Security in Thailand

Crime in Thailand

Thailand is a safe country. Serious crimes such as murder, robbery and rape are very rare. Thais in general are one of the friendliest and most peace-loving nations, and tourists can feel quite comfortable and free even in the most remote and remote places.

But no matter how friendly the Thais are, there are always a couple of bad guys among the hundreds of good ones. So, in Thailand there are a lot of "guest workers" from neighboring Southeast Asian countries and a lot of tourists, among whom there are also plenty of bad people. In some resorts, the Russian mafia has been "successfully" established for a long time, and often in Thai criminal reports you can read about "disassembly" between Russian-speaking citizens, real estate fraud, detentions for possession or drug trafficking. We also have to state that between tourists and locals, although very rarely, there are conflict situations that sometimes get pumped up by fights or something stronger. They happen, most often, at popular resorts or in large cities. Moreover, in such situations, the locals support each other in every possible way, and are ready to stand up for a whole crowd even for a compatriot unknown to them, while tourists should not expect help even from compatriots. The police are also ready to stand up for their own, especially if the foreigner is at least a little wrong. But, fortunately, such situations are very rare. And if you show respect for local traditions and customs, and if a pre-conflict situation arises, show calm and restraint, the chances of being in such a situation are minimal.

Here is an example of a situation that occurred in August 2014 on Koh Samui. The preliminary circumstances of the incident are as follows: a German citizen and the owner of a well-known bar on Koh Samui came to a nightclub with his Thai girlfriend. When they left the nightclub, a group of young Thais were sitting on a German motorcycle and drinking beer. A verbal altercation ensued, which escalated into a fight. Young Thais beat the German to a pulp, and then cut his throat with a broken bottle, and then disappeared. Remember about such cases when you feel that you have a conflict brewing with the locals. It is better to step over your principles and pride than to part with your health or life.

The police in Thailand are poorly paid. The salary of a policeman is 6000 baht (about $125, see money of Thailand, exchange rate) per month. Hence the corruption in the police, "protection", sometimes a dismissive attitude towards the victims. However, there is a special attitude to tourists here, unless, of course, the tourist behaves appropriately. There is a special "tourist police" here, which deals with crimes against foreigners or committed by foreigners. Although the "tourist police" does not conduct any real investigative actions, it is still better to go there at the initial stage. At least there will be no problems with the language barrier, since officers with knowledge of English and even Russian-speaking volunteers serve here.

Tips to Avoid Trouble in Thailand

With all the security of Thailand and the friendliness of its people, it should be honestly said that Thailand is considered a police state. The influence of the military and the police on politics and public life is quite high, and both of these categories are very respected. Plus, there are tough laws and high corruption. All together, this can lead to problems with the law and the police for tourists who believe that everything is allowed to them. Many times there have already been cases with foreign tourists (not only from Russia), who, according to them, were detained for nothing, thrown into prison for no reason, extorted money. It is difficult to assess the reliability of these stories, but at the same time it is naive to believe that nothing will ever happen to you in Thailand and the police will protect you from everything. In conflict situations, the police most often take the side of the local population, and fellow citizens will also stand up for their own. Keep this in mind, and also adhere to the following recommendations to avoid trouble:

• Thais are very fond of drinking alcohol, but never make an acquaintance and do not drink with drunk Thais. They do not know how to drink and lose control of themselves even worse than tourists. There were many stories when a feast with Thais ended in a fight, rape, murder.
• In Thailand, the King and the royal family are especially revered. Any offensive action, even to their images, can result in criminal punishment, and sometimes lynching by local residents.
• Photography is allowed almost everywhere and for free, but it is strictly forbidden to photograph military facilities. Places where it is impossible to take photos are marked with a special sign (crossed out photo or video camera). Without special permission, you can not use video cameras in the Grand Royal Palace, you can not take pictures in the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and other attractions associated with the royal family.
• Since October 2017, many popular beaches in Thailand have banned smoking. Violation is subject to a very large fine, up to 100,000 baht, or imprisonment. The punishment is imposed starting from February 1, 2018. Beaches with a ban are equipped with appropriate prohibition signs, and it is also promised that special smoking booths will be installed. All this is done to clean the beaches of "bulls".
• Since 2014, the circulation of electronic cigarettes has been banned in Thailand. Importation, purchase, sale or use thereof can lead to imprisonment for a term of 5 to 10 years.
• According to a very old Thai law, foreign citizens must carry a passport with them at all times. In practice, this rule, fortunately, is checked and observed not so strictly, but every now and then there is information that the tourist was detained and fined for lack of a passport. At a minimum, carry a photocopy or photo of your passport with you, including a page with a stamp on the last entry or visa.
• You can not visit Buddhist temples in shorts, short skirts, with bare shoulders and legs. As a rule, before entering the temples, you can rent clothes for free or for a nominal fee. Before entering the temple, you need to take off your shoes. Under no circumstances should women touch a monk, pass or take any things from him. Every image of the Buddha, big or small, whole or destroyed, is perceived in Thailand as a sacred object. You should not climb such objects to take pictures, or perform actions that may be perceived as disrespectful to them.
• For Thais, the head is the most important and important part of the body. They believe that the soul of a person is in the head. Therefore, you should not touch the head of a Thai, even if it is a friendly gesture. Also, you should not pat Thais on the shoulder.
• An indication of a person or object with a foot is considered rude.
• Always try to speak calmly and quietly, without raising your voice. A person who speaks softly evokes a feeling of deep respect among Thais. The expression of anger and just loud speech are considered rude and ill-mannered here. For those guests who remain calm and smiling, all doors are open.
• It is not customary here to demonstrate a close relationship between a man and a woman, to hug passionately and kiss in public.
• Thailand has extremely strict laws to combat the illegal distribution of drugs. A person who is found to have drugs may face punishment up to the death penalty. The transportation of drugs through customs (smuggling) is the death penalty. Watch the movie "Bangkok Hilton" for persuasiveness before leaving (the film, by the way, is excellent).
• If you have been detained on charges of an offense, try to settle the issue peacefully. Otherwise, the police have the right, with the permission of the court, to imprison you for up to 84 days (7 times for 12 days) for the duration of the investigation. After the police formalize the protocol on the offense, you can be released on bail (except for particularly serious crimes, in which the court has the right to refuse bail). At the same time, your passport remains with the police, and information about it is entered into the database, and you will not be released from the country until the court decides.
• Money, tickets, passports and valuables should be deposited in a safe at the reception or put in a safe in the room, if there is one there. Unfortunately, this does not guarantee 100% safety, as there have been quite a few cases, especially in cheap hotels, of money and passports being lost from the safe. If there is a safe at the reception and in the room, it is better to divide the money into two parts. In hotels that value their reputation, you can ask the staff for a receipt (receipt) with a detailed list and cost of items to be deposited. Read also the article on measures for safety of money and documents during the trip.
• If you have a large amount of cash, you can find and rent a safe in a bank or open a bank account and put money there. If you open an account, you will be given a plastic card and you can safely use it to withdraw cash or pay.
• Take with you for a walk as much money as you plan to spend, no more.
• Try to have as little cash as possible, replacing them with a plastic card or traveler's checks, but still enough to last until the end of the vacation if something happens to the card or checks.
• Carry photocopies of passports with you just in case (passports are in the safe). It is even better to additionally place a scan of the foreign and Russian passport in your e-mail so that, if necessary, they can be printed out.
• If you feel that they are trying to deceive you, "to breed for money," and if the matter has not gone far, do not make a scandal. Say that you don't understand anything or that there is no money. Do not provoke conflict.
• If you rent a room, motorcycle, car, hire a taxi, etc., agree on the price in advance, otherwise you may later be charged an unreasonable bill. You can write down the price on paper, show it to the seller to make sure that you understand each other correctly, and save it until the calculation. If they tell you that they will tell you the price later, this is most likely an attempt at fraud.
• If you lose your passport, you will need to get a "certificate of return to the Russian Federation." Go to the nearest Tourist Police station with photocopies of the missing documents. There you have to tell everything in detail, write a statement describing what happened and wait for the police officer to sign it. A statement to the police with a lost passport is the most important document. Otherwise, you will not be released from the country, and your vacation will be delayed indefinitely. Next, you need to contact the Consular Department of the Russian Embassy in Thailand with a statement to the police and a protocol from the police, a copy of your passport and 2 photos. In 2-3 days you will be given a "Certificate of return to the Russian Federation". Next, with "A certificate", a copy of the passport, the original and a copy of the application, you go to the Immigration Department. It is located near the embassy. There you will be put all the necessary seals on the "Certificate". After that, you can safely return to your homeland. Additional information in the article "What should I do if my passport is lost/stolen abroad?"

Insurance

Even if you are in great shape and healthy, insurance will not hurt, especially if you are going on a trip on your own and for a long time.

There are a huge number of companies and a wide variety of types of insurance. You can get insured directly from home, via the Internet, by paying for insurance with a plastic card.

Some policies do not cover the consequences of extreme sports, such as diving, motorcycle riding, etc. Some policies require you to pay for treatment on the spot and receive compensation at home. Others, on the contrary, will provide you with free access to medical care on the spot. There are a lot of different subtleties in insurance, and if you decide to insure your stay, find out all the conditions and carefully study all the terms that are offered in the contract.

You can check and compare insurance prices on the following websites:

Road safety

First of all, you need to remember: there is left-hand traffic on the roads of Thailand. When crossing the road, you should look first of all to the right, no matter how much you would like to look to the left out of habit, as in Russia.

According to different points of view, the situation on the roads of Thailand is called very tense and dangerous or calm and safe. Anyway, the objective facts are that local drivers do not particularly strive to comply with the rules of the road in the absence of police or traffic controllers within sight, motorcycle bikers sometimes move like crazy along the sidewalks and the oncoming lane to cut their way or bypass traffic jams. Moreover, according to the results of 2014, Thailand ranked second in the world in terms of the number of deaths in road accidents per 1,000 people, second only to Namibia.

Do not be mistaken that all Thais are real good angels on the road, and everywhere they will helpfully let you through and say thank you, even if you are wrong. The aggressiveness of drivers in conflict situations here often crosses the boundaries of what is permissible. Very often you can read in the local media about another skirmish between drivers who did not share the road, which ended in shooting or massacre. Many drivers, especially taxi drivers, carry firearms, knives, machetes, and can easily use them in a conflict situation. Motorcycle drivers also behave aggressively. This is especially evident in large cities and resorts, so be very careful not to spoil your vacation and do not get into conflicts. The rule "Make way for a fool" is relevant here as well as at home.

If you do not believe in the aggressiveness of Thai drivers, watch this video:

On the other hand, on the subjective side, according to our observations, there are few accidents on the roads. Maybe this is of course due to the fact that, unlike our accidents, Thai accidents leave quickly and do not expect traffic police officers for 10 hours. Or maybe there really aren't enough accidents because the drivers are real pros, and they drive away from each other literally in centimeters.

Although almost no one follows the rules of the road, it is quite safe to cross the roads, the main thing is to do it calmly and slowly. In resort areas, there are quite a lot of traffic lights and pedestrian crossings on the roads, where you can cross the roadway with caution. The main thing when crossing the road is not to make sudden movements from side to side, to move slowly. Watch a video about driving through a red light in Thailand.

As for the rental of transport:

You can easily rent a bicycle, a motorcycle (150-500 baht per day), a car (from 700 to 1500 baht per day). To rent, you only need to have a driver's license (international), as well as a credit card, passport or cash as collateral. Sometimes a copy of the passport can be accepted as collateral.

The technical condition of the vehicles is far from perfect, so check everything carefully and photograph all defects before taking the transport. Otherwise, when returning even for the smallest defects that have already been, you will have to pay at an inflated cost. You can also become a victim of fraud when the owner of a rented vehicle organizes the hijacking of a rented motorcycle or car himself (using his keys), and then extorts money.

Important phone numbers

• The emergency telephone number of the police is 191 or 123 (toll-free from any phones)
• Tourist Police - 1155 (free call from any phones)
• Ambulance - 1554

Addresses and phone numbers of embassies – here

In case of loss of credit card and traveler's checks:

• 02 252 2212 Mastercard/Visa
• 02 233 5644 Diners Club
• 02 273 5296 American Express
• 02 256 2816 Thomas Cook

Health in Thailand, vaccinations

Thai medicine is quite developed and is known all over the world for surgical operations to change sex, adjust breasts, etc. Medical care in Thailand is very expensive, so at least medical insurance is strongly recommended. Keep in mind that simple insurance will not cover the treatment of injuries that you may get when renting a motorcycle. Renting a motorcycle by most insurance companies is equivalent to active sports.

Medicines in Thailand are available and sold everywhere. If you use any medications all the time, do not forget to write down their names in English. Be careful when buying medicines: check if the shelf life has expired.

Before traveling at home, prepare tourist's first aid kit, including the most necessary medicines:

• From allergies to food, flowers, bites: Suprastin, Telfast, etc.
• Antipyretic and analgesic: aspirin, paracetamol or baralgin.
• Cough drops: any kind of halls lollipops, etc., will do.
• Against spasms: "No-shpa".
• From sunburn or jellyfish: "Panthenol".
• For the stomach: activated charcoal, festal, smecta, levomecitin, imodium.
• From motion sickness: "dramina", "aeron", etc.
• Some kind of disinfectant of general and local action: for example, Chlorhexidine.
• Bandage, plaster, repellents from flies and mosquitoes.
• Balm for wound healing: "Lifeguard".
• Cardiac drugs. They will be useful if you go to the mountains, with a strong allergic reaction to insect bites, fish, snakes.

Vaccinations

There are no mandatory vaccinations for those arriving in Thailand, unless you are coming from an infected area.

If you are very concerned about your health, plan your vaccinations in advance: some of them require an initial injection followed by a post-injection period, while some vaccinations cannot be carried out together. Therefore, get medical advice at least six weeks before the trip.

You can also get vaccinated in Thailand in hospitals or private clinics.

Vaccinations that are recommended before traveling to Thailand: tetanus and diphtheria; hepatitis B; hepatitis; typhoid; rabies; Japanese encephalitis.

Recommendations for health preservation:

• Never drink raw water. It is better to buy bottled water in supermarkets and shops. I can sell sealed tap water on the street. You can brush your teeth with tap water.
• Try not to drink drinks in cafes and restaurants with ice, as ice can be made from tap water. If the ice is made in the form of cubes or cylinders with a hole in the middle, such ice is factory-made and it is safe.
• Be careful when sunbathing – you can get badly burned even in cloudy weather. In the early days, you can get a burn in 15 minutes. Always use sunscreen. Thais use coconut oil as protection and treatment from the sun. It is sold everywhere in Thailand.
• In a tropical climate, you can pick up any infection that exists on the planet. Be prudent. Observe personal hygiene, wash your hands thoroughly, especially before eating.

Animals, plants, insects and natural phenomena are dangerous. In order to take preventive measures or not to encounter such troubles at all, you need to know the enemy by sight:

• Sea urchins. When bathing, there is a chance of stepping on a sea urchin. They usually prefer stones, so choose beaches for swimming with a minimum of stones. The needles of sea urchins are dangerous, they are all jagged and fragile. It is best of course to consult a doctor. However, there is a folk recipe that can be resorted to only as a last resort, when there is nowhere to wait for help. First you need something hard to beat yourself in the place where the needles hit. Thus, you will crush the needles into smaller pieces (this is a very painful procedure). Then this place is abundantly watered with lime or lemon juice. The acid in the juice should dissolve the needles. You can attach a cloth moistened with juice. Dissolution takes a long time, so it is better to wrap the sore spot with a bag and expose it to the sun or put it in hot water so that the reaction goes faster. After 30 minutes, the needles should dissolve and come out. After that, the wound must be thoroughly disinfected.
• Jellyfish burns.From jellyfish burns fresh aloe helps. There are a lot of sellers running on the beaches, among which there are also sellers of aloe.
• Sunburn. For the treatment of mild sunburn and for sun protection you can use a Thai folk remedy – coconut oil. You can buy at the pharmacy some kind of remedy at home, or already in Thailand, just by showing a sunburn. They will understand you immediately.