People clearly get angry everywhere. But recently I have seen a noticeable increase in violent behaviour in LOS. This ranges from domestic violence through to the more obvious forms of violent behaviour. I sense a kind of underlying, even suppressed violence in LOS; against children (I have seen children beaten into submission to stop them crying..that word: "Nyap" and partners (seems to be a lot of throwing of things and TV has plenty of hitting and slapping) , against strangers, even the rather odd insistence on conformity and obedience which appears to breed resentment as much as compliance; and I suspect that the well documented nonsensical behaviour of vehicle drivers is latent road rage. Its been said that people in Europe 600 years ago were more febrile, more emotionally charged than they are now. Is Thailand any more violent than any other part of the world, do you think?

A suppression of emotions in the country has been common for all time, then it bursts out in the form of intense anger. Of course the male "control obsession " of women can explode. I'm sure there is a mass of domestic violence that is under the radar, far more than western societies!

Edited March 9, 201610 yr by kingalfred

9 years never seen a child beat. Where are you hanging out?

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

Some of the most violent people I have met in Thailand have been foreigners. There seems to be a certain kind of individual attracted to Thailand these days. Thais a pussycats by comparison.

9 years never seen a child beat. Where are you hanging out?

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

ThaiVisa.

I believe a number of posters would greatly beneficiate from leaving their keyboard and wandering outside in the real world.

10 years here and never encountered ANY of the things you describe.

The most common reference to violence is usually involving a foreigner and alchohol in "certain areas".

Not saying it doesnt happen, but no more or less than I see in the media of some other countries.

I cannot imagine for a minute that living under a military Junta, where one is not allowed to speak ones mind would have a detrimental effect on a whole nation.

It's beyond anything I can envisage that eventually the pent up feelings will explode. That those pent up feelings are occasionally seeping through the cracks is hardly surprising, and who is there to blame? the weaker, the foreigner, those that do not have the power to seek recourse?

The longer it goes on the more anger will eventually be unleashed. you cannot suppress a whole nation..

Many Thais are not able to solve their disputes by talking and discussing. The Thai culture avoid controversial discussions. Talking about problems is omitted. Therefore many problems get not solved and results in frustration and sometimes in violence.

Another point is that if you look the daily soap operas in the tv you will see that every dispute in these movies is ending with violence. Already children are looking this on a daily base. The result is violence between the people.

If alcohol suddenly became scarce, violence would drop very quickly.

Well i think Syria ,iraq,libya,for 3 and you certainley can't blame that on alcohol.

I agree OP.

Los Angeles is known for it's violence.

Some of the most violent people I have met in Thailand have been foreigners. There seems to be a certain kind of individual attracted to Thailand these days. Thais a pussycats by comparison.

But the Thais carry guns and knives.

My misses (male) family and friends are all criminals or police.

Murderers, drug dealers, gang members, rackets, extortionists and nearly all carry loaded hand guns 24/7.

(some are in prison for their offences)

I don't know any violent foreigners.

Edited March 9, 201610 yr by MaeJoMTB

9 years never seen a child beat. Where are you hanging out?

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

ThaiVisa.

I believe a number of posters would greatly beneficiate from leaving their keyboard and wandering outside in the real world.

But if you are on thai visa defending all things Thai, then you have no time to "wander outside'

Some of the most violent people I have met in Thailand have been foreigners. There seems to be a certain kind of individual attracted to Thailand these days. Thais a pussycats by comparison.

But the Thais carry guns and knives.

My misses (male) family and friends are all criminals or police.

Murderers, drug dealers, gang members, rackets, extortionists and nearly all carry loaded hand guns 24/7.

(some are in prison for their offences)

I don't know any violent foreigners.

I don't know any violent Thais. Why do you associate with criminals?

Haven't noticed an increase in violence lately. Or any violence at all, really.

This thread title would fit nicely in the "Biggest Lies Foreigners Tell Themselves" thread.

Some of the most violent people I have met in Thailand have been foreigners. There seems to be a certain kind of individual attracted to Thailand these days. Thais a pussycats by comparison.

But the Thais carry guns and knives.

My misses (male) family and friends are all criminals or police.

Murderers, drug dealers, gang members, rackets, extortionists and nearly all carry loaded hand guns 24/7.

(some are in prison for their offences)

I don't know any violent foreigners.

I don't know any violent Thais. Why do you associate with criminals?

I don't associate with criminals, but I can't choose my wife's family or her friends from the past.

Although, the police come in handy sometimes.

I've just assumed all Thais families are like that, and assumed most foreigners never noticed.

Maybe I'm wrong with my assumptions ..... but maybe I'm not.

Edited March 9, 201610 yr by MaeJoMTB

Violence, sadly, is common. Was disgusted when an acquaintance beat her 23 year old, university student, daughter for having a boyfriend. An 87 year old friend was attacked when he took a picture of a taxi charging exorbitant fares. Violence is common everywhere today, sadly. Thailand is probably safer than many places in the US and Europe.

speaking of children, does anybody know what became of that 26 year old cockroach who beat to death a toddler , captured on cctv?

The OP is suffering from media invoked confirmation bias.

You will never read, "15,000,000" Thai schoolchildren happily got up, had breakfast, safetly went to school, came home, watched TV and went to bed without being abducted, molested or beaten.

But once you read about one incident, then suddenly you can find another three in a short space of time, inferring that every kid is being beaten half to death.

If alcohol suddenly became scarce, violence would drop very quickly.

or it could increase, ever heard of withdrawal symptoms....

Thailand is simply becoming "Westernized"

If alcohol suddenly became scarce, violence would drop very quickly.

or it could increase, ever heard of withdrawal symptoms....

I suppose you may have a point.

There is violence but again its every where now , call it a multicultural curse.

It does seem that the the potential for violence is just under the surface when dealing with certain demographics... especially when exposed to 'loss of face'...

Beit the taxi driver who's just had someone take a photo of his number plate after refusing someone a fare, a drunk-boyfriend who's girl is chatting with another guy, a tuk-tuk driver trying to over-charge, touts in Patpong trying to push you in their bar...

It seems that a mixture of Thai Males + Alcohol this potential for violence increases... That said, I've been drinking with my close Thai friends for over 15 years and never encountered a major issue, certainly nothing more serious than I'd see in the UK.

For the most part Violence in Thailand is easily avoided... Indiscriminate violence & muggings etc seems quite rare, certainly more rare than in the UK City Centres.

We are a violent species by nature. Thais are not excepted from our genetic code.

i guess the way you behave and the places you go affect the amount of violence you will experience.

i have been here many years living a normal middle class lifestyle; i dont drink, dont go to bars & dont participate in the sex industry, i cant think of any time i have seen violence here. arguments, expressions of verbal anger sure, but violence, no.

Seen a gang-murdered body of a teenager a decade ago in a $hit-kicker village outside Nakhon Phanom, result of a post temple-fayre bust-up that was predicted by my squeeze of the month when we were in attendance.

After my wife's birthday party last night I went home early. My wife arived 2 hours later saying they had not continued drinking/socialising; apparently her brother-in-law and a good friend, who were both pished decided to challenge each other to a fight and ex-Muay Thai BIL was always gonna win that one. Everyone had spent an hour in the local hospital making sure the friend was all right.

Just usual village life in Isaan I fear.

I don't detect it's getting worse though. Young boys in motorbike gangs have been breaking up fayres and parties towards their conclusion, some of which turn fatal, for a decade and more I understand. Takes me back to Mods (scooter-boys & Rockers (bikers) in the UK in the 60s.

I agree with the poster that said you can avoid all this cr&p if you live a genteel middle class lifestyle in Thailand. Same the world over. I used to in falangland and it took some time to adjust to living in the real world

Edited March 10, 201610 yr by SantiSuk

I don't really see much violence - if you go by media, it is certainly less violent than the West - discipline does exist - I have never seen it abused. Yes, when Thai go off they can get hot tempered, but doesn't this exist everywhere...

And I think when it comes to violence, both Thai and farang here, my first thought is was there alcohol in the equation... and most often, there is....

13 years here and only problem I have had has been from farang (by the way what is the equivalent term for "trailer trash" if describing same from UK?....anyhow thats the kind I mean)