily life here

[Jimbo2014]

You only have to drive on the roads to experience the undercurrent of violence!

[Enoon]

List of countries by intentional homicide rate - Wikipedia, the ...

In 2011 the UK (pop 64 million, 2013) had 653 murders.

In 2011 Thailand (pop 67.2 million, 2014 est.) had 3,307 murders.

So very close on population, but Thailand had just over 5 times as many murders.

There is an awful lot of violence against women in Thailand which is unreported and hidden, as is the case in India. I know one rape victim who declined to go to the police because they thought nothing would come of it. This seems to be a country where rape victims are shamed rather than supported. A bit like India.

Once one gets out of the "Tourist Tunnel", or what is sometimes an "Expat Bubble", one starts noticing things.

I have never judged the Thai people by their behaviour towards me. It is their behaviour towards each other that reveals their nature

In their oriental, "Yin-Yang" way they seem to accept, even relish, violence and cruelty equally with gentleness and kindness.

You know, like all those tranquil Zen gardens and lovely Bonsai stuff from Japan contrasting with their appalling behaviour in Nanking, Bataan and on the Kwai.

This used to be generally understood by Westerners who travelled the East, but nowadays one mustn't say that sort of thing.

Edited March 16, 2015 by Enoon

[SoiBiker]

How does a 'profound undercurrent of violence' strike you as you exit a plane? Did a bullet whizz past your head or something?

It just sounds like you're the paranoid type, to be honest.

[96tehtarp]

OP: I don't believe the problem of just below the surface violence is any worse here than in any other country. I'ts probably less violent here than most other countries. Latin countries where "machismo" is a way of life come to mind, not to mention the middle east.

You mention "pressure cooker" and I think there is some validity to that, as Thai society is largely based on repression, face saving, and conflict avoidance. When the situation lets itself go it can be explosive. However generally, here it's not worse than anyplace else.

Another factor here is as foreigners we are not aware of the social strata, and sometimes mix with the types of people we would never mix with in our home country. Unwittingly many foreigners get mixed in with the wrong sorts who often are more violent.

Edited March 16, 2015 by 96tehtarp

[klauskunkel]

No undercurrent. Bubbling up to surface now....

like a fart in a bath tub

[carib102]

Yes there is. Get over it. There's an undercurrent of violence anywhere there are humans...it's our nature.

[shaggy851]

Nah I've been many places and Thailand is safe as. Good people. Have some respect and its all smooth. Never been in a situation that I've had to fight over probably because I've got a similar outlook as them. No where near as bad as western countries. Be a dik and go looking for it and you might find that sontheaw driver did muai Thai for 30 years before he retired.

[dotpoom]

Sorry, but that's utter nonsense in my opinion, and only perceived by you in your circumstances/location/attitude perhaps.

MOVED to the Pub

Totally agree.....if you want to see where violence is boiling....just switch on the news, I very seldom see Thailand at the top of the list or even mentioned

[dotpoom]

.

Edited March 16, 2015 by dotpoom

[Daniel Ingalls]

To me its the things people do with out looking at the consequences. Example, man, no shoes on metal ladder on second floor washing balcony with hose. Live wires on rails, walls, inches away from his head. Water sprayed everywhere. Luckily

nothing happened. Child walking across the street, very busy traffic. Makes it across, no problem. Workers welding, no eye protection from bright lights. If OSHA came over here, they would shut the whole county down in an instance.

[CapeThai]

Violence is everywhere you go and usually have a cause... But senseless violence is the type of violence you should be careful of as it's unpredictable and usually far more brutal in my opinion

[gandalf12]

The violent crime rate is on a par with the USA who has a population of around 300 million

[Eric Loh]

If there are undercurrents, the investors will have the best feel. Foreign direct investment and even domestic investment dropped by half. The stock market tanked today. The PM is surrounded by yes men and is out of touch with reality.

[MaeJoMTB]

Lots of shootings, stabbings, suicides. Yep, it's a violent third world country.

Luckily most of the violence is not aimed at foreigners but Thai on Thai.

(But statistically British travellers are 30x more likely to die in Thailand than in Europe)

[KhnomKhnom]

I have found Thai people to be very much like people everywhere. Thai tend to be more circumspect than some and tend to boil over finally more harshly than some other people. However, other than that, they are just human beings.

[marko kok prong]

Yeah,but they generally boil over when it is 10 vs 1,1to1,

[marko kok prong]

How does a 'profound undercurrent of violence' strike you as you exit a plane? Did a bullet whizz past your head or something?

It just sounds like you're the paranoid type, to be honest.

haha on what is generally a bitter, twisted whining website, that really made me laugh !

Thanks

Ben,you should know nothing has ever happened to soi biker,i mean ,nothing,good,bad or indiferent,things just don't happen to him.

Edited March 16, 2015 by marko kok prong

[reptile91602]

I moved here from LA a year ago and was robbed by three guys in masks in La just before leaving . Never had that problem here but you do want security from the druggies.

[brewsterbudgen]

If you want to experience an under-current of violence, try being in any English provincial town centre at 'chucking-out' time.

[Afook]

Beenitseenitdoneit........ You have to be joking?? Where have you lived or come from??

No more violent or dangerous than anywhere else.......of course, if you're an idiot and going around looking for trouble, it will find you!

I have traveled to/from Thailand over 20 times, and never had any problems/trouble here. Yes, Thailand has it's problems, like any other country, and people get killed, murdered, suicides, drug overdose, etc.....but under what rock have you been hiding under?

If you get drunk and go looking for trouble, you'll find it and maybe end up in a ditch, or rice field somewhere......do that anywhere else, and see what happens to you?

I've retired here in Thailand with no fear of my safety since day one......I can't

say the same thing living in a country where I was born/raised....... :-(

Such a question, tells me that you haven't been to all, seen it all, and done it all yet!

[Foxman888]

If you want to experience an under-current of violence, try being in any English provincial town centre at 'chucking-out' time.

As a former night time Taxi driver in the UK i wholeheartedly agree with you.

Never get that vibe here, and yes i do go out to bars.

[duanebigsby]

Lots of shootings, stabbings, suicides. Yep, it's a violent third world country.

Luckily most of the violence is not aimed at foreigners but Thai on Thai.

(But statistically British travellers are 30x more likely to die in Thailand than in Europe)

Because they drink god knows what at full moon parties, drink themselves faceless and get on rented scooters with no helmet, and find themselves with whores and ladyboys.

I've witnessed countless Brits acting like idiots ripe for the picking. No wonder they die here. They don't act like that in Britain, why do they do it here?