Thailand ‘among top 20 most dangerous countries’ to visit

[Foozool]

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

ooh , ok !!!!!! 

thank you 

[Bartman1369]

2 hours ago, dotpoom said:

I didn't read the full article because I seen immediatly that it was pure B/S.

    If one thinks Thailand is right up there for crime and violence then they have never been to Europe (all of it but some countries worse than others). I have never been to the USA so cannot comment.

  I still look on in amazement after 17 years in this country when I see people walking around with phones half sticking out of back pockets (the phone wouldn't last 5 mins. in my country it would be gone in the blink of an eye and my country has the name ...."land of Saints and Scholars").

  I see bars, businesses and homes leave furniture, plants and all sorts of stuff out all night without fearing it will be gone the next morning.

   I see people leave tools and valuble stuff in the back of pick up's. I could go on and on without fear.

    In Europe you have to make sure everything is locked and bolted to the floor. I know plants and garden furniture are constantly stolen and end up in a Sunday market in another part of the country. They even rob public statues, nothing is safe. It's no surprise if your roof is missing when you wake up some morning.

   Role on Thailand where old, young, ladies, children and men are still relatively safe walking alone for a strole in the evenings.

I agree with most of your comments but this is not only about theft.

 

It's about many other factors also. How safe are you when you visit the Kingdom? The roads are extremely dangerous. I have seen accidents here than a lifetime in UK. 

 

The people paid to protect you here typically only protect their own interests.

 

Health and safety is almost non existent. Footpaths are almost as dangerous as the roads. Boat accidents lifts falling etc etc

[bbbbooboo]

hmmm..... this would come as no surprise to most people with a brain..... but TIT

[silent]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

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.

How is that improving safety and security for "guests" ?

[Tchooptip]

That is why on the same site of the World economic forum you'll find another article which says Thailand is the third South-East Asia’s most tourism-friendly destinations 

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/04/south-east-asia-s-most-tourism-friendly-destinations

[vivasamui]

14 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?

Bottom 20 safest = top 20 most dangerous

 

[Dustdevil]

1 hour ago, RikDao said:

Oh, another one of THESE threads.

 

Hey, I'll meet ya on the West Side of Chicago at 8. If I'm late, just hang in there, don't worry, I'll see ya soon! And if we survive, next week we can meet on the South Side! K?

 

Now I noticed the Phils didn't score too well, either. Well, they're currently in open warfare, aren't they?

In the Pasig area of Manila where I stayed, which is relatively decent, you have to pass through a metal detector if you're staying at a 3-star hotel, and also to enter the SM Megamall (one of the city's largest). If you're staying at the nearby Shangri La, no metal detectors. I don't know about the Makati district.

[johnarth]

it is funny, my family tell me they miss me much, but when I tell them, jump on a cheap flight, and come for a holiday, they all find excuses why they can not come, Now they have a good excuse.

[Dustdevil]

I currently reside in Boise, Idaho, which I consider the Pacific Northwest since it's only 450 miles east of Portland, Oregon on the coast. Boise's greater metro population is a half million. I've been here a full two years and, bizarre as it sounds, have yet to hear of a violent crime on the local news or read of one in the newspapers. Not even more than a handful of burglaries. I leave my groceries in front of my apartment door all the time while I park the car...Amazon parcels sit out all day while people are at work...haven't heard of any thefts. The big news was one of those irate ranchers who thinks all government is evil being shot by a deputy out in the country a couple of years back. Well, go figure. In any case I'm only here instead of Seattle or Portland (where yes of course crime exists) because it's cheaper here but shopping is excellent and night life is OK. What Boise certainly lacks is Thai beauties. I really like Chiang Mai--love the women and love those Rimping supermarkets, and the general sense of Asianess. Can do without the Chinese tour groups, though.

Edited June 10, 2017 by Dustdevil

[whatawonderfulday]

There is no Police service.  Only a disservice

[billmichael]

15 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?

I took it to mean within twenty (20) places of the bottom such as 136-118 equals 18.

Not much to brag about when you are 18th from the bottom.

See, this makes me nuts because I really want to visit Thailand on vacation (the vacation of a lifetime I might add).  I want to see the temples, the elephants, the markets, the street vendors, Siam Center, the whole ball of wax but it really sounds a bit spooky.  Even if the police are famous for comparisons to "organized crime" can't they see the need to make Thailand a safe place for tourists while carrying on their other business affairs?  Las Vegas is a place that was (maybe still is) well known for being run by organized crime however it is safe and welcoming to tourists.  I say this from the point of view that the tradition of corruption will never be remedied but that doesn't mean that there cannot be precision focus by organized crime on what is most important for the prosperity of Thailand and its population.  I cannot be the only one that thinks this way.

[whatawonderfulday]

Of course if that was really true then Donald Trump,   Putin and Teresa May should spend much more time here

[JDMCanuck]

I know I said this before to catcalls from all the negative people but my visits to Thailand have been trouble free. Alone , late at night in all the usual walking places. Beaches, late at night, small villages amongst locals. It is impossible to compare accurately as I would way rather take my chances 2AM in  Bangkok, Pattaya  or Chiang Mai than , Los Angeles , Vancouver, Mexico City or any other North American city.  There are bad spots and bad people everywhere you go. If you get drunk and stupid I think it has way more to do with what happens to you than what touristy country you are in. It just happens that Thailand is a place where people come to unfortunately to do just that. My little small town in BC Canada is just as dangerous if you think you can come in and be stupid drunk. Some local wherever you go in the world is going to clue you in to proper manners right quick if you act up.  Just my thoughts. 

[Dustdevil]

Just now, billmichael said:

I took it to mean within twenty (20) places of the bottom such as 136-118 equals 18.

Not much to brag about when you are 18th from the bottom.

See, this makes me nuts because I really want to visit Thailand on vacation (the vacation of a lifetime I might add).  I want to see the temples, the elephants, the markets, the street vendors, Siam Center, the whole ball of wax but it really sounds a bit spooky.  Even if the police are famous for comparisons to "organized crime" can't they see the need to make Thailand a safe place for tourists while carrying on their other business affairs?  Las Vegas is a place that was (maybe still is) well known for being run by organized crime however it is safe and welcoming to tourists.  I say this from the point of view that the tradition of corruption will never be remedied but that doesn't mean that there cannot be precision focus by organized crime on what is most important for the prosperity of Thailand and its population.  I cannot be the only one that thinks this way.

Vegas ran the Italian Mafia out of town a long time ago. In fact there's not much left of it in New York.  I think Vegas is primarily legit these days, though I have no clue whether the Russian mafia has penetrated the casinos much or not.

[Wullie Mercer]

15 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?

Top of the list is 136, and lowest ranking i.e worst listed first, I think, but not sure, sound familiar!!! 

[StevieAus]

15 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... 

Sydney is not much better and there are plenty of cities in Europe I would be concerned about some according to reports I have read have areas the police tend to avoid

After 6 years of living here I have no concerns and having travelled extensively never experienced any problems

[TSF]

3 hours ago, Displaynameinusebyanotherm said:

Very dangerous a country for people with critical thinking skills. Smile, bow and stay low is the key!

Indeed, that's the key. Smile, bow, grovel, wai, say thank you...even when you're being shafted and presented with padded bar bills. Remember you're a foreigner and a "guest" in the country, so don't you dare bother your hosts by arguing the toss. Or they'll lose face and kick you into a coma. And then go complaining that you don't have medical insurance. 

[anto]

On 6/10/2017 at 0:12 PM, Father Fintan Stack said:

Just reaffirming what informed expats have known all along. 

The bitter twisted ones more like ,who refuse to or can not go back home .

[fdch]

thank you mr priminister

finally u got 1 thing accomplised

first time thailand made this list

do not forget to collect your price

[jenifer d]

2 hours ago, hanssna said:

Ofcourse it's all relative, and depending what you do here, and where you are. If you live here in a Thai village / slightly touristed place (for me in south ) in an area without too many bars and nightlife,  don't walk around too drunk at night with gold around your neck,  don't do visa runs in minivans, don't insult the locals too much, keep the police at a friendly distance and keep away from the 'troubled' provinces in the deep south....   you're a lot safer here than any European city, South America, US, or Africa !

i also live in the south, although our spot, Koh Lanta, is getting increasingly popular with tourists from all over the world;

as for the 3 "troubled" southern provinces, i just came back from my second trip in 3 years to Betong, deep in Yala province

at the Malay border, requiring extensive travel through both Pattani and Yala provinces;

even though a bomb exploded right next to one of our (locals except myself) group's fave  Betong hangouts just a week after my first visit, and the constant military checkpoints along the way make it seem like a war zone, at no point did i feel in danger

 

-as for insulting the locals, why would one want to do that whatsoever?

 

concerning the police, on our island, everybody knows everybody and everything; i have partied w/some police,

and watched while a group of them came w/o uniforms to talk w/my Thai resort owner friend to demand, in a friendly fashion, an increased monthly kickback

 

i no longer do visa runs in minivans (i do value my life, after all), but i do occasionally travel in one (but they're not nearly as scary as the vias run vans), as  that or boats are the only way on or off  our island unless one has their own car (usually i rent a motorcycle from my landlord, as mine here is too old to drive to the mainland)

 

i have never felt fear walking or traveling anywhere in Thailand; as a female, i don't know of any other places

where i could make that statement

[Dazinoz]

Well there goes my thoughts on moving to the Philippines.

[craigt3365]

The full report is here.

 

https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-travel-tourism-competitiveness-report-2017

 

Thailand ranks 34th overall. And ranks in the bottom 15 for environmental sustainability . 

Price competitiveness helped the rankings a lot.

[jenifer d]

53 minutes ago, Dustdevil said:

Vegas ran the Italian Mafia out of town a long time ago. In fact there's not much left of it in New York.  I think Vegas is primarily legit these days, though I have no clue whether the Russian mafia has penetrated the casinos much or not.

you "think" Vegas is primarily legit nowadays? 

not much Italian  Mafia left in New York, and none in Vegas? 

you do realize that "Italian Mafia" ceased to be a purely exclusive/autonomous thing long ago?

that there is Mafia EVERYWHERE- Jewish Mafia, Russian Mafia, EVERY country/group has Mafia, and they are firmly in control of virtually every thing???

[bananafish]

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. 

[anto]

>>Nothing bitter or twisted about it, I have enjoyed my 30 plus years here in Thailand immensely, however I doubt you will get that same opportunity.<<

 

10 years so far ,but another 20 are doubtful at best .( due to my age ) .Always felt safe here ,but that can change in an instant .Glad you are not bitter and twisted ,and that  its just the way you come over on the Forum ;-)

[wvavin]

The survey had left out the balconies?

[Mickmouse1]

What about LONDON  (UK) I thought the Thai Embassy issued a travel warning to Thai visiting the uk??????

How many balcony jumpers this year and general suicide cases in Thailand? 

LOS?

[craigt3365]

1 hour ago, fdch said:

thank you mr priminister

finally u got 1 thing accomplised

first time thailand made this list

do not forget to collect your price

Not the first time. Almost same ranking for this category as last year. Actually,  it went up one spot.

[Jessi]

16 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... 

The only good thing to come out of Melbourne was the Hume Highway.

[Get Real]

Yeah! Rest easy though, it´s a lot better to live here.