173rd place: Bangkok ranks near bottom of 'safe city' list for expats

[MorristheRunt]

Bangkok is not a dangerous city.

Dangerous citys include..Rio, Glasgow, Mexico City, London, Barcelona, Caracas and 100's of others.

[geriatrickid]

Actually, for foreigners, suicide and murder are the principle cause of death.

Rubbish.

-Heart disease

- Other chronic illness

- Accident (including car crashes, slips, trips and falls)

- Misadventure

Are the most prominent cause of death.

The suicide rate of foreigners reflects the higher concentration of high risk demographic. Despite that, foreigners are more likely to drop dead from the effects of poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and the over use of alcohol,

In respect to murder, genuine murders are few and far between.

[johnno2]

Vancouver is a Western European city? Gee, I thought it was Chinese.

i see auckland has been moved to western eurpean also. must have happened during the christchurch earthquakes

[Yann55]

Another 'survey/classification' which proves how inane 99% of 'survey/classifications' are.

- 'considerable political unrest' ? Huh ????

- 'terrorist attacks in several tourist areas' Huh ????

Reading this kind of bloated BS makes me angry, because it reflects not what is happening here but a cliché that most uninformed Westerners now have in their heads about Thailand. And that includes a number of political leaders, who would be well advised to revise their information sources.

The question that must be asked is : how did that happen ? what was it that set in motion this heavy-footed manipulation process ? why have so many Western media repeated the same mis-information again and again, grossly exaggerating the truth and making it sounds like Pinochet is now at the helm in this country ? I have no sympathy for military regimes, but I live here and not in an ivory tower. What I see with my own eyes in this country has nothing to do with what I read or hear in most Western media. I'm not saying everything is fine and dandy, what I'm saying is : who the hell is behind this gross manipulation of the media ?

[cumgranosalum]

Mercer would not know if their arse was on fire , what a load of rubbish, how this even gets printed as a bonafide report , when not one South American country is on that list , Where the <deleted> is Mexico, ? So as a paper report i would suggest to Mercer that they install the printed copies in their hong nam!

Couldn't agree more. A friend from Brazil was visiting a while ago. He was comparing Thailand with his home country and was amazed how he could feel safe anywhere in Bangkok, even in the most impoverished of the city.

An other friend from Texas too told me once how he feel safe here, he even added : here you don't get shot at for a pair of shoes (??).

To finish, I've been an expat in Asia for more than 20 years. I've personally known two person who were killed in two separate criminal incidents in the Philippine and an other couple of people who were killed in traffic accident in China. Regarding Thailand it seems the principal cause of death here is old age ...

Actually, for foreigners, suicide and murder are the principle cause of death.

i'd LOVE to see where you get the figures to support that assertion....like so many of the comments on this thread it seems totally divorced of any substance or reason.

Edited February 26, 2016 by cumgranosalum

[ggt]

This should not come as a big surprise to anyone who keeps up with the everyday death, destruction, drugging, raping, and throwing foreigners off of high rise building that goes on in Thailand these days...

The Thai culture is corrupt from one end to the other...no hope for the future here...IMHO

[cumgranosalum]

Actually, for foreigners, suicide and murder are the principle cause of death.

Rubbish.

-Heart disease

- Other chronic illness

- Accident (including car crashes, slips, trips and falls)

- Misadventure

Are the most prominent cause of death.

The suicide rate of foreigners reflects the higher concentration of high risk demographic. Despite that, foreigners are more likely to drop dead from the effects of poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and the over use of alcohol,

In respect to murder, genuine murders are few and far between.

Dementia seems to be a prevalent cause for some judging by some of the posts on this thread .....

[cumgranosalum]

Vancouver is a Western European city? Gee, I thought it was Chinese.

i see auckland has been moved to western eurpean also. must have happened during the christchurch earthquakes

What's this? "racism corner"?

[ddavidovsky]

Mercer's credibility is now in shreds.

[craigt3365]

This report is for working expats. Those who get involved in businesses here, not just walk down the street looking for a place to eat. They bring families with them, get involved in the local community, etc. As we all know, it's tough working here. Journalists being run out of the country, a scientist jailed due to problems with a Thai associate, etc. And of course massive corruption and a failed political system.

They seem to be referring to the recent bombings. Samui and Bangkok. And of course the street protests that killed many people and paralyzed an entire city. Good reasons for Bangkok to listed lower this year. Bangkok is #129 for Quality of Living.

Mercer is part of Marsh & McLennan. A global firm with 60,000 employees world wide.

[oyster]

Regarding Thailand it seems the principal cause of death here is old age ...

and high rise buildings with balconies.

You could probably halve the suicides if they all stopped taking chloro-quinine. It is a serious depressant -

[DrTuner]

Reading these replies I can't help but think US,UK and Oz are currently war zones, so dangerous they seem.

Coming from Finland, where the most dangerous it got was yapping your mouth in a taxi/nightsnack line and getting your butt kicked, I find BKK alright as long as you're constantly vigilant. One step in the wrong place and you're mowed down by a scooter/taxi/bus/somtam cart.

[Dustdevil]

A lot of cherry-picked examples of US crime, and 11 murders in a two-month period in Oakland seems excessive although Oakland is basically a low-income, integrated ghetto. I've lived in a Pacific northwest city of 200,000 since last June and there hasn't been a single news report of a murder. In other crime, I've seen a report of one assault and one burglary.

The most dangerous cities are in Venezuela, Mexico (esp Juarez) and still Columbia. Brazil is not far behind and also places like Belize. Those of you yammering about Texas, I've llived in Houston at various times and found it comfortably safe. Indeed, immigrants from South America told me personally how glad they were to be in a safe place.

As for Commonwealth or European visitors always looking behind their shoulders during three-month visits to the US, what did you do--head straight for downtown Detroit or East St, Louis. Give me a break. You felt that way because you thought you were supposed to.

A further point: if you get killed by insane drivers, you're just as dead. Dead is dead. I always said that in the Gulf Middle East, where driving is far more dangerous than in Thailand.

[cbc]

I also think the report is wrong.Was living in Bangkok during the protest led by sutep.Walked to the intersection of sukhumvit and asoke and found myself smack dab in the middle of the protest at the inter section.Difficult to cross the intersection but the protesters were very friendly and courteous,even making room so I could pass with a smile.

[neon22yes]

Well I also think that there are others cities less safer than Bkk.

Just try to walk in Napoli after 22.00 expecially in some area close to San Giovanni aTeduccio

or even worst you can not even get inside Scampia

Same if you walk in some Milano areas like Quarto Giaro or Roma and Palermo too

Amsterdam and Paris as well feel not so safe

In my opinion Bangkok as metropolis is much more safer than europens capitals including Moskow Stocholm Madrid where i have been several times.

Anyways things happened everywhere but the perception of the safety here in Bkk where actually i am staying it' s pretty higher.

[Alfred Gruetzner]

what stupid ranking. I have been living for years since 1963 in Krungtep and visited this city again and again until these days and never, never felt unsafe, even in dark streets. On the contrary I encountered friendly and always helpful Bangkokians. Even Swiss cities do no more provide safety now as it was the case for many years in the past.. My Suggestion: Just Forget Mercer and feel happy in Bangkok.

[cumgranosalum]

Vancouver is a Western European city? Gee, I thought it was Chinese.

Yet another person too lazy to get their facts straight...

"Quality of Living remains high in North America, where Canadian cities dominate the top of the list. Vancouver (5) is the highest ranking city," - Mercer

[Thaidream]

Bangkok is much safer than most cities I have been in and that includes almost 50 countries. In my opinion Tokyo is probably the safest. I have walked in the streets in Bangkok at all hours of the day and night without feeling a threat. I understand the survey is for expats being sent to cities around the World for work but I believe their criteria is somewhat flawed. Real violence against foreigners in Thailand is rare.Normally Thai people avoid confrontations unless highly provoked.

[Christie Paul]

At first this report seems unfair.

Everyone knows that the chances of being seriously disturbed or threatened on the street in Bangkok is remote.

But the report is attempting to appropriate a weighted index of diverse risk.

It is a report directed towards corporate people, not retirees staggering around Nana.

Even so, Bangkok faired a little worse (but not much) than I would have expected.

[Old Croc]

Quite amusing all the posters who state they have lived somewhere for x amount of years and never been killed once!

I guess the people with an opposite viewpoint arn't here to express it.

[craigt3365]

I also think the report is wrong.Was living in Bangkok during the protest led by sutep.Walked to the intersection of sukhumvit and asoke and found myself smack dab in the middle of the protest at the inter section.Difficult to cross the intersection but the protesters were very friendly and courteous,even making room so I could pass with a smile.

Yet almost 30 were killed and over 800 injured. More during the previous protests. RPGs fired into crowds were a big problem.

[CoreanoOzzie]

Never felt threatened in Thailand, it is a safe place overall. Idiots will always complain though..

Edited February 26, 2016 by CoreanoOzzie

[Bangkok Barry]

Perhaps they chose the wrong things to base their findings on. And not just Bangkok. Interesting that TV highlighted both reports side-by-side. And the Samui incident is by no means a one-off, as we all know.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Bangkok Barry

[ddavidovsky]

it seems tht most "critics haven't read any of the report and also don't actually understand what it is about...Mercer is basically concerned with the EMPLOYMENT of expats by companies...and concentrates on what is on offer for expat employees of these companies.......

Mercer evaluates local living conditions in more than 440 cities surveyed worldwide. Living conditions are analysed according to 39 factors, grouped in 10 categories:

1. Political and social environment (political stability, crime, law enforcement, etc.).
2. Economic environment (currency exchange regulations, banking services).
3. Socio-cultural environment (media availability and censorship, limitations on personal freedom).
4. Medical and health considerations (medical supplies and services, infectious diseases, sewage, waste disposal, air pollution, etc.).
5. Schools and education (standards and availability of international schools).
6. Public services and transportation (electricity, water, public transportation, traffic congestion, etc.).
7. Recreation (restaurants, theatres, cinemas, sports and leisure, etc.).
8. Consumer goods (availability of food/daily consumption items, cars, etc.).
9. Housing (rental housing, household appliances, furniture, maintenance services).
10. Natural environment (climate, record of natural disasters).

It no doubt covers many things but people here are responding to this particular point (which is presented as a quote from the report):

"Following considerable political unrest and terrorist attacks in several tourist areas over the last few years, Bangkok ranked 173rd for personal safety". Persnal safety is more to do with the ability to walk the streets at night than the quality of banking services.

If that's a misquote, then this thread is a waste of time, but if that's what Mercer actually said, they're talking arrant nonsense.

[leeneeds]

Mercer would not know if their arse was on fire , what a load of rubbish, how this even gets printed as a bonafide report , when not one South American country is on that list , Where the <deleted> is Mexico, ? So as a paper report i would suggest to Mercer that they install the printed copies in their hong nam!

"when not one South American country is on that list" - looks to me like you haven't bothered to read the report....

"In South America, Montevideo (78), Buenos Aires (93), and Santiago (94) remain the highest ranking cities for quality of living, whereas Bogota (130), La Paz (156), and Caracas (185) rank lowest." - Mercer 2016

i think if you are going to criticise constructively (rather than just personal presuppositions) you should take the time to get better informed about what you are criticising.

My Apologies i was so angry when i read the flyer, and you are quiet correct, i will endeavour to ensure in the future to do as you requested.

[JeffreyO]

Mercer would not know if their arse was on fire , what a load of rubbish, how this even gets printed as a bonafide report , when not one South American country is on that list , Where the <deleted> is Mexico, ? So as a paper report i would suggest to Mercer that they install the printed copies in their hong nam!

Yup, what do they know... who cares about the fact that it's based on statistics of assault, robbery, rape, etc. Statistics don't matter, let's base it on our personal bias and our personal experience. You sir, are a dunce.

[KKr]

The worse the rating, the higher the Cost of Living and Security allowance.
When filling out the Survey, expatriates have consequently an incentive to skew their opinion.

[craigt3365]

The worse the rating, the higher the Cost of Living and Security allowance.

When filling out the Survey, expatriates have consequently an incentive to skew their opinion.

The results are not from expat surveys. They are very detailed reports with a variety of information taken from a variety of sources. Sadly, you have to pay to view the detailed report.

[JAG]

Mercer would not know if their arse was on fire , what a load of rubbish, how this even gets printed as a bonafide report , when not one South American country is on that list , Where the <deleted> is Mexico, ? So as a paper report i would suggest to Mercer that they install the printed copies in their hong nam!

Couldn't agree more. A friend from Brazil was visiting a while ago. He was comparing Thailand with his home country and was amazed how he could feel safe anywhere in Bangkok, even in the most impoverished of the city.

An other friend from Texas too told me once how he feel safe here, he even added : here you don't get shot at for a pair of shoes (??).

To finish, I've been an expat in Asia for more than 20 years. I've personally known two person who were killed in two separate criminal incidents in the Philippine and an other couple of people who were killed in traffic accident in China. Regarding Thailand it seems the principal cause of death here is old age ...

Actually, for foreigners, suicide and murder are the principle cause of death.

Maybe those statistics are somewhat skewed because expatriates with life threatening or terminal conditions beetle off to their home countries for treatment?

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

Vancouver is a Western European city? Gee, I thought it was Chinese.

Could also be mistaken for India, depends which area you are in.