Quote:
Originally Posted by NewTeaBag
Whateva.
GO looking for trouble and you'll find it, in fact it will find you.
Be nice, and on the whole shizz be nice.
Getting shot or locked up is a more rare way to die. There are a few tourist murders every year as well. 2 years ago a british backpacker was raped and murdered and found washed up on Lamai beach.
Thailand is notorious for lack of safety considerations - try
* going on a chartered bus and watch how they drive,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7662654.stm
* take the boat to Ko Pagn Ngan and watch them load 55 people into a speedboat that sits 12,
http://www.scandasia.com/viewNews.php?news_id=1316
* lean on the balcony rail of your top-floor apartment and see how safe that is
But in all honesty motorcycles are by far the biggest killer. You have to be careful riding a bike here, most tourists don't wear helmets and ride while drunk which is a recipe for disaster when you consider that most of them have never ridden a bike before they came to thailand, and that the majority of other drivers on the road are maniacs.
Basically if you are thinking of coming to Thailand as a tourist you should definitely think about safety:
* Airplanes are by far the safest mode of travel. If you can fly somewhere you should. It's also much faster
* Don't ride a motorcycle unless you really have to
* Be extremely careful when walking on or near a road, as motorists couldn't really care less if they run you down - especially during Songkran when many drivers are completely wasted and the roads are wet.
* When on a boat, wear a lifejacket.
* Don't expect things to be built to meet minimum safety standards as they are in the west.
Last edited by PokerSpiv; 11-25-2009 at 01:18 AM.