You know when I think safety that it's fair to consider more factors than just violent crimes vs foreigners.

Any third world country is going to be rife with corruption. Places like Thailand and Philippines aren't so different in these regards, lack of government regulations esp like food safety (no FDA or even if there is a government body similar it's not enforced), road safety, building codes, business regulations to prevent unfair business practices (things like the better business bureau don't really exist out here), effective law enforcement, the high assortment of scams and being able to almost nothing about it besides avoid them (easier said than done when it comes to land lords, gross over pricing or needing to bribe people to do there basic job). These are things I consider to bring down a countries overall safety score.

Of course in terms of violent crimes vs foreigners, here in the Philippines (or nicer parts of south east asia in general) if you use common sense and try stay out of trouble than it's not going to be so common (obv countries with economies driven highly by tourism are going to make this a priority in better area's). **** back in the USA growing up in a bad area I dealt with more wayyyy more **** and was wayy more paranoid about living my day to day life than I am out here; due to violent crimes alone. I would say I def enjoy my life out here more with that being one of the reasons but I still wouldn't be throwing 8's or 9's around with all things considered (where I currently am is like a 6 or 7 with everything)

So from this post I assume you are retracting your earlier description of Thailand being "One of the safest places in the world", and instead just asserting that you "feel safe" while there.

That's cool, I can't disprove your emotions.

damn thailand, you scary

I didn't feel that safe living in LA. Even if you live in a nice area you are no more than a few minutes from some gang infested neighborhood. If you want to play live poker you have to go to the ghetto to do so. There are tons of areas where you should not go at night etc etc.

I guess if you are comparing it to South American cities it is probably pretty safe but having lived there and then in Bangkok, LA seems fairly dangerous to me (or maybe just scary).

I've been to LA twice and didn't feel that safe in some areas. Same Miami, New Orleans, parts of Vegas, Tampa, Baltimore, NY before Rudy Giuliani took over was scary as fk, nearly as bad as Johannesburg............

I don't have a drivers license (lazy 20 year old), will i be able to rent a motorbike in Samui? Was there when i was 15, seen a few accidents, won't be on the roads much, just the occasional day to go around the island. No problem is it?

I've never been asked for a license when renting a bike or riding one.

Lol Spiv.

you don't need a license, but you will get $15 tickets every time a cop pulls you over, or you go through a checkpoint.

On a scale of 1-10 how easy it to just wing it on a trip in Thailand? For instance I fly into Phuket in January and then plan on going to Krabi for a while and rock climbing, doing some island hopping, Koh Tao for scuba diving, then BKK, then off to Chiang Mai. I don't have a time frame on any of these places, I just kind of want to go to each area and stay for however long I like. Assuming I'll take any type of accommodation available(except really expensive resorts), how hard/easy will this be to do?

Also thoughts on backpacking with $2,000 worth of camera gear?

I've never actually seen a checkpoint on Samui. It's possible they have them, but if they did I am guessing they would be in Nathon or Chaweng rather than Lamai.

You won't have any problems as long as it isn't around New Year's Eve.

That sort of stuff is usually insured under your home contents policy assuming you live at home. Otherwise, travel insurance will cover it. If you don't have either than it's just a question of how tilted you would be if it got broken or stolen. I travel around with my laptop which is worth about the same.

Seen police doing random checks on tourists on bikes once in the last year in Chaweng. Have also ridden past police more times than i can count without a helmet and they've never done anything

cheapest way to fly from east coast (baltimore) to bangkok? should i use a connector flight in cali?

well thats standard everywhere in thailand. there needs to be a checkpoint for the police to "care" about not having a helmet

That is the best way to do it imo. I would plan for Bangkok though, if you just show up and play it by ear you may have a crappy time. You don't need to know your way around the other places imo.

Hotels you should be fine unless you are coming over New Years. The camera I would keep with me, the gear should be fine in your hotel.

They do it more often now and its allways outside the new police station in Chaweng, but forget about any fines for not having a driving licence. They are giving you a fine thou if you dont wear a helmet, they got me once.

Currently, $1200 and this is a good price. There was some pricing error back in the Summer where the tickets were $850. That was a pricing error. If you can get something 1-1200, that's as good as it's going to get.

Can you tell me some of the no-go areas in bigger Thailand cities?

Super easy for many reasons. Even Thai airlines don't have huge mark ups on last minute flights.

Depends on where you stay. If you stay in backpacker ghettos sharing rooms and stuff you may tempt some other poor backpacking kids who are trying to live on $5/day. Otherwise, you're fine. Another thing is actually using the camera on the street. In Thailand, people don't care and don't eye ball your equipment. In many other countries, it's not as easy. Personally, I have a Pacsafe backpack that I lock to something in hotel rooms - that should minimize crimes of opportunity.

"thailand is top 10 for most unsafe countries" ~pokerspiv





my fingers are too lazy to pull up pictures of burma, columbia, north korea, mexico, etc

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/...s-in-thailand/

There is another thread on insurance somewhere. Basically make sure your insurance covers you for the full value of your camera gear as well as other valuable stuff. I carry about the same if not more $$$ of camera gear and never had a problem yet, I also check that stuff like my I-pad is covered too.

this doesn't help to solve our major question, if ****ing sluts bareback is more dangerous than riding a bike without helmet.



those of us who are unsure, just don't know which one to avoid, and which one is relatively safe.

Yeah, but helmet-less feels better. You only live once.

lol +1

what would be the best option for finding a 4 person place for one month in Bangkok? any recommended rental places or hotels?