Thailand is a paradoxical country! Thai media are full of news about road accidents, thefts and even murders, and tourists are delighted with the relaxed atmosphere and good nature of Thais. Is it safe to rest in the Land of Smiles? We will tell you about the problems we encountered ourselves.
They see you, they think of you
Thai society lives by long-established laws. Having arrived here, tourists do not immediately understand what is what, but from the first minutes they feel how social Asians are. They don't live apart from each other. The doors of the houses on the first floors are open almost everywhere, and all everyday life is on display.
Thais eat in public without a shadow of embarrassment, and when they see a foreigner, they smile and invite him to join a delicious dinner. Children greeted cheerfully: "Hello". Passing adults, they diligently bow or lower their heads in order to be lower.
In any visit to Thailand, we constantly received help from taxi drivers, hotel workers and makers. Many times the police, seeing me and my husband at a busy intersection, stopped traffic and almost by the hand led us to the other side of the street.
Is it dangerous in Thailand? In our opinion, it is absolutely safe! Most of the problems faced by vacationers do not come from the Thais, but from the tourists themselves.
Is it dangerous to travel to Thailand with children? No, this country is perfect for families. Thais adore babies, and especially little farangs. Popular resorts are full of children's entertainment and attractions - dolphinariums, water parks, aquariums, elephant villages, zoos and museums. Holidays in Thailand with children >>
Nowhere and never do not travel without health insurance. Use the services - Cherekhapa and SravnRu. They will compare all offers and help you choose insurance that is suitable for the price and conditions.
Special world - Pattaya
The first resort we visited in 2009 was Pattaya. It is a city that is completely tourist-oriented and very different from the laid-back working-class Thailand. Everyone who works in resort areas - in Pattaya, Phuket, Koh Samui and Krabi - see visitors as their main source of income. Employees of hotels, restaurants, massage parlors, girls and boys from famous jays try to squeeze the maximum out of tourists.
One evening we walked along Dongtan Beach. A man came up to us, showed us an open pack of cigarettes and with the words "Mary-bath" offered to light a cigarette.
The husband pretended not to understand him. He took out his pack of cigarettes and treated someone he met. He took a cigarette, thanked him and went his own way. We think that the overt drug offer on the beach was the work of the Thai police. A kind of check for lice tourists.
Another time, also in the evening and again on Dongtan, we saw a warmed up company of Thai youth. The guys came to Pattaya to hang out and were looking for adventure. A young man came out into the half-dark alley and began to shout something to us. The words could not be made out, but the Thai was behaving aggressively. To be honest, we tensed.
When the guy came closer, he suddenly stopped, fell silent, quickly apologized and walked away. Probably, the bully did not see us very well in the dark and mistook us for men walking together. When he saw the married couple, he realized that he was mistaken in gender fantasies and was embarrassed.
Road accidents
There are a lot of cars in Thailand, and the traffic is growing every year. There is indeed a danger on the roads, but in ordinary cities there are fewer problems than in resorts. Let's talk about typical dangers using the example of Pattaya.
Sitting behind the wheel, local drivers completely forget about pedestrians. You need to cross the road carefully. Even at marked crossings and traffic lights, some drivers do not let those who are walking.
Due to the congestion of the streets, there are many accidents, and often innocent people who calmly walk alongside or stood on the sidelines suffer in them. Often the misfortune is provoked by inexperienced drivers of rented bikes - foreigners.
Before our eyes, a Canadian jeep broke the rules and crashed into a motorcycle with a cart, on which a whole Thai family was traveling. The speed of the car and the motorcycle was not high, but the side impact was enough for the woman, children and the bike driver himself to fly onto the asphalt. Everyone was very upset and scared, but fortunately, there were no serious injuries.
Features of climate and nature
Thai nature presents real dangers for tourists.
Animals. Of course, there are wild animals in Thailand and some of them are dangerous. But there are few of them, and tourists almost never encounter them in everyday life. Many animals look creepy and can be scary, but most are scared to death of you! The one who is really dangerous is the jellyfish. I wrote an article on who should be avoided in Thailand and who does not threaten tourists: dangerous animals in Thailand >>
The sun... Thailand has a subequatorial climate. Solar activity is very high and it is easy to get burned even in cloudy weather. Don't neglect sunscreen! Try to stay less exposed to the sun, relax in air-conditioned rooms, and drink more plain water. How to sunbathe >>
High air humidity... Monsoons rule in Thailand. In the rainy season, the humidity in the seaside resorts rises to 98%. Coupled with the heat, such a climate is difficult for babies, the elderly and those who suffer from heart and vascular diseases. However, there are exceptions. Our friend came to Thailand with severe asthma and it was here that she began to feel better. She began to breathe calmly, and the attacks receded. Colds and typhoons: where you don't need to rest in winter >>
Floods... During the rainy season, tropical downpours hit Thailand with incredible force. Local floods occur every year, and in the mountains, water flows lead to landslides. Do tourists at resorts suffer from cataclysms?
We lived in Thailand in the fall of 2011, when Thais experienced the worst flooding in the last 50 years. It rained in Pattaya. Merchants laid out sandbags in front of the shops to prevent the rising water from getting inside. We even crossed the whole country by bus and saw with our own eyes the flooded fields and villages.
The only thing that did not happen was the tragedy for tourists. Despite the downpours, life in the resorts went on as usual. Hotels and restaurants worked. Vacationers swam in the sea and went on excursions. Rainy and Holiday Seasons in Thailand >>
Rip currents... At the resorts of the Gulf of Thailand, rip current is not scary. Rip currents are found only on the west coast of Phuket. These are a kind of rivers that flow perpendicular to the bank.
The rip currents lead to the death of people for two reasons. First, they can carry bathers far offshore. Secondly, a strong jet causes panic, and the person, not understanding what is happening, loses strength in the fight against the draft.
Rescue services on the beaches detect such currents and put up prohibition signs. If you don't swim well or are not sure you can get out of their rip currents, swim on the east coast of Phuket.
All about the bump flow in 10 minutes
Divorce tourists
It sounds incredible, but for 8.5 years in Thailand, no one tried to cheat or deceive us. Perhaps we were just lucky, or maybe we just never expected evil and trouble from the locals.
We were told different stories, but all the problems were provoked by the tourists themselves. Are you being told the highest price in the market? Walk down the aisles and ask other vendors about the cost of the fruit. The Thai bazaar is no different from any market in the world. Sellers want to sell at a higher price, and buyers want to take the goods better and cheaper. Smile, bargain and have fun with the Thais!
Did the songthaew driver suddenly turn off the route? Don't be nervous, go out and catch another car. You will only lose 10 baht! For such a price, no one has been carrying passengers in our homeland for a long time.
Thailand is part of the Buddhist world. It, like a mirror, reflects your aspirations and emotions. Do you want to get a kind attitude, pleasure and vivid emotions? Rest calmly, without prejudice or clenched fists. You will definitely get much more from a trip to the Land of Smiles than you expected!
