Is Thailand Safe? What Expats Really Experience Living There

Is Thailand Safe? What Expats Really Experience Living There
Expats say Thailand feels safe, relaxed, and easy to navigate..|©iStock/bloodua

When people ask me, “Is it safe in Thailand?”, I always say the same thing.

“Thailand feels really safe to me; then again, I’m from Florida. Maybe you should ask someone else.”

Natural Risks: Mostly Mild, With One Exception

To be fair, I come from the lightning strike/shark bite/hurricane capital of the world, so I’m used to nature trying to kill me. In comparison, Mother Nature is pretty kind to Thailand. Other than the once-in-a-millennium tsunami in 2004, cyclones, typhoons, and major earthquakes are a rarity.

Unless you’re out in the jungle and encounter a cobra or a scorpion, natural Thailand itself is much safer than where I come from.

One precaution all newcomers should learn to take, however, is mosquito awareness. Malaria and dengue fever are a threat in this part of the planet, especially during the rainy season. Mosquito control in big cities is quite effective, but rural towns and island communities are more vulnerable. Expats quickly become familiar with DEET and the times of day when it is most dangerous.

I can tell you from personal experience, you don’t want Dengue Fever.

Crime: What Expats Actually Face

When it comes to personal safety, the numbers are reassuring. Violent crimes like murder and rape are four to five times less likely in Thailand than in the U.S., and even more rarely committed against foreigners. Most violent incidents involving foreigners are foreigner-on-foreigner affairs, usually between tourists, and almost always involving alcohol or drugs.

While Thailand is ranked among the top three safest countries in Southeast Asia, tourist areas are still prone to petty crime. Some areas of Bangkok, as well as the party zones of Pattaya and Phuket, can be targets for pickpockets, prostitution, and petty theft.

With that said, even where I live in partytown Pattaya, not a week goes by without me reading a news story about some unlucky tourist who lost their wallet or handbag, only to have it returned by a taxi driver or a bartender, missing not one satang. Ninety-nine percent of Thai people are honest, caring individuals who go out of their way to help foreigners.

I’ve lived in Thailand for over 25 years. I’ve never been scammed, robbed, threatened, or attacked. I’ve had all those things happen to me in Florida.

A group of newly arrived expat women from the U.S., whom I met recently, said safety was the number one reason for choosing Thailand for retirement.

“I walk the streets of Bangkok at midnight by myself without any anxiety,” Monique, a retired teacher from Georgia, told me. “You can’t do that in Atlanta.”

Where Thailand Isn’t So Safe: The Roads

If there is one area where Thailand does present a real safety risk, it’s on the roads.

With more than 20,000 traffic fatalities annually, it ranks among the deadliest countries in the world.

If you’re just looking at the statistics, it can give the impression that the roads are chaotic, but it doesn’t feel like that when I’m behind the wheel. Dig a little deeper, and you’ll learn that three out of four road deaths involve motorcycles or scooters, and nearly half are alcohol-related.

Most foreigners involved in accidents are inexperienced tourists on motorbikes, often unfamiliar with the roads and sometimes under the influence of alcohol.

I’ve never been in a traffic accident in Thailand. I attribute that to the fact that I don’t drink and drive, I don’t drive aggressively, and, most importantly, I don’t ride motorbikes. Take yourself out of the high-risk groups, and your odds of staying safe on Thai roads go up significantly.

Safe Places to Live in Thailand

For expats who like their serenity turned up to 11, there are several welcoming communities throughout Thailand famous for their safe environments.

Surprisingly, Bangkok has several large residential neighborhoods that are both vibrant and renowned for safe and carefree living. Arrive at Skytrain stations near Silom, Sathorn, Thong Lor, Phrom Phong, or Ari, and you’ll see retirees, couples, families, and single women enjoying a cosmopolitan lifestyle in this frenetic megacity without fear or worry.

I lived in Bangkok’s Japanese Quarter for three years without ever hearing a car alarm, a police siren, or even a barking dog.

The northern capital of Chiang Mai offers similar appeal. Nimmanhaemin in particular is a well-lit, walkable neighborhood with modern condos, a lively café culture, and convenient shopping for digital nomads and a growing number of retired couples. “Nimman” is a popular choice among single female expats because of its reputation for personal safety.

Families often choose to live in the suburban district of Hang Dong, on the western side of Chiang Mai, near international schools and within some very nice, ultra-safe gated communities.

The coastal enclaves of Hua Hin and Krabi offer that sea-sand-sun lifestyle with close-knit expat communities. Hua Hin is a favorite weekend getaway for well-heeled Bangkok residents, so the town is clean, orderly, and well-policed. I lived in Krabi for a year, and the only crime I encountered was a monkey stealing my sunglasses while I was swimming at the Huai To Waterfalls.

Why Thailand Feels Safer Than Home

Numbeo ranked Thailand among the top three safest countries in Southeast Asia, behind Brunei and Singapore. The U.S. State Department graded Thailand’s safety at Level 1, the same as Japan and Canada.

But all the statistics and rankings telling me that Thailand is safer than where I come from by a wide margin aren’t what make me feel safe in Thailand. It’s the Thai people.

I don’t realize how much I take my personal safety for granted until I return to the U.S. The moment I get off the plane, I’m on guard. The shock of going from a peaceful environment with friendly people who smile and say “good morning” to the chaos of an American airport is jarring.

Even in my hometown, which is supposed to be a friendly place, things are changing rapidly. People seem less friendly, more aggressive, and desensitized to violence. I didn’t realize how safe I felt in Thailand until I returned to the U.S. and suddenly felt the need to improve my situational awareness.

In Thailand, I wake up and go throughout my day confident that most of the people I interact with have my best interests in mind. The last time I was in the US, I did not have that feeling. It seemed a little dog-eat-dog to me.

So, is Thailand safe? As I said, it’s a matter of perspective. Coming from a place that can be more than a little unpredictable, Thailand feels calm, manageable—even reassuring. And once you’ve lived in both places, it’s easy to compare, and it’s hard to think about safety the same way again.

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