Is it safe in Thailand?
We are often asked if it’s safe to travel to Thailand and the answer is, absolutely. Whether you are planning to travel to Thailand solo, in a couple or in a group, it is a very safe country to visit. In fact, according to the crime rate statistics provided by World Population Review, it is safer than the UK, Ireland, France, Italy and many other popular European destinations.
Of course, whenever you travel to any new country it is important to follow a few rules to ensure your safety and understand how to best protect yourself during your visit, to ensure you have the best trip possible.
HERE ARE OUR TOP 10 TIPS TO STAY SAFE in THAILAND
- Keep copies of important documents on your phone/cloud, a printed copy is never a bad idea either
- Cash is king in Thailand but make sure you bring multiple debit/credit cards and keep some stashed in your hotel safe, this way if your wallet is ever lost or stolen you still have access to some money. We’ve never lost our cards but last year we did experience an online scam so Carl’s bank cancelled his debit card automatically, thankfully we had some backup cards.
- Download some helpful apps before you arrive. Grab, Bolt and InDrive are great taxi apps (think Uber) and our other tip would be to download areas of Google Maps to access offline. Having a taxi app and offline maps when you first arrive will be incredibly useful.
- Save emergency numbers into your phone, including police, tourist police, ambulance and the contact number for your hotel.
- Get yourself some medical insurance. Emergency treatment in Thailand is not cheap and they will refuse to treat you unless you can pay or show proof of insurance. We learned this the hard way when Carl fell and hit his head on a concrete slab, which ended up costing us around £4,500. We can recommend EKTA who can provide cover to anyone aged 3 to 85, there are no hidden restrictions or clauses and they have a 24/7 customer services helpline.
- Purchase a local SIM or get yourself a universal SIM to stay connected during your stay. We have a local AIS SIM card but if you’re a frequent traveller, visiting multiple countries why not check out Drimsim. It is a real SIM card, a plastic card with a chip, just like any other but it’s not tied to a single operator and once your plane lands in a new country, Drimsim is immediately ready to work. Drimsim operates in 229 countries, provides a reliable internet connection, and offers reasonable rates.
- If you plan to hire a vehicle always carry your driving licence, a copy of your passport and your international driving permit and if you’re hiring a scooter make sure to wear a helmet, failure to do so could land you with a fine if stopped by the police.
- Talking of the police, they should be respected, I mean I think that’s a given but you do not want to escalate a situation with Thai police so please respect the rules or you could land yourself a very big “fine” (read into that what you will).
- Yes, weed is now legal in Thailand and you’ll find licensed dispensaries everywhere but you are not allowed to smoke weed in public places, this includes hotels and beaches. Before you light up in a bar please check with the staff to avoid any upset or run-ins with the police, as guess what… you’ll likely be handed some more fines.
- Lastly, be aware of common scams and mistakes and how to avoid them.
And that is what this blog is all about so, after spending 12 months living in Thailand these are the most common scams we have heard of (or experienced) and the best ways to protect yourself against them…
Hiring vehicles including jet skis
One of the most common scams in Thailand involves hiring vehicles, even jet skis. The scam is simple, find an unsuspecting tourist who wants to hire a scooter, car or jet ski, one that already has minor damage and when it’s returned charge a hefty fine for the damage. When you refuse to pay as it wasn’t you who damaged the vehicle they call the police who will rarely, if ever, side with foreigners.
To avoid this common scam, always check the scooter, car or jet ski prior to leaving the premises for any damage, scratches, or dents and if you do see any, make sure to point these out and take plenty of photos and videos before you leave.
As an additional note – if you do decide to hire a scooter, please wear a helmet, not just for safety but it is illegal to drive a scooter without a helmet in Thailand (despite the fact that
many locals and tourists do not abide by this rule) and you can be pulled over by the police and be issued a fine.
And finally, if you wish to hire a car or scooter in Thailand you MUST have an international driving licence, again, if you do not have one and you are stopped by the police, you will be issued a fine. We have seen queues of tourists waiting to pay fines at the local office, we’re talking 50+ people at a time. If you’re in the UK you can grab an international driving permit from your local Post Office (appreciate these are few and far between these days) for just £5.50, you just need to bring your photocard licence and a passport-sized photograph.
Taxi drivers telling you that temples/attractions are closed
This is a well-known scam in Thailand, so be aware.
The scam is this, you want to visit a temple and so flag down a taxi, they tell you that it’s closed for a public holiday or refurbishment but it’s ok, they know another great place they can take you to. On the way they will take you on a tour, stopping at several shops selling everything from paintings to jewellery and even restaurants, the reason is because they receive commissions on anything sold.
These shops and restaurants will charge you inflated prices, and there are stories of restaurants charging up to 10x the bill’s actual value. These scams only work if you’re not aware of what they are doing. Check online to see if the attraction you want to visit has any restricted opening hours, if there is a public holiday, Google will let you know.
If you want to visit an attraction or temple make sure to use a trusted taxi driver, just ask your hotel/hostel reception to book one for you.
Lady drinks, bar games, the bell, cabaret and ping-pong shows
LADY DRINKS
In many of the bars you will be encouraged to buy drinks for the girls behind the bar, this goes for men & women and you’ll be surprised at how much they cost. Even if the girl chooses a bottle of beer you will likely pay 2 or 3 times the usual cost, as any drinks bought for the girls include a large tip. So the ฿80 (£1.80) beer she’s drinking will probably cost you ฿160 (£3.60) or even as much as ฿240 (£5.40).
BAR GAMES
Also be aware of bar games, including pool, Connect4 and the ‘dice game’, these girls are pros and spend hours playing these games with tourists so they have the advantage. The bet will always be a drink, and as we’ve discovered these come at a high price, and even if you lose you’ll often be persuaded to buy the loser a drink anyway. Just remember you’re paying for their company and attention so if you’re having a good time and don’t mind buying a few drinks or losing at a few games of Connect4 then there’s no harm done.
THE BAR BELL
You’ll notice in many bars that there is a large bell hanging down over the counter. BEWARE of ringing this bell! If you choose to ring the bell you will end up buying a drink or shot for everyone in the bar. Some bars cap the price at ฿1,000 (£22.50) or ฿2,000 (£45.00) but this isn’t the case in every bar, so make sure you understand the rules before ringing the bell.
CABARET & PING-PONG SHOWS
If you’re in a busy tourist area such as Patong in Phuket you’ll have many people approach you to come along to a ‘free’ cabaret or ping-pong show. Technically the entry is free, but you will be encouraged to buy lots of drinks at very inflated prices, sometimes as much as ฿250 (£5.60) for a small bottle of beer. You’ll also be required to ‘tip’ heavily for the free performance you’ve just watched, whether this be cash or in the form of plenty of drinks for the bartenders and waiters.
Henna tattoos
In certain areas of Thailand, there are beach sellers that offer henna tattoos, most of these use a completely safe henna ink or dye which is brown or orange in colour and creates beautiful, intricate designs. But BEWARE of BLACK HENNA, this particular henna ink uses a black dye which can cause severe chemical reactions, leaving painful burns and even scarring. If in doubt, ask them to show you the colour of the henna prior to having any tattoos.
Gambling
Gambling is ILLEGAL in Thailand, you can be arrested for participating in any type of betting or illegal casinos, this includes private poker games or sports betting.
The only permitted gambling is the Thai Lottery (Government Lottery) which takes place twice a month with a jackpot of 6 million baht (approx. £140,000). You can buy tickets from street vendors who will often pop into local bars and restaurants to sell tickets for ฿100 (£2.25) or packs of 4 for ฿300 (£6.75).
As an added note, you do need to be in the country to collect your winnings so make sure you’re still in Thailand when the draw takes place… just in case.
Vaping
Vaping is also ILLEGAL in Thailand and you can be fined by the police if caught. The reason behind this is a strange one in our opinion, basically, you can’t buy vapes in Thailand and so it’s illegal to bring them into the country, if you do, you’ve done so illegally. You can smoke weed, but not vape, who’dah thought.
As something that is commonplace in the UK and a method for giving up cigarettes, it can be tempting to bring your trusty vape with you on your holiday. We do not recommend bringing your vape into the country or buying illegal vape pens from beach sellers but if you do choose to do this, remember it is illegal and you can be fined so be discreet and don’t use it in public places.
The Thai Royal Family
It is ILLEGAL to talk negatively or insult the monarch of Thailand, this includes the royal family. To be cautious you’ll find that many Thai people refrain from talking about the royal family at all. You should also be mindful in front of photographs or paintings of them, this includes money. If you drop a note on the ground your natural instinct is to step on it so it doesn’t fly away, please avoid doing this where possible as it is considered highly disrespectful in Thailand.
And that’s it guys, stay safe, have fun and for more reviews and recommendations follow us on Instagram or on Twitter. We love building our little community of fellow travellers and travel lovers, or if you want more guides direct to your inbox, why not subscribe, we aim to post something new every week.
Until next time,
* Please be aware that the links we provide for EKTA, InDrive and Drimsim are affiliate links. Although they won’t cost you anything extra, using these links may result in a small commission to us.
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