# thailand security



## puffin

hello
thinking about moving to thailand for retirement.can anyone advise on the crime in thailand. house burgling,street robberies and personal safety there.any information would be appreciated.
regards puffin


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## Song_Si

Very region/town/neighbourhood specific in my experience. 
Have never considered living in eg a gated compound, 100% comfortable/at ease where we live. Good neighbours, good neighbourhood.
One burglary exp 3 years ago when in Phuket - but i did leave it near a window on a table, visible from the street; about as sensible as leaving one on the seat of a car in public view. Could happen anywhere. 
A year in Sa Kaeo and only locked the house when away overnight/holiday; power tools and garden things would go missing - 'borrowed' by a neighbour but they all came back eventually. I could have locked them away, but equally, was able to borrow many items I'd otherwise have had to buy.
No shortage of crime in the country, 65 million people, check any daily news site.
For myself, the biggest risk to personal safety would be the roads, whether cycling or on the motorbike.


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## Mweiga

Song Si's comments are also very much my experience after being here the past six years living in a semi-rural area close to the sea with a Thai family as immediate neighbours across the road plus a big 39 rai property next to me owned by a Russian who is never there. 

The only crime in these six years has been my Thai neighbour's large mango tree which was stripped out one night a few years back by opportunist fruit thieves - went to bed with a splendid crop of mangos in the tree and woke up the next morning to find not a single one left !

Only security consists of a couple of local Thai breed hounds (Bangkeow) who make fantastic watchdogs and locking the single main gate at night.

Pattaya , 20 kms up the road , is a different story however but then again you wouldn't catch me living there for all the tea in China.


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## stednick

*common sense*



puffin said:


> hello
> thinking about moving to thailand for retirement.can anyone advise on the crime in thailand. house burgling,street robberies and personal safety there.any information would be appreciated.
> regards puffin


Puffin:

Crime, as far as international statistics, is a very difficult comparison to make. It is virtually impossible to make an "apples-to-apples" comparison.

See NationMaster - World Statistics, Country Comparisons where Thailand ranks #20 (in highest crime rate) out of 82 countries with 565,108 total crimes. This is from the "Total crimes by country", The Eighth United Nations Survey on Crime Trends and the Operations of Criminal Justice Systems (2002) (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Centre for International Crime Prevention). Disclaimer states these are the latest figures available.

Use common sense. The closer you live to a major metropolitan area the closer you will be to a high crime area for crimes against the body; murder, rape, assault, robbery, etc. The more rural the area you live in is, the more susceptible you will be to crimes of theft; burglaries and unlawful taking of properties, when you are absent.

As a foreigner in an impoverished country you will be considered "affluent" and a lucrative target for a crime of opportunity. Your non-fluency in Thai and foreign visitor status will be be perceived as meaning there is little chance of a crime against you being reported, or being investigated if it is reported. You will be a "prime" target for the seedier element (Both foreign national and ex-pat countryman).

Con artists exist everywhere, knowing now boundary. Your greatest tool against becoming a victim is your intelligence and common-sense. Be aware, chose your residence carefully, and be selective in your friendships. Many Falang have been taken by other Falang "friends". 

Again, exercise common-sense and you will be fine. I personally have never been a victim of crime in the country of Thailand. More than a decade of exercising common sense has protected me.


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## RockNRolla

I echo the sentiments of the previous posts. Personal security was something that also concerned me before I moved to Thailand a few months ago but I looked at the advice from previous threads posted on this forum and following the suggestions, haven't encountered any problems at all.

I'm into music so I do go to bars in and around Chiang Mai but I steer clear of anywhere that looks 'shady'. I also never engage in conversations with Thai's (or Ex-Pats) who have a way to make money that they'd like to share with you. There are many scammers and con-artists who spin a convincing tale so remember the old adage 'If it seems to good to be true - then it probably is'!

So, I'm careful about carrying money (cash) inasmuch as I try not to carry large amounts of cash on my person and if I do happen to need a larger amount, I'm very discreet like for instance not counting it or 'flashing' it in public. But I also divide the money into a small amount for one pocket while other money (perhaps in larger denominations) is well hidden by me elsewhere on my person. I always remember to lock the car and keep valuables (GPS, iPod etc.) locked in the glove compartment or trunk of the car. Of course, you might encounter someone who is drunk and/or belligerent in which case it's best to walk away or to go into a nearby well-lit shop. But the majoirty of Thai's with whom I've come into contact are happy, polite, generous people who will smile often and be as helpful as possible.

Also, don't interfere if you see Thai's shouting and getting angry with each other. Many times, it's just posturing but if it develops into something more serious, then let the locals or the police handle it. So, don't put yourself in a tight spot and you'll be fine, Thailand is a beautiful country and the challenges for most Farangs are minimal if you observe just a few common-sense rules.


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## Newforestcat

I am a Thai and have been living in the UK in the past twelve years. Hopefully, my hubby and I soon (within the next three years) can come to live in Thailand for at least six months a year or all year round. 

I think Bangkok and big Thai cities are as safe as for example London and Birmingham. I spent six years in Bangkok when I was a student. During that time, I learnt to walk fast, to be more observant, more sensible but less trusting and to say no politely . I never had any problems. But a Thai uni friend got conned into lending a stranger £400. I told her not to believe everything this stranger said at the beginning of their friendship. It was a common conman's job, full of incredulous stories. When I learnt of what had happened to her money, I did not say told you so, though very tempted. Anyway, the conman as a newly-qualified surgeon whose grandfather was a prince got her money by claiming that his patient would die if he could not fly to Hadyai for a life-saving operation ASAP. BUT his ATM and credit cards were lost so she would be his savour. I wished she would ask me but I guess he gave her no time to think. 

Saying no in Thai politely is very easy for any farangs / expats to do, you should find that handy one day, too. But if you want to know how good or reliable a Thai is, lend them maybe 500-1000 Baht. If you'd hate to stop being their friend, don't lend them any money unless it is very important and you think you can seek comfort in knowing that you have done your utmost for a friend/ fellow human and that is the only thing that matters. This is a Buddhist country but there is quite a bazaare excuse for never paying off the debts if the lenders are affluent. These self-serving Robin Hoods are very good at continuing to act as your best friends as if nothing has happened. I suppose this is why you pay more for everything comparing to the locals in Thailand. I abhour and am ashamed of this widely accepted bad practice. I am also affected because I have an English husband! Often, I am told in my face that we have to pay more because my husband is farang. Just see this as a form of double taxation, you could avoid/ minimise it by deciding to be taxed in another country! Just do your shopping online or in shops displaying price tags. 

I try not to take my husband shopping in Thailand except in supermarkets, shopping malls and the likes. I have explained to him how he would make it impossible for me to get a good price for anything. He ignores my pleas and goes everywhere with me. I have just recently worked out his cunning plan! He has done brilliantly as a shopping/spending deterrant but he forgets that shopping online is so much easier in Thailand! Well, if you know Thai or use some free translation software programmes. Although translated texts are often bad, this kind of programme is a godsend, for example, when I buy things from China or South Korea.


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## Newforestcat

Anyway, I am currently in Kamphaengphet, a very unknown province near Sukhothai. I was born here and had lived here until I was 16. As far as I know, there have been a confessed crime of passion, possibly one other crime of passion (no suspects), one serial robber/killer (three victims) and one robbery gone wrong ( guilty drugs addicts and one victim, their next-door neighbour), countless victims of road accidents and no break-in. All these happened in the past thirty years. I think it is not too bad. It is dirt cheap to live here. All you need to do is avoid kids riding mopeds really badly like a new fawn trying to run on four legs for the first time!

According to my dad, the seriel robber/killer would have robbed/killed my mum, too, if he was not arrested in time. On three consecutive mornings, my dad saw him following my mum to work. My mum is very down-to-earth, not rich, never flashes cash or blings and will never change even if she had billions of Pounds. However the robber must have thought that she was rich because of my living and working in the UK and my husband despite the fact that she hardly let us give her any money! My point is that there is a danger of being a crime target due to you being seen as rich because of, for example, your height and/or the colours of your eyes and your hair. However the same danger will follow you pretty much everywhere you go even in London. You only need to give some tortured soul an opportunity. But in a quiet rural area crimes do not happen that often. Just make some local friends, be sensible and thank the Lord you are somewhere lovely and warm where £1 can get you a decent meal and no one talks about the EU crisis repeatedly.

NEVER sell up everything you have in the UK though. You may decide you like it a little bit better than Thailand. I have had that dilemma on and off! But then I am a girl with full permission to keep changing my mind! LOL.


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## Song_Si

I've got one for you on Kamphaengphet - a death like this must have made the local gossip! - April last year a dead farang found in a Kamphaengphet canal his body weighed down with pieces of concrete. Here is a story from Thai Rath - it was discussed in several Thai websites but as far as I know he was never identified and no one was ever charged for his death.



> *Unidentified body of a farang found tied to a lump of concrete submerged in an irrigation canal*
> (23/04/11)
> 
> The body of a male farang was found in Tambon Nikhom Thung Pho Thale in Thailand's Northern province of Kamphaeng Phet on the 22nd of April. Time of death was thought to be not more than 3 days prior. The body was only found due to the water level dropping in the canal revealing the corpse, the canal being in a desolate area in a rice paddy with no nearby buildings. He had a shaved/bald head, was naked except for striped black boxer shorts and his hands were tied to his neck with nylon cord. There was a tattoo of a butterfly perched on a flower on the left of his chest with the word 'Love' below in English letters. Knife wounds to the left temple and the left nape of the neck were present and the rest of the head was covered in bruises and marks consistent with being hit by a hard object.


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## Newforestcat

Oh, no! Hope it is not going to be like Midsomer's Murders soon, dead quiet place with piles of murdered victims. I am on the other side of Kamphaengphet, a growing small numbers of farangs already live here, but I have never really seen or met any.

I am sure the nearby villagers still talk about this murder once in a while. Curious circumstance though, poor guy!

I can only say that guy was not my husband though he could make me extremely murderous sometimes!!! 



Song_Si said:


> I've got one for you on Kamphaengphet - a death like this must have made the local gossip! - April last year a dead farang found in a Kamphaengphet canal his body weighed down with pieces of concrete. Here is a story from Thai Rath - it was discussed in several Thai websites but as far as I know he was never identified and no one was ever charged for his death.


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## Song_Si

Midsomer Murders - love it! 
We spent a year in rural Sa Kaeo province; in that time heard of little crime, but one weekend there two murders in the village - a year's worth of gossip/scandal there!
One was a property boundary dispute, where one farmer's cassava crop ended and the other's begun. Alcohol, gun and two families minus a father, one dead one in jail. 
Second death was an execution, woman #1 paid a man to shoot/kill woman #2, the _wife v mia noi_ scenario. 

Apart from that . . . latest_ crime wave_ - yesterday there were two elephants on my partner's farm and they've been helping themselves to the sugar cane; there's a reserve 12km away they must have decided to have a day out. Theft!


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## Newforestcat

I think you should write a book about your life in Thailand, starting with something like Gory Stories from Siam or something. I am a bit fed up with seeing novels or books about Thai wives or bargirls now. LOL Take note Asia Books!

You should easily see yourself as an expert of Thailand. Love how you keep moving. I always wanted to do the same but no one else was for the idea! Heard of Phee Tong Luang? They are tribal people who live in rural/remote areas of Thailand? They need to move everytime their roof goes yellow, hence the name. The roof is usually made from green banana leaves! They are Thai gypsy more or less, but with no misconception about them. I fancy myself as one! LOL 

I think where you live now is a little 'dry' maybe because it is near a very well-known temple and lots of temples focused on the serious stuff. They do not allow alcohol within the bounderies of any Buddhist place. Since there are a few Wat Paa's/ วัดป่า their plots are likely a lot bigger than you can see and ordinary temples'. I might be wrong though! 

There are two types of wat/temples separated by two Buddhist sects in Thailand, without giving the official lengthy names, one is Wat Baan/ วัดบ้าน a little attached to the secular world and helping people see the truth and the other is Wat Paa where individuals try to see the truth so a lot more detached from the world. Wat Paa monks usually wear darker orange robes. The way they wear the robes is a bit different, too. 



Song_Si said:


> Midsomer Murders - love it!
> [/I] - yesterday there were two elephants on my partner's farm and they've been helping themselves to the sugar cane; there's a reserve 12km away they must have decided to have a day out. Theft!


So your town is 'dry' and has its own elephant mascots. It will be nearly impossible to find anywhere else like that. 

Your partner may soon have a new/another profession, zoo-keeping! 

:focus:

I think most local murders in Thailand are fuelled by rice Whisky! Always there is a drunken fool involved or murdered. To reduce the crime rates, they should cut down on bank holidays among other things.

In rural areas, everyone knows you. They seem to accept you a lot quicker but they never stop staring at you. Just think that they admire your beauty (they do!). Or maybe they think, " Oh no your skin is darker under the sun. What a pity!".

:focus:

Most of the time, rural Thais are more pro-farang than Thais in big cities, IMHO. They accept you as one of them pretty much as soon as you have moved into your house. You would possibly get Thai prices from local shops or markets almost straight away. One of the first Thais to greet you are either a village idiot or their leader in some ways such as Village Chief, police man, etc. they usually see being your friend/acquaintant a status-enhancer. They also love to practice English or teach you Thai. Be nice at least these people even some village idiots can help you pay less for things in local shops/markets. Just get one of them, the most senior one, to go with you when you do your first local shopping. They will be very delighted to help. Treat them a bowl of noodles or ccup of iced coffe afterwards. But don't be too friendly or some of them may come to see you everyday or get you to buy them a drink and/or vice versa everyday.

I feel safer in the rural areas but I would never go out at night on my own. Most people aren't evil, they are merely selfish, opportunistic and scared. Chances are, if you are robbed in a place no one knows you, give them what they want and pretend to be blind you should not be harmed. If you can speak Thai say things like " I cannot see." and/or " I have a very old mum/ small child who needs me. I am the only one he/she has. Take the money". Most small time crooks are pretty foolish and often drunk. Whatever you do, don't shout. Being shouted at or thinking that they are really aggrivates the Thais and sometimes panics them. You will probably get hurt! If you sound calm or scared it is certainly better!

In your rural area, it is a lot to do with who you know, too. So keep attending parties, etc. but don't get into a fight or try to stop one. If you are a bad drunk, don't get drunk with the locals. If you are seen as a mean loner then you are with no 'clan' protection. Most of us are social animals, it is even more evident in Thailand due to the Red, Yellow, Pink and Multi-colour splits. Choose no colour. But having some useful local friends is a must. 

You should be a lot more scared in a Bangkok taxi than being a victim of crime:
1)! bad driving from fake or bought license, drink driving, driver's attitude and lack of sleep. As day/night shift rental is about 11-12 hours each. They will not rest until they make some money (car rental is 500-1000 Baht per shift). Don't think it is safer if the drivers have their own cars. Never, as long as the cars are theirs 24 hours. I have met and known of many people who work more than 13-15 hours, most days on the roads! If it is new, they need enough for the car loan at the minimum, I am pretty sure it is more than 1000 a day in some cases! Thai cars don't go for checkups that often. I had to bribe a driver to drive slower once. I usually drive fast when I am in a good mood/driving home from a drab office!

2) bad motorways. 

3) robberies or worse. Don't get a taxi alone. If you have to, phone someone briefly. Kept looking at driver's card displayed on dashboad (not always belong to the actual driver). If you speak Thai or the driver talks to you in English. Initially engage in a conversation. I usually start with how broke I am. They are convinced because I have dark skin, I don't flash blings even if I was wearing my wedding ring I would hide it before I even walked out to get a taxi. 

Actually, if you look like a Thai with dark skin, you should get away with even carrying £2K+ handbag during the day. Most people will not look at it twice thinking it is a fake except the fashion obsessed! The Thais have so many stereotypes fixed in their sets of beliefs which form their attitudes and often show through their mannerism and speech. It is nearly impossible to change the stereotypes, good and bad. Thais are not keen on darker skin colours because they think pale/white skin colours look better and are signs of wealth ( most wealthy families in Thailand are of Chinese heritage they usually have paler yellow skin and Europeans have white skin generally). The same as Europeans mostly prefer dark/tanned skin as it looks better to you and it looks like you go on holidays a lot  for example. Maybe when you are well-off enough you care less about being or seeming rich and more about a life in the sun! 

:focus:
My trick is if you find a good taxi driver, ask for their name and phone number. You can book them to go anywhere. Doing this should still be cheaper than buying your own car. They do expect tips. Don't be too generous or they expect the same every time. I do 50-100 Bath tips for shorter journeys (1-2 hours) and 200-500 Baht tips for longer journeys. Mine have never been more than 6-7 hours. I don't like flashing cash but I hate to rob a family of a few hours work. I think a family need at least 300-500 Baht a day in a big city to simply be fed! Please don't steal my taxi driver though! ALSO, try ALWAYS to give them the exact amount including the tips. Very often they think or pretend to think you expect no change back! I did it so well except the last time when I let our usual taxi driver take my most revered other half/diva to the airport. I told him how much to tip. He expects me to be his PA 24/7 in Thailand! He has been boasting, he was like a king, his wife dealt with everything for him. Yes, dear, only a wee bit more than in England. Anyhow, the driver got 1000 Baht tip for a 30-40 mins work. He was meant to get 500 Baht as a thankyou gesture as he had been driving my diva around.


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## Song_Si

my life too quiet for a book; this is my third long-term location after Phuket and Sa Kaeo, but we never really left SK as we're back there every 2 months or more (190km north) for 'farm and family business'. Those two murders in SK were all the excitement a year living there could offer, apart from the episode of me and a snake in the bathroom, or a friend disturbing a red ant nest up a mango tree and setting a record for climbing down the ladder and stripping his clothes off. That was it, 12 months. I like it, my last home in NZ was a country town of 2400 people, small.

I don't think i am even 1% expert. 2% if I could play _takraw_.
The first person we met here was a fireman. We were looking for a house to rent and had stopped to admire his car (an old English Morris), he was helpful in giving us some addresses; now I swim with him at the local pool and have joined their exercise sessions too; I think I provide them with entertainment. A day after we moved to this house a policeman visited, 'welcome' and a reminder to always wear a motorbike helmet. We have more police here than I think a small town needs.

We don't have (or need) a car. For taxi we have an old man with an old car. Not a real taxi - there are none away from C City. He must be over 70, and his car an ancient Toyota Crown, windows don't open, aircon is broken, I'm unsure how far he can see. He's reliable. Don't remember how we found him, use him if I need to go to the bus station. 

For over a year I have cycled the same 30-40km routes. Same people see me of course (crazy farang!) sometimes I stop for photos, or just to rest in the shade and a car or bike pulls up to see if I'm ok - bicycle not broken. That's a difference from Phuket, places there if a car pulled up I'd be running away.


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## Newforestcat

Oh, now I remember the first time I thought that I was certainly going to die. My life was flashing in front of me just like Kevin Spacey's character said in American Beauty. Among the things I saw possibly physically was my hubby's white knuckles! We were in a Rot-too/รถตู้ / popular private mini buses that have been terrorising Thailand's roads in the past few years.

A few hours earlier, my hubby and I were on a bus to the Pier to Koh Chang hoping a week later to start travelling all the way back down to Pattaya to see his mate then to BKK to kick him back to the UK. LOL We came all the way from Kamphaengphet on a direct bus to Trat. Having left home quite eagerly at 16, I'd like to think that I am quite a good judge of character (which possibly makes me occasionally secretly judemental, but I am working on it). The lady bus collector was very friendly and nice. Sadly, some Thais who don't know me are usually much nicer to me when I am alone than when I am with my husband, dark- skin Thai and fair farang usual negative steriotype. This lady kindly told me that my diva and I should get off at Chacheongsao and get on the first private minibus to Muang Chantaburi then another bus to the pier to Kho Chang or we wasted a lot of time. Keen to keep my diva from throwing trantrums, I followed her advice. No trantrums, he was too sleepy to count how many more 'transits' he would need.

Back to the private mini bus on the way to Chantaburi, despite being lovely and kind, our driver was a real teen-phee/ ตีนผี (= the Feet of Ghost= dangerous driver). The other passengers, my husband, everyone accept the driver and his sweet-natured GF/wife. We must have been praying or repenting in our heads. The driver did not look like he thought for a nano-second before he overtook. Thick lines meant nothing to him. The scenery was lovely sometimes amazing. It got more and more lovely the closer we were in Chantaburi. I cannot say I remembered much of the beauty. The hills and scary blind bends were all my enermies! The would be killers of mine are on the other side. Our lives were utterly hanging on the driver's every tiny little movement!

We obviously did not die but we were very much kinder and loving with each other, as out lists of priorities in life had became drastically shorter. I often wonder about the driver and his girl. I do hope he has the best kind of amulet whatever it is, he needs all kinds of luck. Sadly, there are too many like him on the roads, IMHO, especially in Isaan. 

I hope never to see you cycling on any hilly bits of that road from Sa Kaew to Chantaburi. LOL

Don't overdo the cycling though my previous manager at work, at 46, very fit and healthy, had done a real damage to his knee from cycling 20-40 miles in one go on most dry weekends up and down the hills of the New Forest and killer hills of Cranbourne Chase and Blandford Forest. Mind you some New Forest hills are pretty scary. My very lazy girl and very active boy ( both labradors) love the New Forest and see chasing wild horses, ponies and rabbits as a Christmas treat. I remember vividly one summer/autumn afternoon, physically pushing the lazy cow/dog by the bum up-hill or she would just not move. 

Anyway, my husband and my mum have similar knee problems but different causes. The mad cyclist is as old/young as my hubby and had his knee operation done privately as he could not endure the pain. Warned by his surgeon he selected after lots of research that the op might not work out for him. He took his chance but sadly it did not improve his quality of life. He has been very suicidal from reading his emails. Now he disappears (from the virsual world).

I have done some research mostly based on info provided by medical schools and experts in Thailand. The usual knee operations most people have around the world sometimes do not work on people under 60 years of age. So be a dare-devil cyclist only after 60 just in case LOL.

My life is pretty mundane now so I am itching to move soon in Thailand. My diva seems he will go where I take him ( meaning on my head, be it). Everyone else, meaning my bro and my mum are quietly resisting. I know I can bribe my mum with more land to grow whatever organically. She can grow most things amazingly. Also she wants to be near a Wat Paa commune/community ( IMHO I do think they are the only real/nicest Communists in the world, according to Karl Marx. I have seen lots of similarity between Communism and stripped-bare Buddhism). I am not religious. I am fusion, fuse in most things! As for my bro, I think if I can find a girl maybe a really unmanly lady boy to take him off my tired hands with clenched fists, I am very happy to leave him where he wants. Chances are a part from my dogs, he will be my forever baby. Not sure see for himself that there is a big wide world out there will change him for the better!

A huge reason why most rural Thais are poor is down to the Hindu elements in their Buddhist beliefs. Another one I can think of is keeping up with the Shinawatras, I mean, Joneses. The two factors usually work in pair and manage to cause a permanent damage within hours each time! I don't know if you have Buddhist ceremonies cum parties where you are allowed to seal off a road or two and blast your music for the nation! Sadly it is the norm where I am, sometimes KARAOKE, MeKhong-fuelled, thrown in for good measure. Can't you afford this? No probs, go to the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives and get a loan. As far as I know a lot of farmers around here take on one loan after another. The irresponsible and over-generous bank is a govt organisation! Some staff are on commission-based wages, too. Isn't that double-taxation? I think it is as bad as Inheritance tax! 

When the loans dry up, the roads will have a much smaller number of cars mopeds and cars. Then we all can make every little town feel dead quiet like Brussels on some Sat or Sunday sometimes! I can see how Thailand will be over-populated though.

My brother and I always have very sarcastic conversations about Thailand but not with any other Thais. I don't want to be written about in Thai-raat newspaper the next day! We think that the govt/politicians cannot tell any difference between two Thai words, control and destroy, จำกัด & กำจัด/jum-gud & gum-jud respectively. Their policies mostly half-baked tend to do the latter not the former! See the electric wires, the roads, the motorways?! If you are not a quick learner, you'd better change. If you hate health and safety laws in your native country as much as a visit to a dentist's, then Thailand is your destination. 

Some of Thai friends/acquaintants I have in the UK, not many at all, have life stories worth writing about. But they possibly would kill me. My job is very stressful ( most jobs are to me, I work hard and well, but I hardly enjoy my jobs). But my job (I am taking a few years unpaid leave) is full of story-lines but I might get fired if I write about them.

I must be either the only or the first Thai girl in my little town in UK. There might be one other who moved in a few years ago. That is quite rare. But in big cities, the number is increasing, a reason for David Cameron's insomnia. Too little sleep, you may leave your small child in a pub without thinking twice. Luckily everyone knows who the daddy is. That is not as cringe-worthy as the Current Thai Iron Ladeee who proudly talked once about Sydney, a COUNTRY in near Australia! That is like not knowing where your neighbour's front-door is! 

I had to do Takraw at junior high school. Ouch! Well, that was my instructor complimenting me, my Gymastic instructor did exactly the same. I unintentionally kicked both instructors. They still remember my name! 18-19 years later! The Takraw instructor now has no hair left! 

Muay Thai next? 

Is Chantaburi flooded sometimes? Very rarely in Kamphaengphet, well, I hope last year was a one off!

My side of Kamphaengphet is pretty robust. Touch wood! A lot of people from the far South, ie Krabi have come in droves, bought loads of cheap land and more or less make that area into New Krabi. As far as I know, no one objects to that! I like new bloods coming to rural areas or they all are like Royston Vasey. I used to live in Royston but not the fictional Royston Vasey or Derbyshire's Royston Vasey! I guess I am slightly weird anyway.


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## dante

I have seldom felt as safe as in thailand! Unfortunately i do not live there yet, but i have spent quite some time there and honestly believe safety is no issue there.

That country comparisson site, NationMaster - World Statistics, Country Comparisons, is far off. For example, i live in Panama and it scores much better then Thailand. But i can guarantee you that Panama is 100x more dangerous. The thing is, there is crime in Thailand. But there is hardly any "confrontational" crime. So as a normal civilian or tourist it feels crimefree.


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## Newforestcat

dante said:


> I have seldom felt as safe as in thailand! Unfortunately i do not live there yet, but i have spent quite some time there and honestly believe safety is no issue there.
> 
> That country comparisson site, NationMaster - World Statistics, Country Comparisons, is far off. For example, i live in Panama and it scores much better then Thailand. But i can guarantee you that Panama is 100x more dangerous. The thing is, there is crime in Thailand. But there is hardly any "confrontational" crime. So as a normal civilian or tourist it feels crimefree.


And tax-free. LOL


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## dante

Newforestcat said:


> And tax-free. LOL


lol yes every country had its advantages hehe


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## mark131v

Mweiga said:


> Song Si's comments are also very much my experience after being here the past six years living in a semi-rural area close to the sea with a Thai family as immediate neighbours across the road plus a big 39 rai property next to me owned by a Russian who is never there.
> 
> The only crime in these six years has been my Thai neighbour's large mango tree which was stripped out one night a few years back by opportunist fruit thieves - went to bed with a splendid crop of mangos in the tree and woke up the next morning to find not a single one left !
> 
> Only security consists of a couple of local Thai breed hounds (Bangkeow) who make fantastic watchdogs and locking the single main gate at night.
> 
> *Pattaya , 20 kms up the road , is a different story however but then again you wouldn't catch me living there for all the tea in China.*


I live in Huay Yai just inland from Jomtien and South of Pattaya and you get an awful lot of comments like the above that are generally misinformed, we have been here for 18 months now and have had absolutely no security or crime issues whatsoever

We do not live in a gated community and do not have bars on the windows and our only security is our two dogs.....you live in a central area in any major town in any part of the world and there will be crime, fact of life but slating the whole of an area especially without first hand knowledge is a bit blinkered really...


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