SURVEY: How safe is Thailand for Expats?

[WhyYouTalkMeBad]

 
When did anyone take anything as undisputed truth? Were the stats generated by the TAT? If they were then they have no value.
 
I'll worry about hypocrites when they outnumber the fools.

These stats are complete nonsense

Your being foolish my friend. Next thing you will be telling us the Swampy stats about being 9th worse in the world is truth because let's face it, you can't argue with stats... Right?

Again the stats are nonsense!!

[JAG]

I think this sums it up:

Safety and security section (Road travel) -– most road traffic accidents involve motorcycles; the World Health Organisation rates Thailand as world's deadliest country for fatalities on motorcycles, citing an average of 5,500 motorcyclist deaths annually

Most road traffic accidents in Thailand involve motorcycles, but accidents involving other vehicles including cars, coaches and mini-buses also occur.

Violent sexual assaults and unprovoked attacks have been reported in popular tourist destinations, including in the Koh Samui archipelago and Krabi province. These are particularly common during the monthly Full Moon parties and generally occur late at night near bars.

Drink spiking has been reported in tourist destinations around Thailand, with both male and female victims. Be careful about taking drinks from strangers and at clubs and parties, or leaving your drinks unattended, particularly in Koh Samui, Pattaya and at the Full Moon party on Koh Phangan, where date rapes have been reported.

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand

 

The bulk of this warning, paragraph 3 on, could apply to many towns and cities in the UK.

I think back to Saturday nights in central Bristol for example:

Violent attacks and unprovoked violence, especially late at night and near bars, check.

Drink spiking, check.

Date rapes, check.

 

 

[Khon Kaen Dave]

I dont think an overall answer is possible here. The safety factor should range on a 1/10 scale. Depending upon, where you are visiting,  age,gender,agenda,family status,(whether bringing kids) funds available, number of people in party) possession of insurance. Worldly wisdom,and skin type. ( i do not mean colour, but ability to withstand the dehydrating sun for long periods) and of course the ability to gauge alcohol consumption...

[observer90210]

very street safe for sure, unless you are drunk at 3 am in Khao San, or in a mafia joint and flash a (probably fake) grade "A" Rolex, purchased from the back room of a meat shop in Bangkok!!

 

unsafe drinking water for those who are not immune...but bottled water is cheap and everywhere...

 

unsafe roads for if you are not aware that for most, the rule is not to respect the rules!!!...

 

more chances that you unawarely and daily getting ripped off in a tailor store, taxi, restaurant, police road block or pull over, plumber,  painter or by your local real estate developper, rather then in the streets ...

 

suicidal, if you wish to attend the full moon parties in Koh Tao...

better bring your condoms from home, as you never know....

better purchase your electronic toys back home and bring them back as usually they cost more in Thailand.....with the exception to Apple goodies....cheaper on the official Thai Apple Store website, then back in Europe...

 

chose your willy entertainer/Gf/Wife with caution and common sense, if you do not wish to add to the lists of farang beggers in the streets of Bangkok, left with nothing...

 

if you must use a bike, always wear your helmet, stick to the side, be more then cautious and don't think yourself to be Batman on his 3 wheel batbike, if you don't want to end up in a Thai morgue fridge!..

 

always carry a decent supply of 100THB notes with you, and always (try) to check the change and the notes given back....fake bills are not uncommon...and often people pretend not to have change over a 1000 THB note

 

never let anybody take your credit card behind the store or counter if it's out of your eyes...skimmers love farang credit cards...

 

even if you relish back door issues, flee all the ladyboys like the plague as they are trained pickpockets/thieves...(naturaly not all...but are you willing to take the risk to see if yours is or is not one of them?)

 

avoid high rise condo hotel balconies in Pattaya if you must have your willy entertained!!....farangs tend to dangerously slip from these places that give good training on high rise jumps, without a parachute!!...

 

switch on your whenever money involves you and the locals (farangs or thais)....just as you would do in any other country of course!!...a farang real estate developper, insurance brooker or whatever, could....could be a far worse and notorious a cheat ,then the most entrepreneurial thai trafic cop hunting for tea money!!!

 

develop your paranoia/common sense/awareness.....as it can safe your life and avoid you getting ripped of...

 

keep in mind that as a farang you have fewer rights in the streets, in the eyes of the locals...don't be arrogant, colonialistic, even though you may be spending  the equivalent of a year's salary of a local, in just one month in just booze or nursing your willy!!....

 

and last of all....don't leave your brains at the airport upon arrival....never, never  insult local issues,  never talk politics or public tea money in public in the similar fashion as you would write in Thai Visa,  stick and respect  the law like a crab to pubic hair....and all should be fine!!...

 

Edited June 19, 2017 by observer90210

[chicowoodduck]

Dangerous?   Let me see....on a daily basis I am almost run over by a motorbike, car and or a truck....and I try and stay on the footpath only.....duh? ???

Edited June 19, 2017 by chicowoodduck
Spelling

[Suradit69]

On 6/18/2017 at 10:25 AM, connda said:

Safe enough for expats who have been here long enough to understand how the culture works

 

Judging by many of the posts on TV, very few have lived here long enough to even understand their own immigration status or to have mastered more than a few tourist phrases in the Thai language, let along have a clue about Thai culture ... and yet they remain unscathed by the experience. I guess some of us who have lived here a long time fancy ourselves experts and pretend that our ability to survive without sustaining life-threatening injuries is based on this supposed expertise. 

[sawadee1947]

These two questions make no sense at all.

Thailand is as safe as you want. It depends on yourself. If you visit the "Red Light" districts it's as dangerous as in other Western cities. And if you know to behave you would not have any problems.

Westerners are tending to feel superior to Thais. And if you show that you might get into troubles. But this can happen in "our" countries as well. Stay away from anything what can create troubles whatever it might me. You have to accept this culture even you don't like it.

So, the question    a) safe.....b) unsafe    is BS.

[WhizBang]

Personally, I cannot recommend anyone come to Thailand now.  15 years ago, it was relatively safe, but not now.  The tide has turned with more frequent assaults on foreigners and many of them vicious.  Stay away, far away, is my advice now.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

On 6/18/2017 at 7:56 AM, nasanews said:

Absolutely Thailand is safe.
I have been in here over a year and believe me if I was in another country other than Thailand either I would be dead or left the country because of its people not tolerating my big mouth when I am very drunk.

You've only been here a year? Give it time .

[Trumpish]

4 hours ago, WhyYouTalkMeBad said:

 

These stats are complete nonsense

Your being foolish my friend. Next thing you will be telling us the Swampy stats about being 9th worse in the world is truth because let's face it, you can't argue with stats... Right?

Again the stats are nonsense!!

 

 

I'me being foolish because I agree with you? 

 

OK if you say so. Perhaps you should read what I actually wrote...

[observer90210]

2 hours ago, WhizBang said:

Personally, I cannot recommend anyone come to Thailand now.  15 years ago, it was relatively safe, but not now.  The tide has turned with more frequent assaults on foreigners and many of them vicious.  Stay away, far away, is my advice now.

in that case, you plan to pack up, sell the pool villa by the beach and leave, sir?

Edited June 19, 2017 by observer90210

[Trumpish]

2 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

These two questions make no sense at all.

Thailand is as safe as you want. It depends on yourself. If you visit the "Red Light" districts it's as dangerous as in other Western cities. And if you know to behave you would not have any problems.

Westerners are tending to feel superior to Thais. And if you show that you might get into troubles. But this can happen in "our" countries as well. Stay away from anything what can create troubles whatever it might me. You have to accept this culture even you don't like it.

So, the question    a) safe.....b) unsafe    is BS.

 

Don't agree. That all might be drawn from your own personal experience but here's the thing. The world is a bit broader than you seem to think.

[Trumpish]

8 minutes ago, observer90210 said:

in that case, you plan to pack up, sell the pool villa by the beach and leave, sir?

 

Why would he? Because that's your logical deduction? 

[observer90210]

1 minute ago, Trumpish said:

 

Why would he? Because that's your logical deduction? 

deduction?, if you say so...

a question? definitely...

you are perhaps confused with your own hasty deductions and other post's questions?...a sentence ending with a question mark ....this sort of thing ---> ?....... is a question above all, sir! ..

[observer90210]

5 minutes ago, Trumpish said:

 

Don't agree. That all might be drawn from your own personal experience but here's the thing. The world is a bit broader than you seem to think.

in that case, what would you suggest, sir?

[Dumbastheycome]

4 hours ago, chicowoodduck said:

Dangerous?   Let me see....on a daily basis I am almost run over by a motorbike, car and or a truck....and I try and stay on the footpath only.....duh? ???

Is there  some difficulty  staying on the  footpath? Does  it   keep  moving?

[Trumpish]

4 hours ago, observer90210 said:

in that case, what would you suggest, sir?

erm. Broadened horizons? Worth a try, you never know.

[SiSePuede419]

Depends on the Expat...

 

If you like to ride motorcycles with no helmet, rent jet-skis, get drunk every night, wear gold chains and shoot your mouth off a lot about things you know nothing about?

 

EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. ?

[Trumpish]

19 minutes ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Depends on the Expat...

 

If you like to ride motorcycles with no helmet, rent jet-skis, get drunk every night, wear gold chains and shoot your mouth off a lot about things you know nothing about?

 

EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. ?

 

Agree with all of that. Every one of the things you mention are a strategy for feeling good about oneself. Usually in vain. Thailand seems to be a magnet for social inadequates, hence the FaceBook usage being one of the world's most saturated. Facebook loves social inadequates looking for approval and validation from others. It's one of a good few societal indicators.

Edited June 19, 2017 by Trumpish

[observer90210]

47 minutes ago, Trumpish said:

erm. Broadened horizons? Worth a try, you never know.

interesting....and how do you plan to broaden horizons if you consider (as you said in a previous post) those looking to become Thai. to lack ambition and something negative hovers with Thai nationality?....would such ideas correspond to your thoughts on "broadened horizons"???....with your kind permission, I would rather consider such ideas as Lost Horizons!!...intriguing!!

Edited June 19, 2017 by observer90210

[LomSak27]

13 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

Westerners are tending to feel superior to Thais. And if you show that you might get into troubles. But this can happen in "our" countries as well. Stay away from anything what can create troubles whatever it might me. You have to accept this culture even you don't like it.

So, the question    a) safe.....b) unsafe    is BS.

Ah so it is westerners own fault that it is more dangerous place. Ha I epected to see this deflection sooner. 

 

As Statistics tell us that the victims are usually Thai people, and that it is a Thai on Thai problem, sawdee, does your reasoning tell us Thai's have been "acting/ feeling superior" to other Thais and that is the root cause of the  nasty road/murder/theft statistics. Please enlighten us 

[Trumpish]

6 hours ago, observer90210 said:

interesting....and how do you plan to broaden horizons if you consider (as you said in a previous post) those looking to become Thai. to lack ambition and something negative hovers with Thai nationality?....would such ideas correspond to your thoughts on "broadened horizons"???....with your kind permission, I would rather consider such ideas as Lost Horizons!!...intriguing!!

 

I would respond but I couldn't find anything that resembles a sensible thought or question. Over and out?

[sawadee1947]

59 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

Ah so it is westerners own fault that it is more dangerous place. Ha I epected to see this deflection sooner. 

 

As Statistics tell us that the victims are usually Thai people, and that it is a Thai on Thai problem, sawdee, does your reasoning tell us Thai's have been "acting/ feeling superior" to other Thais and that is the root cause of the  nasty road/murder/theft statistics. Please enlighten us 

The thread was about TOURISTS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and safety!

[ben2talk]

Quote

I would not hesitate to recommend people to visit even if they have no family or friends.

If someone has no family or friends I wouldn't want them coming here at all...  but for everyone else it's pretty safe, just don't let your 6 year old daughter go down to the beach alone at 3am okay?

[Trumpish]

1 hour ago, LomSak27 said:

Ah so it is westerners own fault that it is more dangerous place. Ha I epected to see this deflection sooner. 

 

As Statistics tell us that the victims are usually Thai people, and that it is a Thai on Thai problem, sawdee, does your reasoning tell us Thai's have been "acting/ feeling superior" to other Thais and that is the root cause of the  nasty road/murder/theft statistics. Please enlighten us 

The question not addressed to me but an observation if I may.

 

The constant striving of Thais to appear superior to foreigners is an extension of the cultural problem of Thais wanting to feel superior to each other. This is normal human behaviour. In the first world, the law and education prevent it from being taken to extremes, but in places like Thailand, education and law enforcement are both something of a joke, domestically and internationally so the normal restraints on this animalistic (even my dog does it) aspect of human and animal behaviour are not only absent, but are also present and uncontrolled among those who are expected to educate and enforce the law.

 

It's a puzzle to know what best to do. Educationally, I believe Thailand is a lost cause, and that many teachers are only fit for passing on their own woefully poor  standards of education. It's a requirement for teaching in most places outside Thailand, that teachers should actually know more than their students, but Thais aren't fooled by all that nonsense. Plus, the RTP and the RTA are the biggest criminal mafias in the country and a moment's thought will make it very clear how that came about and why they are now in the position of guarding principles of honesty and the removal of corruption in Thailand. Bit of a joke when you consider Prayuth's track record and his family and friends I know,,,

 

The job of reforming Thailand would be way too hard from me and I am a lot smarter and more management-experienced than the muppet Prayuth and his co-conspirators, so what chance they have is anyone's guess. But then of course, making Thailand a better place for Thais isn't even on their radar, not what they're up to at all.

 

The culturally poisonous concept of 'face' is both a survival strategy and a consequence of their indoctrination for decades. It will take 2 generations to get rid of it if they start tomorrow and they won't start tomorrow.

 

Interestingly, I did hear of a related operation the Khmer Rouge undertook. What they did was take a flattering photo of Pol Pol, and sent it to 5 million Cambodian households, it was attached to calendars or sent just as pictures, a variety of presentations. They said to the Cambodians (mostly uneducated farmers), that this was a 'lucky' photograph, and encouraged the Cambodians to pray to it, even to make an occasional burnt offering, and said that, if they did this, good luck and prosperity would be theirs as a gift from the divine Pol Pot. Naturally, it had no effect whatever but it made the Cambodians feel happy being ripped off, exploited and murdered. And therefore compliant and obedient. They were still dirt poor, still ate mainly rice (still died early of diabetes), and it was rice, minimally decorated with an inadequate supply of protein from crickets, frogs, lizards, snakes and the like; whatever they could scrape together from of the surrounding countryside. All the gift of the Divine Pol Pot of course. Wholly inadequate but the gift of the divine Pol Pot. Pol Pot, who of course lived like a king.

 

When contemplating SE Asia, I am always reminded of 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail', which was obviously filmed in Pol Pot's Cambodia . The holy one (my word substitution) rides on his hobby-horse (nice metaphor in there),  and approaches a dirt poor village. One villager says "the holy one is coming, the holy one is coming". His neighbour asks "How do you know it's the holy one?". The first replies "Because he's covered in gold and we're all covered in sh|t". Message in there somewhere.

Edited June 20, 2017 by Trumpish

[LomSak27]

So sawadee, ....  NO ....  you are unable to explain anything. You have just offered an opinion with nothing backing it.

 

No suprise there. 

[Trumpish]

23 minutes ago, sawadee1947 said:

The thread was about TOURISTS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and safety!

Yes. The danger to tourists. From Thais.

[sawadee1947]

1 hour ago, LomSak27 said:

So sawadee, ....  NO ....  you are unable to explain anything. You have just offered an opinion with nothing backing it.

 

No suprise there. 

well, and you have problems with reading and understanding.

Here again: If I avoid troubles I would not have problems.

[Canuckabroad]

To those who say there are safer countries in the world... well, Thailand is a developing country so for sure there will be safer places.  But can you name any safer countries with comparable costs of living, infrastructure, and pretty women?  (If you can, please let me know!)

[meechai]

On 7/4/2017 at 11:43 PM, Canuckabroad said:

To those who say there are safer countries in the world... well, Thailand is a developing country so for sure there will be safer places.  But can you name any safer countries with comparable costs of living, infrastructure, and pretty women?  (If you can, please let me know!)

 

Would be a shorter list to list places that are not better (compared fairly quality for quality & rights for rights)

 

It is an old claim that it is cheaper in Thailand. It can be cheaper if you want to live cheaper, but you can also live cheaply  in countries you have rights in.

BUT Not everyone is racing to the bottom of quality of life & human rights etc.

 

Pretty girls I will agree Asia has many but those that want/date/marry a pretty woman do so anywhere & those that cannot, do not. Some guys catch a bar

skank in Thailand & pat themselves on the back because she is a decade or two younger as if that is the only goal.

 

Also just because an ugly in looks/character out of shape man may rent a pretty human in Thailand does not make it better in fact if your character/honor

is still intact you know it does not nor does it make you an honorable human. This is why Thailand always has attracted the bottom feeders.

 

Not to say there are not also many good expats living in Thailand.

Edited July 8, 2017 by meechai