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

[glenmohr]

Pauly you only paint half the canvas.

Thailand's road statistics cannot be compared to other territories due to the fact many RTA deaths are not recorded. Apparently it will be bad for tourism if deaths occurring were all recorded. I would suggest Thailand would be number one in road deaths if they had the same system of recording as exist in the comparison countries

[glenmohr]

Its a thai dog. Thai only help thai. The reason doesnt matter.

Perhaps they read this forum

Understand your response....the influx of many moral bankrupt foreigners, as can be read often on this forum, surely doesnt help to alter the xenophobic thai way of thinking.

Xenophobia is a natural and understandable response, that has evolutionary survival origins

We often fear that which we dont understand, and when we dont understand something , there is survival value in the associated fear There is a rustle in the savanna grass, is it the wing or is it a tiger

If I run away and it was the wind, oh well my bad, let me go home and bang the wife. If I dont and it is a tiger I am dead

and the wife is banging the guy who run away.

When cultures that have great differences Such as the Thai culture and the Western culture come in close contact , it is also understandable to have an elevated level of misunderstanding and xenophobia.

They misunderstand us, and we misunderstand them with the relates ensuing fear on both parts.

Unfortunately for as , we are the guests . we are the intrudes in to their culture and as such we are the threat.

Our respond, For the most part, does little to alleviate these fears and results to re-enforce it.

It is incumbent upon us to modify our posture, since we are in their back yard and they not in ours. and make an effort to understand their culture, understand them a little better, show some respect

People like dogs can smell mistrust and ,fear and respond in kind.

I am a very open friendly person, I know I might not come across a such in this forum , but I am. people love me where ever I am, I never had a problem with anyone in Thailand. Why is that? Am I a superior human being?

Far from it, IMO it is simple a positive reinforcing cycle of friendliness. I naturally like people, and because of it they like me, and of course everybody likes people that like you ,when people are negative, I dont take it personally,they dont know me, it is not me they dont like it is their construct of me. move on or change their opinion You get the point?

We take a natural response, and instead of disarming it we re-enforce it with our behavior

Sorry to ramble on , It has being something that I thought a lot about, I read all these negative responses in this forum and I wonder , is this the same Thailand I am in, why is it so different for me.

Your choice of " guest" and "intrude" raises some interesting questions.

Is there another territory on earth where the host decides where, how many people, how often and the guest has to pay each time?

Please don't say Philippines where we are all a walking ATM machine but considered an equal, not a guest. And yes the Thais do love me as they love you but that doesn't give my opinion any more weight than the next man/ woman. Off topic I know, I have never socially or in business ever had a problem with a Muslim but that does not mean all Muslims are good, far from it.

[stickylies]

Perhaps they read this forum

Understand your response....the influx of many moral bankrupt foreigners, as can be read often on this forum, surely doesnt help to alter the xenophobic thai way of thinking.

countries get the people they deserve. thailand scores high with mongers and backpackers. the first want cheap sex, the second cheap "adventure". the cheap part has substantially changed in the last 10 years but the same crowd is coming here since no matter what, it still is cheap compared to the west. thailand will always be connected to sex tourism. hence it attracts morally bankrupt foreigners.

[Mickmouse1]

I think Thailand is safe however one has to be selective with who your friends are and who you go with.

[toenail]

A real mix bag of why Thailand is becoming more dangerous for tourists...1) there are more and more clueless tourists from developing countries visiting Land of Smiles without being street-wise or with common sense; 2) many of the blokes that run into trouble (from Western countries) are incapable using good judgement when intoxicated or ignore the common sense they would have in their home-country 3) more and more Thais are in debt and cannot pay their bills; thus, theft is on the rise (so is unemployment) 4) despite the plastered Thai smile (to save Face) Thailand has a higher homicide rate than in the United States, so beware. Isaan Thais and Thais from the south anger (behind the smile) can erupt like a volcano and the next thing you know, you are stuck in the middle of the lava of rage.

[duckmandon]

Whether on the roads or in the water or just trying to enjoy a drink at a bar, life in Thailand has become extremely dangerous for any foreigner. If your not a target by a Thai who wants your money (we farang all rich) you will be a target for the van, boat, taxi, tuk tuk driver or the bouncer who thinks he can show you the Thai way of hospitality. I lived in Chiang Mai for a bit over 2 years (where I chose to retire) & have now moved back to Australia to get away from the constant need to be wary of anything you may do to upset a Thai. Not a good life. Some like it me? No. Good luck if you still live there.

[simonuk]

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

yes, best to limit yourself to one ladyboy.

[dunroaming]

I think it is a combination of factors including young tourists thinking they are invincible on their motorbikes. But they are everywhere and not only in Thailand. I feel that the difference in Thailand is the lack of safety measures on just about everything. Nobody is prepared to take responsibility and the policing is completely ineffective with bribes being their only real motivation.

[MockingJay]

I just wish that some responsible officials would A ) be apparent in Thailand and B ) read the results of polls like this one and take action accordingly... Since A ) is a pipe dream already, B ) will never come to pass, so why do a poll in the first place? The leaders at the helm of this country downgrade polls like this to mere forum masturbation...

[Roomuck]

Whether on the roads or in the water or just trying to enjoy a drink at a bar, life in Thailand has become extremely dangerous for any foreigner. If your not a target by a Thai who wants your money (we farang all rich) you will be a target for the van, boat, taxi, tuk tuk driver or the bouncer who thinks he can show you the Thai way of hospitality. I lived in Chiang Mai for a bit over 2 years (where I chose to retire) & have now moved back to Australia to get away from the constant need to be wary of anything you may do to upset a Thai. Not a good life. Some like it me? No. Good luck if you still live there.

So,how is life back in the Nanny state? I visited Perth last year, $10.50 a pint in most pubs. And you have to go to the bar yourself, wait until they serve you, wait for them to pour it, then wait for your change. Five of us drinking together 52.50 for one shout. As opposed to 69 baht beers in walking street that you don't have to get up for and the entertainment, well, a hell of a lot more interesting than just sitting in a pub with a bunch of old men and a few rough as guts sheilas.

Taxis in OZ, bloody hell, over $90 per hour or 2200 baht. I can get a mini van for 12 hours here for cheaper than that.

Went to a Thai restaurant there. $18 for Som Tum! The GST (tax) component more than the entire cost here.

Good luck back in Oz mate. Can of coke, 100 baht there as opposed to 10-12 baht here.

[djlest]

it aint getting better thats for sure...

[coulson]

I think Thailand is safe however one has to be selective with who your friends are and who you go with.

Good advice.

[asiamaster]

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.

Agreed! And I've said it before and will say it again: bring back the curfew ( 1.00 am -5.00 am).....

[IAMHERE]

Familiarity breeds contempt; certainly it is more dangerous. Soon it will be a matter of bragging rights if you've assaulted a farang or not.

[micmichd]

Hard to tell.

No for the younger tourists, maybe yes for the older tourists. Yes to all tourists that insist on privileges.

[chiang mai]

Hard to tell.

No for the younger tourists, maybe yes for the older tourists. Yes to all tourists that insist on privileges.

I think it's the obverse, yes for younger people because they take far more risks and no for older people because they take fewer risks, unless there's something about the orchids in my garden I don't know about!

[Rorri]

Nah, getting safer all the time. Now cars have airbags, better brakes, safety systems etc, Hospitals are getting more advanced every year. Improvements in medicines. HIV isn't a death sentence anymore. Ambulances better equipped. Years of economic growth mean more people have money to feed themselves so don't have to mug tourists. Air travel is safer now with better technology.

Great place Thailand, great time to be alive, great people, great weather, great food, My biggest fear is running in to the negative farangs who complain constantly with all sorts of often imagined grievances. Music too loud, Thai people not understanding them properly, thainess? The type of people who don't know how to have a conversation unless they are complaining about this or that. I hope I don't come across one out their today. I didn't bother reading the posts here as I have a feeling that the way the question is worded it was planned to stir up these types.

I know what you mean, I get tired of farangs complaining, especially those who complain about farangs, oh wait, that would be you. Just remember Thailand isn't rate the second highest death, on the road, for nothing, nor is it rate the third highest death rate, by guns, just for the fun of it, never mind all the other deaths, you sir seem to be nothing but a Thai apologist, either that or you don't live here. If the same number of foreign deaths occurred in western countries, there would be outrage, here it seems to happen every single day, many are avoidable, e.g. Chinese on diving trips, but Thailand does NOTHING to stop it, especially air bags, better brakes, safety systems, HIV, which in fact still kills thousands, etc. Apologize for Thailand if you need to, but Mulder says "The TRUTH is Out There." As for your comment "Great place Thailand, great time to be alive, great people, great weather, great food," what a childish thing to say, something people say when they can't think of anything else, you could substitute so many other countries, for Thailand, and say the same stupid thing. So, PLEASE take your blind attitude complaining somewhere else.

Mate I think you watch too much TV. Mulder is fiction much like most of what you say, such as HIV killing more people, no one dies of HIV, a few die of AIDS though.

I like the fact I can drive flat out and when I get caught, just sling the copper a few dollars and not pay a huge fine and lose my license.

I concede that I do complain about whining people, but apart from them life is great. I find Thais don't whine one percent as much as a lot of Farangs. I am glad I don't have to listen to the "outrage in the western countries" you refer to. Bad luck about the Chinese tourist, but I didn't know him, I don't care.

I could say I feel sorry for you living in fear and not enjoying your life, but I won't, because I don't. I came here to live my dream, and am doing it. The longer I am here the more I am loving it. "Substitute plenty of countries" maybe, I don't know. Where? Somebody suggested Portugal, I will check it out. I hope the gogos are as good there as they are here. I hope I can drive as fast as I want to also.

But where I was born it was cold, the people were stressed and the food was no where near as tasty or varied and unaffordable to eat out twice a day and the women were generally plus sized, swearing, smoking pisspots who were quite aggressive.

I am very happy here, I am not going to complain for the sake of complaining.

Thailand is the best!

Ah, another who reads things that simply are not there to be read, NOWHERE did I say I "live in fear" but hey, now that you admit to being an idiot, on the road, I hope we never come close to each other, obviously you have found your "heaven" where you can ignore the laws, set out to protect others from you selfish, idiot behavior.Yes, I can see why people, like you, like Thailand so more. If you want to be pedantic, no one dies from AIDS either, they die from diseases that their immune system can no long fight. Oh, who cares if Mulder is fictional, the comment "the truth is out there" was what was meant, by smarter people than you, to read and understand.

[MaeJoMTB]

Hard to tell.

No for the younger tourists, maybe yes for the older tourists. Yes to all tourists that insist on privileges.

I think it's the obverse, yes for younger people because they take far more risks and no for older people because they take fewer risks, unless there's something about the orchids in my garden I don't know about!

Dunno about that,

I'm definitely in the 'older' category (60+), and I'm out hiking, running, road cycling, mountain biking nearly every day (40Km cross country this morning).

In the last year, been hit by a m/c from behind, fallen off at 50Km/hr cycling down from Wat Doi Suthep, and fallen off on a corner in the rain on my MTB. Not to mention numerous falls off road MTB.

Edited February 17, 2016 by MaeJoMTB

[harleyclarkey]

I beleive so and perhaps the fact that the police do not properly investigate leads more to think they can get away with it.

An excellent detection and conviction and detention record is a great deterrent.

Regrettably this does not happen in Thailand.

[uthaithanirules]

So,how is life back in the Nanny state? I visited Perth last year, $10.50 a pint in most pubs. And you have to go to the bar yourself, wait until they serve you, wait for them to pour it, then wait for your change. Five of us drinking together 52.50 for one shout. As opposed to 69 baht beers in walking street that you don't have to get up for and the entertainment, well, a hell of a lot more interesting than just sitting in a pub with a bunch of old men and a few rough as guts sheilas.

Taxis in OZ, bloody hell, over $90 per hour or 2200 baht. I can get a mini van for 12 hours here for cheaper than that.

Went to a Thai restaurant there. $18 for Som Tum! The GST (tax) component more than the entire cost here.

Good luck back in Oz mate. Can of coke, 100 baht there as opposed to 10-12 baht here.

Exactly, house just finished, cost me about 700,000 baht, for something that the same size back in Sydney would have cost me 10 to 15 million baht, 8 to 10 extra years of working.

That alone is worth any supposed extra risk, that extra 10 years might have shaven 10 years off my life anyway

I now hate going back to Australia, its bullshit

[soc]

Nah, getting safer all the time. Now cars have airbags, better brakes, safety systems etc, Hospitals are getting more advanced every year. Improvements in medicines. HIV isn't a death sentence anymore. Ambulances better equipped. Years of economic growth mean more people have money to feed themselves so don't have to mug tourists. Air travel is safer now with better technology.

Great place Thailand, great time to be alive, great people, great weather, great food, My biggest fear is running in to the negative farangs who complain constantly with all sorts of often imagined grievances. Music too loud, Thai people not understanding them properly, thainess? The type of people who don't know how to have a conversation unless they are complaining about this or that. I hope I don't come across one out their today. I didn't bother reading the posts here as I have a feeling that the way the question is worded it was planned to stir up these types.

I know what you mean, I get tired of farangs complaining, especially those who complain about farangs, oh wait, that would be you. Just remember Thailand isn't rate the second highest death, on the road, for nothing, nor is it rate the third highest death rate, by guns, just for the fun of it, never mind all the other deaths, you sir seem to be nothing but a Thai apologist, either that or you don't live here. If the same number of foreign deaths occurred in western countries, there would be outrage, here it seems to happen every single day, many are avoidable, e.g. Chinese on diving trips, but Thailand does NOTHING to stop it, especially air bags, better brakes, safety systems, HIV, which in fact still kills thousands, etc. Apologize for Thailand if you need to, but Mulder says "The TRUTH is Out There." As for your comment "Great place Thailand, great time to be alive, great people, great weather, great food," what a childish thing to say, something people say when they can't think of anything else, you could substitute so many other countries, for Thailand, and say the same stupid thing. So, PLEASE take your blind attitude complaining somewhere else.

Mate I think you watch too much TV. Mulder is fiction much like most of what you say, such as HIV killing more people, no one dies of HIV, a few die of AIDS though.

I like the fact I can drive flat out and when I get caught, just sling the copper a few dollars and not pay a huge fine and lose my license.

I concede that I do complain about whining people, but apart from them life is great. I find Thais don't whine one percent as much as a lot of Farangs. I am glad I don't have to listen to the "outrage in the western countries" you refer to. Bad luck about the Chinese tourist, but I didn't know him, I don't care.

I could say I feel sorry for you living in fear and not enjoying your life, but I won't, because I don't. I came here to live my dream, and am doing it. The longer I am here the more I am loving it. "Substitute plenty of countries" maybe, I don't know. Where? Somebody suggested Portugal, I will check it out. I hope the gogos are as good there as they are here. I hope I can drive as fast as I want to also.

But where I was born it was cold, the people were stressed and the food was no where near as tasty or varied and unaffordable to eat out twice a day and the women were generally plus sized, swearing, smoking pisspots who were quite aggressive.

I am very happy here, I am not going to complain for the sake of complaining.

Thailand is the best!

Maybe not the best,(don't know who is the best), but l like Thailand a lot.

[bkkrooftop]

just like the many posters.. keep off the roads and dont be out late.. Also, think about who u are associating with as far as females..gut feeling is always correct.

[mcfish]

Whether on the roads or in the water or just trying to enjoy a drink at a bar, life in Thailand has become extremely dangerous for any foreigner. If your not a target by a Thai who wants your money (we farang all rich) you will be a target for the van, boat, taxi, tuk tuk driver or the bouncer who thinks he can show you the Thai way of hospitality. I lived in Chiang Mai for a bit over 2 years (where I chose to retire) & have now moved back to Australia to get away from the constant need to be wary of anything you may do to upset a Thai. Not a good life. Some like it me? No. Good luck if you still live there.

So,how is life back in the Nanny state? I visited Perth last year, $10.50 a pint in most pubs. And you have to go to the bar yourself, wait until they serve you, wait for them to pour it, then wait for your change. Five of us drinking together 52.50 for one shout. As opposed to 69 baht beers in walking street that you don't have to get up for and the entertainment, well, a hell of a lot more interesting than just sitting in a pub with a bunch of old men and a few rough as guts sheilas.

Taxis in OZ, bloody hell, over $90 per hour or 2200 baht. I can get a mini van for 12 hours here for cheaper than that.

Went to a Thai restaurant there. $18 for Som Tum! The GST (tax) component more than the entire cost here.

Good luck back in Oz mate. Can of coke, 100 baht there as opposed to 10-12 baht here.

Perth is the biggest rip off city on the planet followed closely by Sydney. Everything you said is true, I lived in both, never never ever again!!

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

[mcfish]

What I do find odd is the bashers accept thailands road death statistics as gospel but view the tourism numbers as rigged.

Both stats are coming from the same source.. Government departments

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

[chiang mai]

Hard to tell.

No for the younger tourists, maybe yes for the older tourists. Yes to all tourists that insist on privileges.

I think it's the obverse, yes for younger people because they take far more risks and no for older people because they take fewer risks, unless there's something about the orchids in my garden I don't know about!

Dunno about that,

I'm definitely in the 'older' category (60+), and I'm out hiking, running, road cycling, mountain biking nearly every day (40Km cross country this morning).

In the last year, been hit by a m/c from behind, fallen off at 50Km/hr cycling down from Wat Doi Suthep, and fallen off on a corner in the rain on my MTB. Not to mention numerous falls off road MTB.

I was thinking of stereotypes and averages when I wrote that, you know, the sorts of stuff that normal people in those age groups do, for comparison purposes.

Even though we are of similar age your risk profile is several times greater than mine because you engage in high risk activities. Exactly how long you think you can cycle up Doi Suthep every day without ending up as mice is measured in hours not years, as your post confirms.

Have you considered orchids or chess as an alternative.

[MaeJoMTB]

^^

I'm trying to pack in all the action I can while my body is still in full working order.

Orchids and chess are for later ....... but maybe not all that much later.

[MaeJoMTB]

What I do find odd is the bashers accept thailands road death statistics as gospel but view the tourism numbers as rigged.

No, I think the published RTA figures are considerably lower than reality.

I see splattered bodies on the roads every month.

[Roomuck]

Nah, getting safer all the time. Now cars have airbags, better brakes, safety systems etc, Hospitals are getting more advanced every year. Improvements in medicines. HIV isn't a death sentence anymore. Ambulances better equipped. Years of economic growth mean more people have money to feed themselves so don't have to mug tourists. Air travel is safer now with better technology.

Great place Thailand, great time to be alive, great people, great weather, great food, My biggest fear is running in to the negative farangs who complain constantly with all sorts of often imagined grievances. Music too loud, Thai people not understanding them properly, thainess? The type of people who don't know how to have a conversation unless they are complaining about this or that. I hope I don't come across one out their today. I didn't bother reading the posts here as I have a feeling that the way the question is worded it was planned to stir up these types.

I know what you mean, I get tired of farangs complaining, especially those who complain about farangs, oh wait, that would be you. Just remember Thailand isn't rate the second highest death, on the road, for nothing, nor is it rate the third highest death rate, by guns, just for the fun of it, never mind all the other deaths, you sir seem to be nothing but a Thai apologist, either that or you don't live here. If the same number of foreign deaths occurred in western countries, there would be outrage, here it seems to happen every single day, many are avoidable, e.g. Chinese on diving trips, but Thailand does NOTHING to stop it, especially air bags, better brakes, safety systems, HIV, which in fact still kills thousands, etc. Apologize for Thailand if you need to, but Mulder says "The TRUTH is Out There." As for your comment "Great place Thailand, great time to be alive, great people, great weather, great food," what a childish thing to say, something people say when they can't think of anything else, you could substitute so many other countries, for Thailand, and say the same stupid thing. So, PLEASE take your blind attitude complaining somewhere else.

Mate I think you watch too much TV. Mulder is fiction much like most of what you say, such as HIV killing more people, no one dies of HIV, a few die of AIDS though.

I like the fact I can drive flat out and when I get caught, just sling the copper a few dollars and not pay a huge fine and lose my license.

I concede that I do complain about whining people, but apart from them life is great. I find Thais don't whine one percent as much as a lot of Farangs. I am glad I don't have to listen to the "outrage in the western countries" you refer to. Bad luck about the Chinese tourist, but I didn't know him, I don't care.

I could say I feel sorry for you living in fear and not enjoying your life, but I won't, because I don't. I came here to live my dream, and am doing it. The longer I am here the more I am loving it. "Substitute plenty of countries" maybe, I don't know. Where? Somebody suggested Portugal, I will check it out. I hope the gogos are as good there as they are here. I hope I can drive as fast as I want to also.

But where I was born it was cold, the people were stressed and the food was no where near as tasty or varied and unaffordable to eat out twice a day and the women were generally plus sized, swearing, smoking pisspots who were quite aggressive.

I am very happy here, I am not going to complain for the sake of complaining.

Thailand is the best!

Ah, another who reads things that simply are not there to be read, NOWHERE did I say I "live in fear" but hey, now that you admit to being an idiot, on the road, I hope we never come close to each other, obviously you have found your "heaven" where you can ignore the laws, set out to protect others from you selfish, idiot behavior.Yes, I can see why people, like you, like Thailand so more. If you want to be pedantic, no one dies from AIDS either, they die from diseases that their immune system can no long fight. Oh, who cares if Mulder is fictional, the comment "the truth is out there" was what was meant, by smarter people than you, to read and understand.

Ok, you got me on the AIDS. Point taken,

I only drive flat out on empty roads when it safe. Speed doesn't kill, stopping too quickly does.

The question asked was is Thailand getting MORE dangerous, I don't believe it is. Eg, first time to Pattaya in 1978, was a six hour hell ride from the airport on a crap road, with a moonlike cratered surface in a vehicle with no ABS, no airbags etc etc. if it had gone pair shaped then no modern hospital treatment etc, These days a an hour or so trip on a beautifully surfaced road in an extremely safer vehicle, with much improved medical facilities. People come to Thailand from all around the world to be treated in Thailand.

Without a doubt, it is safer now.

Now we have CC tvs, etc etc, didn't have that before. Many other reasons that I can't be arsed explaining because you have already made up your mind that I am an idiot anyway.

Life expectancy is also up in Thailand.

Ok, perhaps I am a glass half full, and you are not. Other half empty people are on another thread are claiming tourist numbers are down, and it is all gloom and doom when the figures/facts clearly indicate the opposite. Another thread, a young farang bloke got airlifted 380 Kim's to receive emergency treatment, twenty years ago he would have been dead.

[benalibina]

Perhaps they read this forum

Understand your response....the influx of many moral bankrupt foreigners, as can be read often on this forum, surely doesnt help to alter the xenophobic thai way of thinking.

countries get the people they deserve. thailand scores high with mongers and backpackers. the first want cheap sex, the second cheap "adventure". the cheap part has substantially changed in the last 10 years but the same crowd is coming here since no matter what, it still is cheap compared to the west. thailand will always be connected to sex tourism. hence it attracts morally bankrupt foreigners.

Hmmm....the desire to have sex, paid or unpaid, you consider that....moral bankruptcy ?

With moral bankrupt foreigners I meant..the ones indifferent to their surroundings and accepting all thailand negatives as being solely differences in culture. This to ease their ability to live with themselves.

[MaeJoMTB]

countries get the people they deserve. thailand scores high with mongers and backpackers. the first want cheap sex, the second cheap "adventure".

I'm fairly certain the male backpackers are on the lookout for cheap sex too!