Thailand Tourism Safety?!!!?

Question

Hello,

My boyfriend and I were hoping to travel to Thailand in Jan for 3months. Its been on our bucket list for a couple of years and we finally have the window to go. However during my research I seemed to have entered the dark side of the internet and come across haunting and brutal instances whereby tourists have met their death in Thailand.

I'm not so concerned that I'll be murdered in Thailand, its more so knowing that I'll be conscious about my every move, avoid experiences that I would love to do, and not be able to relax. The mysterious, controversial and brutal deaths on Koh Tao have been enough for me to state that I will never step foot on the island - who could relax on a beach knowing they're at the place where two young tourists were horrifically, brutally, attacked and bludgeoned to death and sexually assaulted? I couldn't - especially after accidentally stumbling across photos of the deceased which have scarred me for life!

People say steer clear from full moon parties, walks on the beach at night etc - but who can relax knowing that if they walked outside they'd be in danger? Thailand is currently the 2nd most dangerous country for tourists with the 2nd most amount of tourist deaths - there is a very concerning problem here. BUT I still want to go!!! Crazy?? Or is Thailand a completely different country than painted out to be here? I know many people who have gone and enjoyed without problem & I want to be one!

Any advice or experiences that can help?

Answer 1

Hi, are you referring to this article?

http://www.livingthai.org/thailand-now-rated-2nd-most-likely-country-for-tourists-to-die.html



What I got out of it is that the majority of Western tourists who die in Thailand die from traffic accidents. Many of whom are driving motorcycles or scooters and are probably not particularly experienced. I wonder how many people were drinking or drugging when they met their untimely demise. I just did a quick internet search and I don't see any articles that show that Thailand has a high tourist murder rate although it does appear that many Westerns choose Thailand to commit suicide.



Anyway, 29 million people visited Thailand last year, it is a perfectly safe place to visit, far safer than big cities in the United States. Just use some common sense. I have no doubt that most incidents with tourist happen after a late night of drinking and drugging.



If Koh Tao makes you nervous don't go, there are many other places to visit. Also, three months is a long time in a small country. While your in Southeast Asia go visit Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos.

Answer 2

I just returned from a week in Thailand. I did spend the week with my Thai girlfriend which helps with security. I have been visiting Thailand since 2004 mostly alone, though I am an American, I am also 6 foot tall and weigh about 240 lbs. and I happen to be ethnically Japanese. So I am taken for a local many times. I have never had a problem there, I have been there during 2 coups. Now, the killings on Koh Tao and other killings that you could read about have one interesting commonality, they happened late at night, usually after midnight and they happened when the persons were away from public view. NOT one incident or murder happened in a bar or hotel where the person was taken in plain sight or killed in plain sight. They were all discovered later in the morning AFTER it happened. They happened in the dark, in secluded areas.

So, stay away from dark secluded streets, beaches or bars.

Now, even the bombings in Phuket and Hua Hin happened in not so busy areas of their locations. Especially Hua Hin which is where I went to visit for the majority of my vacation. The bombings did not happen at the known night market in Hua Hin it was at a lesser market nearby and a lighter traveled bar area.

In reality, there are murders all around the world and in the United States, what do I come home to killings in New Orleans, Ohio State University and Tennessee. Does that stop others from visiting those places?

Answer 3

Far safer than America. Motorcycles are killers there as in all of Asia. Night beach parties I would avoid. Being on the beach in regular areas is OK. Do drugs there best to die there prisons are not good. Cheap hotels use lots of bug spray avoid going to cheap. Do not go to the back ally flee markets at night to late. This is not the night market for tourist. But the back ally flee marts were the true buys are. Go to them in the daytime. Don't start trouble you will not have any there. Some come & like to show off, party hardy, take risk. Any were you will find problems with that behavior.

Answer 4

I've lived here in Thailand 15 years and would never go to Koh Tao or those islands around there. Run by pirate mafia with plenty of police support. Full moon parties are asking for trouble. If you avoid those drunken rages, keep your head, and avoid some of the more rip off tourist traps you should be just fine

Answer 5

Thailand is much more safe than the US, don't worry murder happen everywhere