Thailand ‘among top 20 most dangerous countries’ to visit

[Tofer]

6 hours ago, wakeupplease said:

Either way you look at it you know its right, a tourist nightmare place to visit

I don't which way you are looking at it, but from a 'tourist' perspective it is still an easy destination.

 

Relatively cheap.

Easy Visas & visa free entry for some.

Good & cheap transportation / taxi services (with certain exceptions, e.g. Phuket)

Abundance of accommodation and eatery choices / prices.

Thailand is one of the easiest countries I've ever visited on holiday with a choice of family, natural, cultural and sexpest venues to please all tastes.

Bangkok is one of the safest and most relaxed cities I've ever visited.

 

Keep your eyes open and engage brain / common sense and there should be little to be concerned about.

[jesimps]

How can a country in the iron grip of a junta be allowed to become one of the top twenty most dangerous countries in the world?

 

[uchibenkei]

I've never felt to be in danger here, same with the Philippines, but I stay away from the Muslim south areas in both countries.

Edited June 10, 2017 by uchibenkei

[Billy Bloggs]

17 hours ago, owenm said:

Melbourne, Australia has rampant crime of late. Forced home invasions, car jackings, aggravated burglaries and senseless crime.. In Bangkok I feel extremely safe and haven't had any issues, nor for anywhere in Thailand... Melbourne was the most liveable city but no longer... 

Yes but it is its own citizens at peril not tourists thats the difference, I feel safe here as well, but the police here target tourists trying for that few extra baht.

[Tofer]

55 minutes ago, Dazinoz said:

Well there goes my thoughts on moving to the Philippines.

I lived and worked in the PH for a year without incident. Got to keep your wits about you though. 

The worst thing is the begging and congestion in Manila.

Roads are no more dangerous than Thailand, but certainly as bad including the drivers. 

Their local cuisine is far less interesting than Thai.

Transportation infrastructure is inferior to Thailand.

The decent law abiding citizens are very friendly and helpful.

Finally as a western expat you are held in high esteem and respected, the complete opposite to Thailand. 

[Tofer]

19 minutes ago, uchibenkei said:

I've never felt to be in danger here, same with the Philippines, but I stay away from the Muslim south areas in both countries.

I visited Zamboanga, Southern Philippines the day after the Mayor was murdered in 1983 (ish), only heard about it on the flight enroute. The GF went to a rally in her yellow shirt the first evening, suffice to say I didn't accompany her. Still didn't feel uneasy the whole 4 days.

 

Yes there are bombing incidents in relation the Muslim protests, predominantly in the South, but I doubt there is a place anywhere in the world that is exempt from that danger these days. I don't believe Thailand is any more dangerous because of it.

[lvr181]

“We have enough surveillance cameras in public places..."  And they all work? 

 

"Hotel operators are required to submit their guest lists to authorities, ..."  Got nothing to do with the safety of foreigners but more to do with keeping track of foreigners for other reasons! 

 

The 'authorities' are great at telling imaginative stories. All about appearance with no substance.

 

 

[dunroaming]

It is talking about safety of tourists and not ex-pats who quickly learn the survival methods needed.

[nausea]

1 hour ago, bananafish said:

Maybe in terms of health and safety, and the trouble spots in the south, but on my personal judgement, Thailand is one of the safest places there is. The UK city I'm from is WAY more dangerous than Bangkok or Chiang Mai, in terms of getting mugged, robbed or beaten up. 

My thoughts exactly. I'd add the carnage on the roads, especially if you ride a motorbike/scooter, but in terms of personal violence, it's safe as houses compared to my home town. There's just a few high profile cases in the media which tend to distort people's perception, but these things happen everywhere.

[Kabula]

LOL........

 

 

 

[anon4637435435]

18 hours ago, owenm said:

Melbourne, Australia has rampant crime of late. Forced home invasions, car jackings, aggravated burglaries and senseless crime.. In Bangkok I feel extremely safe and haven't had any issues, nor for anywhere in Thailand... Melbourne was the most liveable city but no longer... 

As an ex melbournian i can tell you i feel quite the opposite. I stay in the city once a year with my family. People are nice really and if we could we would relocate but the $$$ to do it properly is no longer possible. Bad is everywhere. The difference is here people dont report the crimes like in aus. Aus police even though i have had my fair share of trouble being on the wrong side as a youngster i could certainly put faith in them to help in any situaion and the same as most citizens really. This report is about tourism and i think the chances of driving buses in to the ocean are a little slimmer and that sort of thinh so i think this rings true.

 

I just went for a ride on one of my big bikes. As i got to the next street where i usually let it rip i had a cow hearder guy push his cows out in front of me. The problem is i half expected it because i saw some racist neighbours at certain intervals watching and lineing each other. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to know people i dont know are trying to kill me.

 

 

 

[anto]

12 minutes ago, bsdthai said:

As an ex melbournian i can tell you i feel quite the opposite. I stay in the city once a year with my family. People are nice really and if we could we would relocate but the $$$ to do it properly is no longer possible. Bad is everywhere. The difference is here people dont report the crimes like in aus. Aus police even though i have had my fair share of trouble being on the wrong side as a youngster i could certainly put faith in them to help in any situaion and the same as most citizens really. This report is about tourism and i think the chances of driving buses in to the ocean are a little slimmer and that sort of thinh so i think this rings true.

 

I just went for a ride on one of my big bikes. As i got to the next street where i usually let it rip i had a cow hearder guy push his cows out in front of me. The problem is i half expected it because i saw some racist neighbours at certain intervals watching and lineing each other. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to know people i dont know are trying to kill me.

 

 

 

Total paranoia .You think the cow man wants one of his cows killed by a Melbourne Biker .Also Melbourne was nice when i visited 17 years ago .Was recently in the Gold coast for several months .No aggro ,but i heard that now many of the youth are on amphetamines ,similare to Yaba in Thailand . I was staying up in Tamborine mountain ,quite a well to do area .A man i knew up there had his house robbed in broad daylight by two druggies .

Edited June 10, 2017 by anto

[jethro69]

I was browsing through an hour earlier, and thought the article is a bit....well....over reacting.

That was just before I checked into my hotel and took a shower. One screw missing in the bloody showerhead, spraying water almost right into the lights. Well, still alive and no curly hair, but then I had a haircut yesterday, they too short anyway to get curly 

 

I see the article now in another perspective.

[anto]

5 minutes ago, jethro69 said:

I was browsing through an hour earlier, and thought the article is a bit....well....over reacting.

That was just before I checked into my hotel and took a shower. One screw missing in the bloody showerhead, spraying water almost right into the lights. Well, still alive and no curly hair, but then I had a haircut yesterday, they too short anyway to get curly 

 

I see the article now in another perspective.

Thats safe other than the shower head fell off .Water does not travel upward .Always check though that the shower water heater is earthed .

[TPI]

9 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

You mean since 1770

Now they are complaining that they don't have a treaty promising them money and land and and and! The 300,000 part aborigines in Oz not get all the benefits of being citizens plus they split a billion dollars between them as extra gratuity fo having more genarations in Oz that the european folks, who, after all only came about 250 years ago and made Oz the land of plenty it is today!

[jethro69]

3 minutes ago, anto said:

Thats safe other than the shower head fell off .Water does not travel upward .Always check though that the shower water heater is earthed .

I took the shower head off myself, or do you think I should leave it on like that?

Well, I don't usually travel with my multimeter, but of the few earth connections I did test, none did work. I switched to gas. Problem solved, cheaper too.

[anto]

On 6/10/2017 at 3:31 PM, jethro69 said:

I took the shower head off myself, or do you think I should leave it on like that?

Well, I don't usually travel with my multimeter, but of the few earth connections I did test, none did work. I switched to gas. Problem solved, cheaper too.

There is a button on all hot water shower heaters to test for earth .

[overherebc]

9 minutes ago, anto said:

There is a button on all hot water shower heaters to test for earth .

All?

[anto]

2 minutes ago, overherebc said:

All?

All in my house and the hotels i have been to  anyway.

[Dazinoz]

2 hours ago, Tofer said:

I lived and worked in the PH for a year without incident. Got to keep your wits about you though. 

The worst thing is the begging and congestion in Manila.

Roads are no more dangerous than Thailand, but certainly as bad including the drivers. 

Their local cuisine is far less interesting than Thai.

Transportation infrastructure is inferior to Thailand.

The decent law abiding citizens are very friendly and helpful.

Finally as a western expat you are held in high esteem and respected, the complete opposite to Thailand. 

 

I have visited Manila a couple of time but to very poor areas of Pateros and Tagig and agree with everything you say especially the last line. Found them much more friendly.

[William C F Pierce]

20 hours ago, lovelomsak said:

Please help me understand this article. 

 It says thailand is in the top 20 most dangerous countries to visit. Then next it says the report places Thailand  118 out of 136 countries. with a placement of 4 . I do not know about the rest of you but 118 seems to not be in the top 20. What is this article trying to say?

If 136th position is the worst, then 136 minus 118 = 18, which makes Thailand the 18th worst. Putting it in the top 20 worst. Still I wonder where the UK comes in these figures as a comparison.

[Rockee]

HOBART...
Give me a break, cold and wet.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Shaunduhpostman]

A lot wrong with this article. It makes it sound like the country is under some kind of seige: 

 

"Responsible military units in the capital say the junta has plenty of measures to assure safety and security for tourists. 

 

“We have enough surveillance cameras in public places and security officials are working in many locations to closely monitor groups of people who have the potential to create trouble,” said Chalermphon Srisawat, commander of the Second Cavalry Division.

 

The military has also engaged with hotels where foreign guests mostly stay to take care of safety and security, he said. 

 

Hotel operators are required to submit their guest lists to authorities, he said."

 

 

And Colombia is the worst even worse than say Somalia or Syria to visit? Rather ridiculous.

Edited June 10, 2017 by Shaunduhpostman
grammar

[Eli1]

21 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

Nah,

More fake news ! 

Ranked 20th should be ranked 1

[bbi1]

2 hours ago, jethro69 said:

I was browsing through an hour earlier, and thought the article is a bit....well....over reacting.

That was just before I checked into my hotel and took a shower. One screw missing in the bloody showerhead, spraying water almost right into the lights. Well, still alive and no curly hair, but then I had a haircut yesterday, they too short anyway to get curly 

 

I see the article now in another perspective.

From those 2 pics that's a pretty shithouse looking hotel. Is the price like 600 baht a night?

[bbi1]

28 minutes ago, Rockee said:

HOBART...
Give me a break, cold and wet.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

They should just convert Tasmania into one big prison and send all the prisoners there. It can be the next Alcatraz Island. Nobody in their right mind wants to live there anyway.

[Jonmarleesco]

Well, I'm sure the TAT will find the silver lining.

[jethro69]

3 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

From those 2 pics that's a pretty shithouse looking hotel. Is the price like 600 baht a night?

442 from Agoda 

Besides that issue with the shower it's far better than the place I used to stay @ 890.

This is the other side of the river, (Thonburi) and all what matters that I'm within reasonable walking distance to my friends place(s), and public transport. 

Unfortunately not lower Suk or KhaoSan Rd. Where you get a hotel every 50m.

[4MyEgo]

2 hours ago, TPI said:

Now they are complaining that they don't have a treaty promising them money and land and and and! The 300,000 part aborigines in Oz not get all the benefits of being citizens plus they split a billion dollars between them as extra gratuity fo having more genarations in Oz that the european folks, who, after all only came about 250 years ago and made Oz the land of plenty it is today!

You know there are some shallow people in this world.

 

Did the Aborigines invite the brits to come over and invade "their" lucky country, oops lets not start a political hot potato, lets just all bury our heads in the sand and or say we can;t undo what other did so many years ago because it suites us while we extract all the $'s out of your land, I mean OUR land

 

 

[bbi1]

1 minute ago, jethro69 said:

442 from Agoda 

Besides that issue with the shower it's far better than the place I used to stay @ 890.

This is the other side of the river, (Thonburi) and all what matters that I'm within reasonable walking distance to my friends place(s), and public transport. 

Unfortunately not lower Suk or KhaoSan Rd. Where you get a hotel every 50m.

I think you've found one of the cheapest hotels in BKK, no wonder the place is total garbage lol