Guide to risks in the city that tourists should be aware of

        After countries around the world, including Thailand, started to reopen because people did not want their lives to be frozen by COVID-19, they began to learn to live with this disease in a new, smarter way. For many, their biggest wish was to fly across the oceans and open themselves to new experiences in the countries they had been longing to see, including Thailand, “Land of Smiles.” The number of foreigners traveling to Thailand increased steadily in the third quarter of 2022, with 7.39 million tourists entering Thailand, and by the end of the year, the number even surpassed ten million.

        Now that tourists have returned, the big question is where will they travel? Certainly, they must all visit Bangkok at least once for a great travel experience, because this prosperous, modern city has numerous tourist attractions that meet all needs, especially cultural tourism, since it is full of temples, museums, and many important local communities that should not be missed. Also, for those who like partying, Bangkok has a lot of nightlife areas such as Khao San Road, Silom Soi 2, Soi Nana, and Soi Thonglor. However, the city still has a few dark corners where foreigners might feel insecure, because Bangkok attracts people from different backgrounds, with different motives for being here. In order not to be a victim of dangers in any of the 50 districts of Bangkok, let’s explore the following potential problems – and not all are serious, either – to prevent the occurrence of bad impressions of your trip to the Land of Smiles.

• Even though it is against the law for a taxi driver to ask for a fixed price without turning on the meter – and although the regulators have tightened the punishment and fines – there are still some taxi drivers violating the law. If you see a taxi driver behaving like this, you should refuse and find another taxi instead. As for tuk-tuks, however, they have no meters, so the cost has to be negotiated before you use their service. A tuk-tuk stand may show a list of fares to nearby places, but on the street, negotiation is the way. If you have questions or problems, you can call the Public Transport Passenger Protection Center on 1584.
  
  
• Pickpocketing: This can happen while foreign tourists enjoy shopping when it is crowded. Criminals tend to follow tourists and work in a group, waiting for an opportunity.Therefore, when you are walking around or doing shopping in crowded places, your shoulder bag or backpack should be placed in front of your body; if you have a fanny bag, carry only a few belongings in it. If you are pickpocketed, you can call the police on 191, the all-purpose emergency number, or the Tourist Police on 1155.
  
  
• Stealing : This may happen when tourists are having fun. Someone may pretend to befriend them and persuade them to drink until they lose consciousness, then strip the victim of their belongings and flee. Or a thief may convince a tourist to sleep with him or her, and when they get to the room, the crook gives the victim a drink mixed with sleeping pills and then takes the tourist’s money, passport, and anything worth even a little money. Therefore, tourists should not drink alcohol to the point of losing consciousness and should not easily trust strangers. If this happens, you can call the police on 191 or the Tourist Police on 1155.
  
  
• Product prices for foreigners are more expensive in some places than for Thai people: This problem may be found when purchasing products outside of regular shops that have fixed prices. Be prepared to bargain, but without being too hard-nosed. If you plan to buy expensive items, you might be able to find a similar product online, which will give you an idea of a suitable price. Also, simply shopping around and comparing prices offered by other sellers will give you a chance to find a better deal. In excessive pricing cases, you can report to the Department of Internal Trade Hotline 1569 or Tourist Police on 1155.
  
  
• General criminal threats, such as being physically assaulted or bag-snatching. This problem may be encountered in cases where tourists walk along a secluded alley. You should avoid going to places like this, especially when traveling alone. If this occurs, you can call the police on 191 or Tourist Police on 1155.

Travel advice and recommendations

1. Have a health check before traveling to ensure that you are healthy and ready to travel;
2. Make copies of documents and keep them in different places, even online (such as an email attachment or in the “cloud”) to prevent loss;
3. Do not keep cash, credit cards, passports together, but carry them as needed or kept separately;
4. Valuable assets such as mobile phones and hotel cards should be kept in a fanny bag to avoid the risk of being stolen by crooks; 
5. Keep valuable jewelry at home; dress simply and properly;
6. Keep expensive cameras or other items out of sight;
7. If you fall victim to fraud, don't try to fight. You should report the police or the embassy immediately;
8. Don't use your credit card information on someone else's cell phone or computer to avoid the risk of data theft;
9. Consider purchasing travel insurance that is suitable for traveling;
10. To prevent illness, eat properly cooked food, wash your hands, keep a safe distance from people, wear a mask in closed and crowded areas, and carry a first aid kit or essential medicines that you need;
11. If you drive a car, you should know Thai traffic laws to prevent traffic law violations and accidents;
12. Track the weather and avoid areas where people are protesting.

Source : Ministry of Tourism and Sports
Tel : +66 2283-1500