Comments on: Most Dangerous: Iraq. Second: Thailand?!

By: amber

amber — Thu, 26 May 2011 14:34:17 +0000

I have been to Thailand on 3 occasions each time for 3 months. The first time was great no problems but the usual tuc tuc scam!! The last visit was a different story! We were treated with total disdain in every hotel and backpackers guest house we stayed in! One hotel locked us out of our room because we had used the phone the night before to call the UK! They were being so nasty and rude we just paid up and left! We got scammed every where we went. We already knew not to get angry or shout when you have a problem so we always remained polite, but that didnt help!
It got so bad we came home early. The thais we met seemed to have a real problem with us! I suspect jealousy! One thai told us because we looked hippies and stayed in expensive hotels at times! That really pissed them off.
So to the thai who says brits leave thailand, i totally agree, there are much nicer countries to visit out there where the people dont treat you like shit!!!

By: BlackOracle

BlackOracle — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 09:54:30 +0000

This is all very sad really. It is unfortunate that Thailand attracts so many bottom dwellers. That probably contributes somewhat to the lawless nature there. I personally would like to visit but also have my reservations. From the sounds of it might be good to stay clear of Bangkok. Maybe where there are fewer tourists the situation might be better, yet maybe not? I agree with the previous comment that Thais have a lot to gain if they can improve their image. No sane person wants to go somewhere where your playing with your life by doing so. I guess if you have a death wish then be all means do so!

When you think about it, it’s perfect place for criminals. That is why generally shady people hang out there because who in there right mind would want to go there. Standard issue for tourists should be a flak vest and combat training at the very least haha. I am really on the fence at this point as is this really worth the risk? Although I have heard some really good things about Chiang Mai? Might be a safer alternative but don’t know? All in all though if Thailand is going to be anything other then a haven for the underground. They are going to need to clean up their act & start taking this more seriously. Thailand’s future my very well depend on that for the better.

By: Thaitalk

Thaitalk — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 15:48:04 +0000

how dare you calling thailand a bad country. find it so hard to go, dont go! full of ugly old man with a child’s minds anyway. i don’t think we thai people have any more foreigner in our country any longer. leave, pls leave. i beg you

By: Me

Me — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 19:59:07 +0000

Interesting reading. I like Ants’ notes from May 9. I am from the U.S. and interesting that even when I talk great aboout Thailand, many Thais (and men married to good Thai wives here) try to damper my enthusiasm. I have been to LOS eight times. Love it. But really dislike most tourists/foreigners. To explain more … Thailand is SOOOO not like a Western country. That is both good and bad. I think most Thais are great, far more loving and kind and giving than Westerners. Far more carefree and fun. And they like to help others … But there are the bad ones that will fake being nice, or lie straight to your face and steal no problem if they can (and do it much better than Western people). I plan on retiring there, away from foreigners. WHY? Because most tourists treat Thais like slaves, not equals, and the Thais resent it (remember LOS #1 industry is tourism). Also, easily 90% of all retired or Western bum foreigners that live there (expats are a little better) are lowlife drunks and abusers and borderline pedophiles that a conservative person in a Western country would not associate with. I think most people in the U.S. do not consider hanging with the unemployed, alcoholic druggies on skid row to be be “safe.” Most of the trouble I have seen and heard comes from Western scum going to LOS, being around bars, prostitutes, and acting like jerks to the Thais. Here is the U.S.A. If a person does that people just get mad, maybe fight you. In LOS, maybe they kill you (especially the scum types in LOS).

Oh, I do not think you can use Western logic on most Thais. They do (even adults) act and think like teenagers here in U.S. in most cases. But as a decent, normal person on a tourist trip to LOS stay in average hotels. Stay away from scum backpacking areas (like Khao San in Bangkok, a true scum hole), and it is great. Just my opinion. And why Brits get in trouble. I have YET to see a single Brit whether living in LOS or on vacation that was not a drunk, obnoxious, wanna-be-pedophile, rude person. Thais see this and ONLY see $$$ from him. After $$$ is gone they have no use for him. This is true, I admit. But Thais in almost all cases will be soooooo nice if you treat them and others with kindness and not be an ass.

By: BlazinNPhoneix

BlazinNPhoneix — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 06:43:20 +0000

Well after reading a rather interesting article on Thailand. This certainly puts things more into perspective. I would love to visit Thailand but would like to come home in one piece preferably. If it is as dangerous as people are saying then might not be worth the risk. What is really sad by all of this is that Thais have so much to gain by cleaning up their act. The safer it is for people to come here. The more money that will come into the country and better people’s lives will be.

At current nothing is to be gained by all this lawlessness. Maybe it is better in the country and outside major cities like Bangkok. Although if i eventually do come I am hiring bodyguards LOL. I also wonder why there is such a high rate of British deaths? This seems strange as Brits are generally more polite and level headed then many Westerners? In closing Thailand has so much history and culture. It is unfortunate that such a state exists in such a magical place. I may go eventually but this has soured my enthusiasm a bit.

By: Ants

Ants — Sun, 09 May 2010 13:58:36 +0000

OK so you have worried me slightly now. I am due to travel in January/February to Thailand and see as much as I physically can!! I understand the whole concept of Thailand being a “rough” country of corruption, sex, drugs and violence … The thing is my good friend moved over from our home town five years ago and he isn’t the most tolerable person!!! But he is still alive and kicking with no horror storys! I wonder if these people who are losing there lives are

A. Excessively drunk and abusive.

B. Disrespectful towards Thais and their culture.

C. The Thais are just out for your money … Nothing else and will do anything to get it off you?

I am a rather cautious if not a paranoid person and I value my life!!! Judging from my mate over there it is all fine and dandy…. Then I read this!?

Ants

(BD: It all depends, Ants, depends, doesn’t it. You can find paradise here, and you can find hell. It’s mainly up to you.)

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 04 May 2010 13:16:26 +0000

Is that a joke Beau Hardy?

By: Beau Hardy

Beau Hardy — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 18:23:04 +0000

Thailand (not just Bangkok) is more dangerous than Kabul. Foreigners supposedly jumping off balconies all the time, always ruled a suicide.

Blacks in the U.S. are scary and killers, but Thailand is worse.

By: Brittany

Brittany — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:49:07 +0000

Dawn,

I am at the same point in my life, as well. I have already enrolled in TEFL International in Ban Phe, Thailand. Like you, most of my research has also been about how to bring my dog with me. (that’s how I found your blog). I have found the same information you have. Ugh! It’s frustrating. I know all the legal information you will need to import dog, I can send this to you if you want. The people at the school told me I would have a hard time finding a place to live if I brought my dog, because they’re not allowed. I can’t decide what to do. My dog is a therapy dog, too. If you haven’t already gotten your’s registered I can send you all the info, official websites & cheap places to get your dog a service dog ID (that way your dog can ride with you on the plane, because many airlines don’t transport dogs through cargo if flight is over twelve hours). Well I really hope to talk to you soon. Please email me at brittany dot britt at hotmail dot com

Hope to hear from you soon!
Brittany

By: Dawn

Dawn — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 22:19:07 +0000

I am looking to move to Thailand to teach English. I feel like I am on information overload and gripping a metronome beam as it changes from single to double time!! I am doing a lot of research as I am at a crazy time in my life and really want to do something different and special. Most of the research is how to bring my dog with me … who is basically my therapy dog … the next moment I fear she will be poisoned then I hear how easy it will be then I hear she may be stolen for someone’s dinner … then I hear how dangerous it is next I hear of the sheer beauty … my metronome can no longer keep time!!!