How Safe is Thailand? Essential Safety Tips for Travelers

Introduction

How Safe is Thailand?

When planning a trip to Thailand, it’s essential to consider various aspects of safety and preparedness. Thailand is a popular destination known for its vibrant culture, beautiful landscapes, and bustling cities, but like any travel destination, it comes with its own set of risks and challenges. From personal safety to dealing with potential scams, understanding what measures to take can make your stay more enjoyable and worry-free. This article explores key safety considerations and offers practical advice for navigating life in Thailand.

Personal Safety and Preparedness

Do you wear a helmet and other bike safety gear? Do you have full health insurance? Do you carry a first aid kit with you at all times? Do you wear sunscreen? Do you have multiple bank cards? Do you have insurance on your phone, car, bike, house, or other belongings? Can you fight or take care of yourself? Do you know how to diffuse conflict and apologize correctly? Have you bought a bike (as only bikes you own can be insured)? Do you have liability insurance? Do you carry 10,000–20,000 baht on you in case you need to pay a hospital or the police or something?

Scams and Dishonesty

Are there scams in Thailand? Yes. Will girls steal money from you? Yes. Many countries, including Britain, Australia, China, Thailand, and India, openly accept dishonesty as part of their culture. For example, in Australia, people might steal from supermarkets casually, walking out with full grocery bags without paying. If you’re so scared of the world and other people, why not stay in England or Ireland, where the government takes care of everything and you don’t have to worry about much?

Unique Aspects of Thailand

One thing I like about Thailand is that because many people are careless and don’t wear helmets, I can be a contrarian and choose to wear one. Since health insurance is uncommon here, I feel like a ‘rebel’ for having it. As many people are taken advantage of in relationships, I feel ‘unique’ for being the dominant partner. I recently met a New Zealand expat who hadn’t been happy for years until he walked into a bar and a girl hit him with one of those ‘batons.’

Avoiding Trouble

In videos of guys being ‘screwed over’ by girls at bars, it seems that those who get ‘taken advantage of’ often do want it. It’s not hard to avoid these situations if you don’t want to be involved. For instance, I have a motorcycle jacket, helmet, and safety pants, which I wear even when riding my scooter. I also wear a mask on planes and at airports. Even though I’m right-wing and didn’t support anything related to COVID, these precautions make sense because I always catch colds on planes. So, when someone crashes a bike going 100 km/h without safety gear, I wonder if they are a masochist who wanted to get hurt. Otherwise, why take such risks?

Basic Safety Tips

You don’t need to be scared of anything if you follow some basic precautions:

Get health insurance, as hospitals are expensive.
Wear safety gear.
Stock your fridge with food and water.
Have enough money for 1–2 years.
Pay your rent for the year upfront.
Have 3 backup bank cards.
Have cash on hand and at your house.
Have a medical kit in your bag at all times.

Understanding Your Environment

I find it increasingly perplexing how people put themselves in avoidable situations and then complain about them. Why worry about an expat ‘taking advantage of you’ when you’ve clearly stated you will never give anyone any money? So who cares? You won’t give him anything anyway. Why be scared? Scared of what? You should be more concerned about going home as a non-resident or crashing your bike and dying because you don’t have a helmet. It seems to me that some people want to be scared of their surroundings. For example, if you drive a rental motorbike, it’s not covered by insurance, so if you crash, you’re in trouble. Yet, you might fear a ‘weird-looking dude.’ Just avoid him.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while Thailand does have its risks, proper precautions can greatly mitigate them. For me, being a contrarian is appealing. While everyone else drives around without a helmet, I choose to wear one. As for being scammed or taken advantage of, I have no fear. People stealing my bag or phone is a possibility, but it’s less likely here than in the Philippines or Brazil, and people don’t physically attack you. By staying prepared and cautious, you can enjoy your time in Thailand without unnecessary worry.