Are there any truly dangerous places in Thailand?

[eldragon]

Are there any truly dangerous places in Thailand? Or should I say where are the dangerous places in Thailand? And no, I'm not talking about soi 6 Pattaya with your last 1,000 baht in your pocket. Or any other place where you could get yourself in trouble by being an idiot, like as an unwanted guest at an all Japanese club or something. Let's also rule out vehicular danger, since we all know you roll the dice on that any time you walk out the front door in the Land of Smiles. I mean places where a man can get himself hurt by another human in Thailand simply by minding his own business. (I assume almost everywhere is dangerous for women when the sun goes down.) 

 

I know there's some rough neighborhoods in Bangkok, but nothing the reeks of "you will definitely lose your wallet if you go there". Some of my Thai friends have suggested rural Thailand is not safe for a lone foreigner at night. And I've heard legends about some heavily armed militant groups that grow drugs in the mountains. I assume they wouldn't be too happy if you walked up on their stash.

Edited December 16, 2016 by eldragon

[impulse]

Violent crime is reported in annual victims per 100,000 population.  I recall the number in the USA is about 400 per 100,000 population.  Assuming Thailand is about the same, even a place that's crazy dangerous would have a rate like 4,000 per 100,000 in a given year.  That's about 11 per 100,000 people on any given day.

 

So even if you hung out in a crazy dangerous area (barring doing those stupid things you ruled out), your chances of being victimized in any given day are about one in ten thousand.

 

My point?  People who tell you "I've lived here for 30 years and never been mugged" don't know whether the place is safe or not.   They don't have enough data.  Someone living 30 years in an average US location would have about a 10% chance of being a victim in that time, and 90% chance of not being a victim.  (I use USA numbers because I don't trust any published numbers that may affect Thai tourism)

 

One caveat:  Don't get between a Brit and his barstool.  Do that, and all bets are off...

Edited December 16, 2016 by impulse

[eldragon]

8 minutes ago, impulse said:

Violent crime is reported in annual victims per 100,000 population.  I recall the number in the USA is about 400 per 100,000 population.  Assuming Thailand is about the same, even a place that's crazy dangerous would have a rate like 4,000 per 100,000 in a given year.  That's about 11 per 100,000 people on any given day.

 

So even if you hung out in a crazy dangerous area (barring doing those stupid things you ruled out), your chances of being victimized in any given day are about one in ten thousand.

 

My point?  People who tell you "I've lived here for 30 years and never been mugged" don't know whether the place is safe or not.   They don't have enough data.  Someone living 30 years in an average US location would have about a 10% chance of being a victim in that time, and 90% chance of not being a victim.  (I use USA numbers because I don't trust any published numbers that may affect Thai tourism)

 

One caveat:  Don't get between a Brit and his barstool.  Do that, and all bets are off...

 

Ok, but I guess I'm talking about specific places. Like, there are places in USA where a white guy in a collered shirt and golf shorts will probably lose his wallet within a few minutes of stepping off a bus. There are also some white trash areas where I probably would not go if I wasn't white. Is there anything like that here in Thailand?

[worgeordie]

The most dangerous places in Thailand are the roads,many people killed everyday,

its the only place in Thailand I don't really feel safe.

regards Worgeordie

[The Dancer]

If it's a South Side of Chicago wannabe that you are looking for, where you can get robbed, beaten and yours brains blown out just for saying hi, then you're in the wrong country.

 

Why? Because you've made more than a 1000 posts so presumably lived here for years and yet have to ask. If there were such an infamous hellhole in the vicinity you would've heard of it by now. No? I've been here more than 10 years and haven't either.

 

Which is not to say there aren't gangs, mafiosos, drug rings, khan pens (assassins) and such. But it's very unlikely you're going to run into them from getting off at the wrong stop.

Edited December 16, 2016 by The Dancer

[eldragon]

8 minutes ago, The Dancer said:

If it's a South Side of Chicago wannabe that you are looking for, where you can get robbed, beaten and yours brains blown out just for saying hi, then you're in the wrong country.

 

Why? Because you've made more than a 1000 posts so presumably lived here for years and yet have to ask. If there were such an infamous hellhole in the vicinity you would've heard of it by now. No? I've been here more than 10 years and haven't either.

 

Which is not to say there aren't gangs, mafiosos, drug rings, khan pens (assassins) and such. But it's very unlikely you're going to run into them from getting off at the wrong stop.

 

I agree. When I came here as a tourist ten years ago, a German guy told me about a mythical section of Bangkok he described as the city's "south side", but I've never seen it, or even heard about it since then. Closest thing I've ever seen is a row of towers at the end of On Nut 46. Thailand seems somewhat unique among large cities in the way the poor live alongside the rich. Diversified housing is usually a good crime deterrent.

[mduras01]

Surprised no one mentioned the South of Thailand. A lot of unrest and people, cops, officials get shot regularly. Has that changed?


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[godblessemall]

35 minutes ago, mduras01 said:

Surprised no one mentioned the South of Thailand. A lot of unrest and people, cops, officials get shot regularly. Has that changed?


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I think they target specific people such as soldiers, monks, teachers & other Govt officials. I don't think foreigners are in danger unless just catching a stray bullet or bomb.

[JusMe]

Avoid the semi-park areas under most of the bridges late at night.  Often hangouts for those who'd prefer to smack you on the head and take your wallet than offer you a drink from their bottle.

[colinchaffers]

I live in rural Thailand and my family will always make sure someone is with me if in want to go out.

I'm not sure how to say it but the attitude to life and death is different in Thailand and people can be at risk unknowingly.

My wife has warned me certain risks and most have surfaced in the press overtime.

But as always when travelling in a foreign country anywhere in the world, you should be sensible about what you do, think more about security (but don't over do it), because that would be wrong.

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[kannot]

"shit" Iv e lived out in "rural"  Thailand "Alone"  (Wife in BKK)for 4  years now...............no gate into my property......had aguy steal fish once but that was when we were emptying our  pond and in the  middle of the day whilst we were doing it................he  just waded into the mud to get fish at the bottom.....Wife told him to P.Off

Lucky Im still alive  then?

Sometimes wake  up 1-2 am go for a stroll round the 15  rai  looking for interesting animals/snakes/birds etc............never  see a  soul, never  had  a problem, dont know if its safe or  not but unless something happens Ill keep doing what Im doing

Edited December 16, 2016 by kannot

[pigeonjake]

as you know kannot ive lived in the sticks for years, nothing,

i go all over the place on my own in the truck or motorbike

[kannot]

11 minutes ago, pigeonjake said:

as you know kannot ive lived in the sticks for years, nothing,

i go all over the place on my own in the truck or motorbike

could  be  the  "smell" that puts  these bands  of  vicious  marauders  off?

[malt25]

Similar to as said above. I walk for kilos around the countryside here & ride the bike all over the place, alone. Feel much safer here than in many "multicultural " zones back in Oz.

But I'm sure if I went looking for trouble, it would easily find me.

 

[balo]

As long as you do not irritate any of the locals and make them lose face , you're safe in Thailand.  But late at night you could meet some very drunk and drugged people , I would say it's more unsafe in tourist areas than out in the rural areas.   Most Thais will ignore you completely , not always a good thing though. 

 

[pumpjack]

pook bar /  soi 6 

[davetrout]

I was on the surin border with cambodia at the border markets. These two bad ass cambodians were checking me out to roll me for sure. I was lucky and lost them from some cunning manourves, i was lucky that day. That is the only time i have had trouble here in thailand and they wern't thais.

[mick220675]

Living on the Cambodian border we had a few murders and of course a couple of military skirmishes, there are regular knife fights and the odd shooting. But the roads have claimed more lives than any other thing.

 

Personally I never go out at night and have never felt threatened, from what I see ever the drug dealers and drunks will do any thing to avoid any trouble with farangs. 

 

In my younger more stupid days I would go drinking in Cambodia with solders, get pissed leaving my self open to be robbed or worse, but never had a problem. 

[eldragon]

6 hours ago, colinchaffers said:

I'm not sure how to say it but the attitude to life and death is different in Thailand and people can be at risk unknowingly.

 

 

Good way of putting it.

Edited December 17, 2016 by eldragon

[dbrenn]

10 hours ago, worgeordie said:

The most dangerous places in Thailand are the roads,many people killed everyday,

its the only place in Thailand I don't really feel safe.

regards Worgeordie

Right. On average, 60 people die on the roads every single day.

[sipi]

I had a lady who tried to take advantage of me but I managed to fight her off. 

[pgrahmm]

1 hour ago, mick220675 said:

Living on the Cambodian border we had a few murders and of course a couple of military skirmishes, there are regular knife fights and the odd shooting. But the roads have claimed more lives than any other thing.

 

Personally I never go out at night and have never felt threatened, from what I see ever the drug dealers and drunks will do any thing to avoid any trouble with farangs. 

 

In my younger more stupid days I would go drinking in Cambodia with solders, get pissed leaving my self open to be robbed or worse, but never had a problem. 

Border towns always have risks...The predators are always about.....Easy to cross - do a crime & go back to a different country/state/jurisdiction....

 

I traveled a lot in the states & avoided border towns - especially ones bordering 3-4-5 states....

[topt]

1 hour ago, pumpjack said:

pook bar /  soi 6 

I take it you have not been to or even passed Pook bar in Soi Buakhaow recently......

[Kwasaki]

14 hours ago, eldragon said:

Some of my Thai friends have suggested rural Thailand is not safe for a lone foreigner at night. And I've heard legends about some heavily armed militant groups that grow drugs in the mountains. I assume they wouldn't be too happy if you walked up on their stash.

 

Never found rural Thailand a problem even getting totally lost. 

Heavily armed is overkill there are grow drug places for sure but you would be well off track to stumble upon them and highly unlikely. 

Personally l would steer clear of over populated muslim areas in Thailand and from road travel in far south areas heading towards Malaysia.  

[DDBKK]

There's a couple in BKK that I wouldn't recommend hanging around especially if you've had a drink. 

 

To the left of the main road (Ratchadamnoen Klang road) down by khao san/grand palace. There's a neighbourhood there that's pretty sketchy at night. 

 

Klong toei also has a reputation although I've never personally heard of anyone encountering it. 

 

In saying that I've foolishly ended up in some random locations in the early hours of the morning after a hard night out and never felt in the slightest bit threatened anywhere in Thailand. 

 

The Thais do tend to have a "you don't <deleted> with me and I won't <deleted> with you" kinda attitude. Which is nice. 

 

Oh, almost forgot. Kho Tao is a worthy mention. Clearly some VERY dangerous people in charge there.

[puffy]

There are some parts of Bangyai which is a Redshirt stronghold area and would be dangerous at night. I live near there and although absolutely fine in the day, many of my Thai friends have said it would be dangerous for a foreigner to go out at night there.

[georgemandm]

No thailand is not that dangerous no more then you home country I think .

but like back home would not walk down a side  ally at night 

[al007]

50 minutes ago, puffy said:

There are some parts of Bangyai which is a Redshirt stronghold area and would be dangerous at night. I live near there and although absolutely fine in the day, many of my Thai friends have said it would be dangerous for a foreigner to go out at night there.

 

 

Nothing wrong with the redshirts, they are normal people

 

Danger just the ROADS

[Khun Robert]

Most dangerous place i Visited was a bar.

Many expats used to sit down and drink all night there.

Ended up at least 3 times a week in fights between them.

[NickJ]

One truly horrible and dangerous place used to be my home in Pranburi.  When my ex would go off her meds. It's hard to hide a collection of Swords. Not to mention anything within arms length to throw.