SURVEY: Do you believe that Thailand is getting more dangerous for foreigners?

[Scott]

It was recently reported that there has been a 54% increase in the number of tourists dying in Thailand this year over last year. In your opinion, do you believe Thailand is becoming more dangerous for foreigners?

For further information, please see this thread: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894593-thai-officials-investigate-a-54-increase-in-foreign-tourists-deaths/

Please feel free to leave a comment.

[flyDelight]

No survey needed.

Thailand sees a worrying increase in tourist deaths

https://asiancorrespondent.com/2016/02/thailand-sees-a-worrying-increase-in-tourist-deaths/

[NCC1701A]

new flash everybody. Thailand is really frickin' dangerous. everything is dangerous here. for everybody, not just tourists.

let's hope all the tourists in the world get the word, so they an decide for themselves if they want to still come here.

and now, back to trying cross the street without being run down like a dog.

[tominbkk]

Nope, safe as long as you don't hang with dangerous people.

[leeneeds]

Lately with the amount of people who think they can fly off buildings , run into foul play from greed or sexual opportunity,

add together with allowable pissed drivers on the roads, and then combine that with 3 and 4 ton wild animals who suddenly have enough of human abuse,

mix it all together and then add some drugs and alcohol, The place is safer than Mexico , you just have to look and be aware once you step out side your house into the JUNGLE.

[JLCrab]

If you can stay away from bars and stay off the roads between 11 PM and 5 AM you can avoid the good chunk of any danger.

[EyesWideOpen]

Thailand has always been dangerous, it just that now

due to international media, more of these deaths

are being published.. I suspect that if the island

mafia killed off a farang thirty years ago, not much

was said in the media.....

As the financial fortunes of Thailand continues to

wan, that will result in more tourists being scammed.

However I do not think that will kill more people.

Unless..........the ladyboys continue to spike drinks

at a higher rate with drugs in order to rob customers.

Guess that could lead to more deaths... :-)

Edited February 13, 2016 by EyesWideOpen

[LennyW]

The entire world is a dangerous place these days, and most of it much more so than Thailand.

[chiang mai]

50% of the increase in deaths was attributable to RTA's so there's one big risk area, in that respect yes, Thailand is becoming more dangerous.

But risk is relative to the individual based on lifestyle age and agenda. The younger guy who engages in risky practices, thrill sports, gets loaded etc is going to have a far higher risk profile than the expat retiree who stays home and prunes his orchids all day, personally I reckon is quite risky for younger tourists, sadly. Me, I'm into orchids.

[oxo1947]

"It was recently reported that there has been a 54% increase in the number of tourists dying in Thailand this year over last year."

Make it illegal for tourist to hire motorbikes ----would probably result in a 64% decrease next year...............

[bokningar]

"It was recently reported that there has been a 54% increase in the number of tourists dying in Thailand this year over last year."

Make it illegal for tourist to hire motorbikes ----would probably result in a 64% decrease next year...............

Yes they will be safe in the hands of the taxi maffia and safe driving van and bus drivers

And it will stop people to take there life, hanging them self (hans tied behind the back) probably prevent people from falling of balconies as well......

[mcfish]

Never even been close to any trouble but I don't

Don't ride elephants

Don't hire mopeds

Don't get blind drunk in gogos

Don't go to karaoke

Don't bring 2 lady boys back to room

Don't take drugs so I can believe I can fly

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

[Inyourendo]

What a stupid question......Stevie Wonder can see that

[jacky54]

Nope, safe as long as you don't hang with dangerous people.

Or drive on the roads, or go in the sea, keep away from shitty mafia Islands and generally avoid Thais, and high rise buildings of course

[LennyW]

If there was only 83 deaths last year, then a couple of decent bus crashes, which is highly possible, would give the figures a huge percentage increase.

[dashdashdot]

"It was recently reported that there has been a 54% increase in the number of tourists dying in Thailand this year over last year."

Make it illegal for tourist to hire motorbikes ----would probably result in a 64% decrease next year...............

Or maybe even a 164% decrease! <wink wink>

[oxo1947]

"It was recently reported that there has been a 54% increase in the number of tourists dying in Thailand this year over last year."

Make it illegal for tourist to hire motorbikes ----would probably result in a 64% decrease next year...............

Yes they will be safe in the hands of the taxi maffia and safe driving van and bus drivers

And it will stop people to take there life, hanging them self (hans tied behind the back) probably prevent people from falling of balconies as well......

So Taxi drivers (mafia ) that have killed tourist last year.......that would be none....

We are talking about tourist bokinger-----your saying that they commit suicide, I am sure there is the odd death---but the overwhelming number doing that would be ex-pats. The numbers are there for anyone who wants to look them up----or you can ignore them & just take a cheap shot.

Bad Trips - FIA Foundation

According to the FIA foundation for Automobile and Society, Thailand now rates the 2nd likeliest place on earth for Tourists to meet their in in a fatal road accident.Their new publication “Bad Trips: Road crashes main cause of tourist death and injury” is a detailed report that explains the truth about how many people die from vehicle related deaths per year for tourists abroad. Road accidents make up the most for all Tourists deaths

[stevenl]

Problem is many tourists ate not prepared. Think about the Chinese renting motorbikes having never ridden before, Chinese going on snorkeling trips without knowing how to swim

[prakhonchai nick]

Thailand has always been dangerous, it just that now

due to international media, more of these deaths

are being published.. I suspect that if the island

mafia killed off a farang thirty years ago, not much

was said in the media.....

As the financial fortunes of Thailand continues to

wan, that will result in more tourists being scammed.

However I do not think that will kill more people.

Unless..........the ladyboys continue to spike drinks

at a higher rate with drugs in order to rob customers.

Guess that could lead to more deaths... :-)

I suspect that if the island mafia killed off a farang thirty years ago, not much was said in the media.....

I was here 30 years ago, and I can assure you that it was!

[Bullie]

Worst of all to me are the roads, and more in particular the Thai driving style. There's a daily attempt made on my life, the way I see it - usually by cars overtaking other cars at full throttle around a blind corner, and returning to the seemingly safer environs of a little town it's the mopeds that try to drive through me at most junctions because the fastest way around a corner is a straight line - never mind the stupid farang that happens to quite rightfully be in his way!?

I'll just never, ever will get used to it, even after 8 years in Thailand and 42 years of daily motorcycle riding.

[asiaexpat]

The dangers encountered in Thailand have not changed much over the years but the type of tourists has changed. The large increase in tourists from countries that have little experience in international travel has cause a significant increase in deaths and accidents. Improving the statistics will take both changes in Thai and tourist behaviors.

[TheKnave]

Problem is many tourists ate not prepared. Think about the Chinese renting motorbikes having never ridden before, Chinese going on snorkeling trips without knowing how to swim

Not only Chinese.

Clueless gap-year pampered children, walking off buildings with their faces buried in mobile phones add somewhat to the toll. Disaffected guys in mid-life crises, show up, unprepared, and overconfident, etc.

The internet has done Thailand no favors; the lowest common denominator prevails.

And the pendulum shall swing...

[villagefarang]

People coming from places where their lives are strictly controlled sometimes go off the rails when they get here and pay a price for it. You simply can’t save people from themselves when they are on holiday. I am of the opinion that visitors are getting more stupid and irresponsible.

[soalbundy]

No, but then i don't go looking for trouble and i don't hang out it places where trouble is.

[chiang mai]

You have a point VF.

I regularly drive from CM to Mae Rim and back again, the main Mae Rim road that comes off The Moat is typically loaded with young tourists on their way to the Mae Sa Valley, Tiger Kingdom and the like. Many of them drive rented motorbikes, most don't wear crash helmets, most appear to be under 30 years old and virtually all are white westerners. That road is massively dangerous, it's full of rural farmers taking or returning from the city in their pickups after visiting the markets with their goods and most everyone is pushing 110km/hour plus. When I arrive home I say a little prayer that I made it home in one piece yet again and I drive a four door 3 litre turbocharged monster and I've driven here for eleven years, whatever is going through their heads I can't begin to imagine. I'm certain these are people who would have read just once how dangerous the roads are in Thailand, those same people would surely never once consider riding without a helmet, wearing flip flops and shorts, back in their home country. Absolute craziness for a local person, sheer stupidity for a western tourist.

[Andyfez]

No. Thailand is fine.

Foreigners are getting more dangerous for foreigners.

[dageurreotype]

Thailand has always been dangerous, it just that now

due to international media, more of these deaths

are being published.. I suspect that if the island

mafia killed off a farang thirty years ago, not much

was said in the media.....

As the financial fortunes of Thailand continues to

wan, that will result in more tourists being scammed.

However I do not think that will kill more people.

Unless..........the ladyboys continue to spike drinks

at a higher rate with drugs in order to rob customers.

Guess that could lead to more deaths... :-)

I voted 'yes' but with reservations due to the first paragraph of this post. Is it more dangerous or are these incidents getting more exposure on social media and in the international press. A Thai neighbour told me 18 years ago about the predilection of news of these deaths/rapes not getting out to protect the tourist industry, whose importance is obvious in that almost daily reports on it ('surging' mostly).

[ChrisKC]

Regarding the question, I will cite one area of "danger" with which I am extremely familiar - the roads,

Many, many people, farangs and Thais tell me it is dangerous to ride my bicycle. In ten years of cycling I have not noticed any more or less danger in my experience. I have ridden in Isaan, in the cities and the countryside; I have ridden around Chiang Mai on all the busy roads, Mae Rim, Doi Saket, Saraphee, Hang Dong, all around the City itself. Now I am in the South of Thailand and it's no different here.

I ride, usually, in the middle of the day when the sun is really hot; I am told that is dangerous and stupid too - but not for me!

Four or five days a week I ride up to 50 kms, more than 4,500 kms per year. In addition, I ride to the shops for groceries and often have a couple bags to carry on my handlebars to make it even more dangerous!

I have driven a car (but never a motorbike) for the last 13 years - it was all dangerous

Oh, and I was a runner in England, USA, France, Spain, Portugal. For 25 years up to 80kms per week, nearly all on the roads without any incident worth reciting here.

Yes, the force has been with me but I know, it could all end in a single second!

If you want to reply to this please be kind to me: it is my 71st birthday today!

Edited February 14, 2016 by ChrisKC

[Just1Voice]

I think it's a combination of things. Yes, it is dangerous here for the reckless, who seem to be in abundance, but there is also 100 times more media coverage than there was just 10 years ago, so there is 100 times more exposure than there was in the past. An accident or incident that, 10 years ago, might have been a minor blurb in the major news outlets, now gets "shared" around the world in a matter of minutes or hours. This alone gives the "appearance" of things being more dangerous.

Yet, with that in mind, I won't drive 1.5 kilometers to the 7-11 on my PCX without my helmet, and I sure as hell won't take a road trip on my CB300f without full body armor, and drive with the attitude that everyone else is out to kill me any way they can.

I gave up drinking a long time ago, so I don't go to bars, and the only time I go to karaoke is with my family at a couple of nice restaurants we know. I have no problem with people who want to do drugs. If they want to destroy their bodies and minds, that's up to them. Just don't do it around me.

With a 2nd degree black belt in Shotokan, and a 1st degree black belt in Military Martial Arts, courtesy of 20 years as a U.S. Marine, I can damn well handle myself, but at the same time, I do my best to totally keep myself out of any situation where I might have to use what I know. It's just not worth it.

Thailand, like anywhere else, is as dangerous as you make it.

[gemguy]

Not dangerous in the way people are imagining or implying, while everywhere you are or wherever you go has a degree of dangerous to be considered or factored in.

More like the chances of something??? negative ( as in, ruin your day ) happening to you are increasing all the more and apparently so.

Cheers

Edited February 14, 2016 by gemguy