Crime, Bangkok

If you are headed for the red light area, you need to be careful of your belongings and not get involved with the wrong crowd. If you get very drunk you are leaving yourself open to be ripped off or worse still robbed. Take care.

Bangkok is generally a safe place for travellers however like any big city it does have it's fair share of crime.You should be very careful when you are walking alone at night if you are alone .For example , guys on motorbikes snatching handbags from unsuspecting female victims and knifing them in the process.I've know a couple of people getting their bags snatched even during the day so it's always better to be safe than sorry.

UNSEEN arranged our trip through Thailand in november/december 2008. It was high season, so UNSEEN said it was wise to book transport and accommodation in advamce.
1. they did'nt book transport in advance
2. they charged us at least twice/theree times the price for transport
3. we agreed upon a price for guesthouses and then they put us in guesthouses of at least half/one third of the price
So their profit margin is about 200%
In Lopburi they put us in a guesthouse {Baan Monkey guesthouse} that do'nt deserve that name. INSEEN charged us for 1000 BAHT and it was at the most worth 200 BAHT. We refused to stay there.
At our complaints they reacted very crude.
UNSEEN is'nt a travel agent, it's a money maker!

Hi There,

I was in Bangkok , last week and went through many bad experiences. Though it was a nice country to visit, it is required to be over causious, if you are to have a pleasent vacation.

I was with my family and while we were looking for some shoes for our kids, my wife had felt a vibration and luckily my little daughter saw some things are hanging out of the handbg. No sooner she told the mother, the lady beside looking shoes went missing and we were lucky to save our passports which were in a leather pouch in my wife's bag.

The issue was not this as cutting bag is a famous thing in bangkok though we realised only at that time since it was out first trip.

THE REAL SCENE TOOK PLACE JUST AFTER WE were wandering as to what was lost. Just after this incident a couple walked out from BIG C and approcahed us. The lady started a converation with my wife and the gent asked me where he could change some dollars. I told him a few places without knowing I was becoming a victim.

Then he asked me where am from and said he's from Dubai. And told me that he is off to Sri Lanka the next week and it will be his first time and wanted to see how sri lankan money looks like. This is where I made the terrible mistake in my life. I pulled my vallet out and showed him a 500 rupee note.Then this arab looking bastard noticed my dollars and wanted to show something on that and compare to sri lankan rupees. I refused several times and then he said offered his vallet to me and said you keep mine dont worry of anything. I just want to ask whether the ruppes have something similar to dollars.

Looking at the way he was dressed and the good english I spoke, I really fell to his trick. Since we were in a hurry to get out of that place after the bag incident , I did not realise anything at that moment and was not bother to look back to my dollars.

Only the next morning I found that have fallen to a trap of my life time, when realised 5 of my 100 dolar notes were missing. In Sri Lankan Rupees this amounst to Rs. 55,000.00.

I had my credit cards and managed to spend the rest of my trip with those.

So please be aware dont ever show anything to anyone in Bangkok. It is better to be rude than having regrets.

Good lesson for life, for not following a simple rule " NEVER TALK TO STRANGERS"

This one is obvious: Look out for well dressed middle-aged or elderly gentlemen who approach you and offer to give you advice (e.g., go south two bocks to get to the train station when in fact the train station is in the other direction). These men are "touts." Solution: Say: "Mai ao." Then walk away.

Also, if you are on your way from the airport on Phuket island to Phuket city, the taxi (mini-bus) may pull over at a small building in the middle of nowhere. The building contains booking agents who will try to book hotel reservations or other needs for you at double prices. Solution: If you need a room, just call any hotel listed on your map. If necessary, get a Thai person to call for you. You don't need an agent. If you do allow an agent to book a room for you, then get the room for one day and negotiate a better rate for your remaining stay at this or some other hotel.

If you are brave enough to travel by bus on your own, be aware that some drivers and baggage handlers at the station will ask "where you go?" They will then affirm that their bus goes to that destination. They will then hustle you onto the bus and collect your money. They may be lying. The bus may go to some other destination. Solution: Always buy a ticket at the station by saying> I want to buy a ticket to ...Kor seu deua bai Pattaya, Pitsanulok, or whatever your destination. Also specify air conditioning by saying> I want air, please ...Ao rot dit air khrap

I have stayed in little hotels, hostels, etc. in BKK, Pattaya, etc., and never had a problem but I do try to use room safes and I try to keep any valuables out of sight. Also, keep copies of important papers and documents such as passports... and don't keep the copies in the same place as the originals. I personally keep and old driver's license for a spare and leave a copy of my passport at home with friends.

And remember that you are in Thailand. Dress nicely and always be polite. Never show anger and never raise your voice. Self control is the hallmark of sensible, responsible people. If you have a problem, feel free to ask a Thai for help. Even if they do not understand you or they cannot answer correctly, they will want to help. Thai people are very shy, though. Alway begin by lowering your head slightly and saying> excuse me ... Kortoht krap.

Jesse

Always stay in a reputed hotel and do not compromise on the price unless you know the place inside out or it is a recommended place by someone known or a fellow VTer. It could be dangerous for a first time visitor cause a small hotel will not take any responsibility for your belongings. It might be a good idea to have valuables stored in a safe. Reputed hotels will provide you with this service as in many countries. Language could be a problem at times and you might even get frustrated trying to explain your plight.

Having just arrived you may not be fully alert. Please watch your stuff, especially your wallet/purse. My boyfriend had his nicked. My bank had decided to leave Thailand off the countries that we were visiting. No money-very stressful. Tourist police at the airport were very helpfull.

Whilst people makes jokes about Bangkok it can be a very dangerous place. Particularly the Nana area at night when there are many dangerous and infamous lady boys just looking to mug, rob, attack or drug foreign tourists. Remember these lady boys have no other source of income apart from crime. Their attacks can be random and they attack in groups down quiet streets in the early hours. The Norwich Union insurance company has described Bangkok as the most dangerous place on earth for tourists based on insurance claims. Don't drink too much and don't stay in the Nana area, anywhere else in Bangkok is safer. The Amari Boulevard hotel is dangerous because the guards do not stop lady boys entering the building to follow guests. You have been warned.