What's killing Americans in Thailand?

[webfact]

What's killing Americans in Thailand?
By EVO TERRA


Featured image is by angus mcdiarmid and used under a Creative Commons licence

BANGKOK: -- Inspired by a recent piece by Time Magazine on deaths abroad, I took a deep dive into the U.S. State Department’s mortality records for citizens living abroad.

I figured that if I’m going to make Thailand my home, I might as well figure out the most likely way it’ll try to kill me.

Would it be death by a cobra attack? Shot while poking around dark sois where I didn’t belong? Or maybe struck by a motorscooter zooming illegally down the sidewalk?

None of those, actually.

Sadly — and probably not at all surprising to many — I’m more likely to die by suicide than anything.

Though motorscooter accidents come in a close second.

Apparently it is the fall that kills you

Looking at the deadly data collected across all of Thailand and ignoring for a moment the obvious categories, it seems that Americans are twice as likely to die by falling as they are by being executed or by becoming a victim of terror.

Good news to my friends and family: it doesn’t look like we Americans are being targeted all that often by foreign powers.

Then again, just because we’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get us. Both of those state-sanctioned means are twice as likely to kill as than when the car we’re traveling in is struck by either a train or a bus.

So we’ve got that going for us.

But those are just raw numbers of all deaths for Americans over the last decade or so, and Thailand is a big country.

I wanted to understand the risks I really faced. So after hours spent cleaning up poorly spelled city names and normalizing death categories entered by countless fat-fingered bureaucrats, I found some interesting facts.

(Feel free to check my math. The data is online if you’ve also a curious mind and too much free time.)

Bangkok is below average

When population density is factored in, Bangkok is actually a pretty safe place to be, relatively speaking. Of the 49 geographical areas on the list, my adopted home ranks 29th, putting it markedly below average.

What city tops the list? Pattaya, of course.

Americans are 36 times more likely to die there, with suicide and motorscooter accidents as the leading causes of death to Americans.

Full story: http://whatsonsukhumvit.com/whats-killing-americans-in-thailand/


-- (c) What's on Sukhumvit 2016-03-28

[Reigntax]

When push comes to shove, its not only the yanks taking the Pattaya plunge or the suspicious solo sky dive.

Edited March 27, 2016 by Reigntax

[ezzra]

The numbers of death by nationalities are in direct correlations to their numbers in that place, it doesn't seems

to be that one country is losing more people than others, case in point of Aussie fatalities in Thailand,

Since July last year, 109 Australians have died in Thailand and around 150 were hospitalised due to sickness or injuries,

Figures released by the British government showed that between 2011 and 2012 there were 296 British deaths in Thailand.

In the 12 months up to April 1, 2013 there were 389 British deaths in Thailand, while in the same period up to April 2014 there were 362 deaths and 267 hospitalizations of British tourists.....

[Mango Bob]

There are a lot of idiots coming here from every country who kill die here thinking you can get away with anything here.

[canathai8]

When push comes to shove, its not only the yanks taking the Pattaya plunge or the suspicious solo sky dive.

They call it the Pattaya Flying Club - Bangkok has one too

Chiang Mai? Not so much

Must be something in the air

Like you say Reigntax - they don't all get shoved over those short balconies now do they

It's usually all about booze, broads, money, unresolved personality issues and unmet expectations

So lower your expectations

But seriously - a lot take the leap when their health fails

Why they'd rather leap than go home and get treatment is a small book - and case-specific, despite many inherent similarities in the subjects

[leeneeds]

Need a new sales pitch " we only sell basement condos where the fall won't kill you"

" live longer buy a ground floor "

" second floor comes with leg insurance "

" our balconies come with nets "

" breath testing before doors open is our standard "

Be careful in the jungle.

[canathai8]

The numbers of death by nationalities are in direct correlations to their numbers in that place, it doesn't seems

to be that one country is losing more people than others, case in point of Aussie fatalities in Thailand,

Since July last year, 109 Australians have died in Thailand and around 150 were hospitalised due to sickness or injuries,

Figures released by the British government showed that between 2011 and 2012 there were 296 British deaths in Thailand.

In the 12 months up to April 1, 2013 there were 389 British deaths in Thailand, while in the same period up to April 2014 there were 362 deaths and 267 hospitalizations of British tourists.....

A lot of them die because they take on more inherent risk in Thailand than in their country of origin - by default - a rite of passage - like why wear a safety helmet man?

In a country with latent and dangerous infrastructure

To trap the unwary, unlucky, foolish and ignorant

Add onto that a lax, fatalistic Thai cultural mentality towards death

And monkey see-monkey-do - in terms of tourists mimicking Thai driving habits

VOILA!

The "perfect" storm for foreigner fatality after fatality - by unnatural cause

And on another note: In the vein of the proverbial monkey-see-monkey-do - a ton of them get arcane Buddhist tattoos - but have little idea what the inscriptions really mean

They walk around Koh Phi Phi by the millions - a rite of passage you see..

[jabis]

Need a new sales pitch " we only sell basement condos where the fall won't kill you"

" live longer buy a ground floor "

" second floor comes with leg insurance "

" our balconies come with nets "

" breath testing before doors open is our standard "

Be careful in the jungle.

Your last point would be killing by proxy - soi dogs would maul the passed out falang outside the building door? x)

[chiang mai]

16 RTA deaths, 11 suicides - Pattaya, plenty of retirees and plenty of high rise buildings.

As a percentage of visitors the numbers are very small.

This is a non-story.

[colinneil]

Whats killing Americans in Thailand?

Drink/drugs, low balconies, greedy wifes/girlfriends, old age.

The same things that are killing many farangs here.

[NongKhaiKid]

Ask Donald Trump, he's sure to have an answer.

[NeverSure]

"Apparently it is the fall that kills you."

Naw, I'd say it's hitting at the bottom of the fall, but that's just me.

[klauskunkel]

What's killing Americans in Thailand?

Pizza 1112

[jadee]

This is a non-story - whoever wrote it should have checked the 'Important Note' section - "Only those deaths reported to the Department of State and deaths that can be established as non-natural are included"
Doh!
Heart disease, cancer and respiratory diseases are by far the leading causes of deaths and living in Thailand isn't going to help expats of any nationality avoid them. Think of all the fat, salt, sugar and MSG loaded into all the food here, especially western food, coupled with dirt-cheap cigarettes. It's not a good combination. It was only a few years ago that Carls Jr. opened in Thailand, the way some of those burgers are loaded up, it may as well be the Heart Attack Grill.

[upena]

Any numbers provided to US State Dept had to come from Thai Gov so they are worthless

[phitsanulokjohn]

To me,life is a journey and not a race.

My key to a nice life,is obviously good health and finding contentment,and i'm very grateful to possess both.

Depression is an awful illness that causes so many suicides,and they're happening everywhere,but Pattaya especially seems to be having more than it's fair share of late, amongst a host of nationalities,not just USA citizens.Very sad.

[Prbkk]

Sure a key point, for every nationality, is the attitude/view that Thailand represents a solution rather than an alternative/change of direction. Thailand is a great place but, for the already vulnerable, it can be a very dangerous one, particularly when all bridges have been burned.

[DavisH]

I'd rather take my chances in a dark alley in Bangkok than one in New York City....or Sydney for that matter....Most of the causes of death in Thailand are easily avoidable or the risk can be markedly reduced.

[trogers]

They probably didn't factor inflation into their financial planning. No money, no honey!

[Roomuck]

F

Whats killing Americans in Thailand?

Drink/drugs, low balconies, greedy wifes/girlfriends, old age.

The same things that are killing many farangs here.

With suicides, drugs/drink and motorbike accidents causing most of the deaths we can conclude that they are a big danger to themselves.

[uthaithanirules]

The numbers of death by nationalities are in direct correlations to their numbers in that place, it doesn't seems

to be that one country is losing more people than others, case in point of Aussie fatalities in Thailand,

Since July last year, 109 Australians have died in Thailand and around 150 were hospitalised due to sickness or injuries,

Figures released by the British government showed that between 2011 and 2012 there were 296 British deaths in Thailand.

In the 12 months up to April 1, 2013 there were 389 British deaths in Thailand, while in the same period up to April 2014 there were 362 deaths and 267 hospitalizations of British tourists.....

The reverse is also true. when you look at the split of where all the travellers from your home country are going, all things even out

We see a lot of stories about foreigner deaths in Thailand, some years more aussies are killed in Thailand, than any other overseas country, put its also pretty much their top tourist destination.

In terms of number of deaths per 100,000 travellers, greece is just as deadly to australians, even the UK is up there.

Even with thais themsleves, last year over songkram almost 80% of road fatalities involved a motocycle. Near impossible to get stats for the whole year, but if its a similar thing....

If driving around in a car, do thai roads even come close to being the 2nd most dangerous in the world, or is it really about the culture of driving around with 5 people on a moped combined with the thai sense of entitlement, combined with alcohol, combined with the thai police seemingly unaware of what a RBT is, combined with they cant drive for crap

[NCC1701A]

what we can take away from this.

Fewer Americans visit and live in Thailand than other nationalities.

Americans don't like Bangkok.

Chiang Mai is like a humid and polluted version of a Northern California city full of hippies.

Americans go directly to Islands in Thailand.

Americans like boom boom.

Scooters and motorcycles are dangerous.

Swimming and water can be dangerous.

High places are dangerous.

Edited March 28, 2016 by NCC1701A

[sabaii69]

When push comes to shove, its not only the yanks taking the Pattaya plunge or the suspicious solo sky dive.

It is NOT the fall that kills you. It's the sudden stop.

[piersbeckett]

The numbers of death by nationalities are in direct correlations to their numbers in that place, it doesn't seems

to be that one country is losing more people than others, case in point of Aussie fatalities in Thailand,

Since July last year, 109 Australians have died in Thailand and around 150 were hospitalised due to sickness or injuries,

Figures released by the British government showed that between 2011 and 2012 there were 296 British deaths in Thailand.

In the 12 months up to April 1, 2013 there were 389 British deaths in Thailand, while in the same period up to April 2014 there were 362 deaths and 267 hospitalizations of British tourists.....

Well said ezzra. So it seems that there is nothing that is 'killing Americans in Thailand' that is peculiar to their being American and why would there be; apart from statistics, Americans that come to Thailand are likely to originate from Europe and to have come from different states in the vastness of North America!

[piersbeckett]

I dunno; possibly that their self importance is totally lost on the Thai people and all the other nationalities living there?

[cumgranosalum]

what we can take away from this.

Fewer Americans visit and live in Thailand than other nationalities.

Americans don't like Bangkok.

Chiang Mai is like a humid and polluted version of a Northern California city full of hippies.

Americans go directly to Islands in Thailand.

Americans like boom boom.

Scooters and motorcycles are dangerous.

Swimming and water can be dangerous.

High places are dangerous.

What we can take Away from this - stats to this poster are like pearl before swine.

[starchild5]

When people have nothing to loose...They loose it

[HLover]

And they lose it.

[NCC1701A]

what we can take away from this.

Fewer Americans visit and live in Thailand than other nationalities.

Americans don't like Bangkok.

Chiang Mai is like a humid and polluted version of a Northern California city full of hippies.

Americans go directly to Islands in Thailand.

Americans like boom boom.

Scooters and motorcycles are dangerous.

Swimming and water can be dangerous.

High places are dangerous.

What we can take Away from this - stats to this poster are like pearl before swine.

thanks for the insult. Please don't be rude and insult or attack other forum members. Thank you.

[DavisH]

I'd rather take my chances in a dark alley in Bangkok than one in New York City....or Sydney for that matter....Most of the causes of death in Thailand are easily avoidable or the risk can be markedly reduced.