anybody aware of an increase in crime in thailand pertaining specifically to westerners.

No, why?

I do hear about more crimes being committed BY westerners but nothing about an increase in crime against westerners.

i have a thai friend living here who listens to thai news everyday. he told me about an increase in crime. he did not specifically mention westerners being a target.

where is "here" and what news network does your friend listen to?

About every 12 months I tend to read here in the UK about a British Tourist being murdered in Thailand. I suppose if that increased to 1 every 6 months or so that a 100% increase.

Thailand is pretty safe for tourists, so any increase may have a marked effect on statistics because you're starting from a low baseline.

Your luck can run out anywhere.

I traveled three times as a "female, "senior" citizen and never felt threatened. I walk a lot and take public transport. Of course as everywhere, beware of pickpockets.

Crime in Thailand can happen to anyone. I'm actually Thai and lived in Thailand for about 1 year back in 1987 as a youth. My parents house was robbed as we were all sleeping and the thieves took several thousand dollars of merchandise....It didn't help the fact that we were packing up to move back to America.

sorry about the "here".
"here" is in the US and he listens to the thai news channel about 2 hours each day.
he also tends to be a little on the paranoid side.

What do you think - is Thailand safer than your home country? I think it's safer than the US, and I believe the crime data supports that.

Anecdotally, I live in "safe" Seattle. Cheryl's car was broken into the night before last, and the house was broken into two years ago. You can be a victim of crime anywhere. And you are most likely to be victim of crime in the country you live in because you spend the most time there.

ridiculous. and how many British are murdered IN Britain every 12 months?

about 1000.

Well it's a slow day at work for me today so here goes.

The UK population is about 60,776,238(quick web search) and using Walter's murder rate of about 1,000 per year that is equivalent to 0.00164% of the UK population being murdered every year.

UK tourist arriving in Thailand in 2004 = 628,679 and again using Walter's murder rate of 1 per year, is equivalent to 0.000159%.

Therefor it's safer for a UK citizen to visit Thailand than to stay in the UK!

Crime against strangers is very, very rare in Thailand.

I'm in Thailand right now. Depending on where you are from I don't think Thailand is any more dangerous than your hometown!

Avoid acting stupid by waving wads of cash around in public, by going down very dark streets when you don't have to and by getting "falling down drunk" and being an easy victim!

I would dress down a little! Avoid wearing expensive jewelry and watches. Don't bring granny's heirloom "impossible to replace" jewelry with you and chance losing it! Use the security/safety box that is available in most hotels to safeguard your valuables and cash. Take enough money with you to see you through that days purchases - if you run out simply hit the hotel safety box again for a refill! It's not necessarily the hotel staff that may rip you off, you are just as likely having stuff stolen from your hotel room by a Farang (foreigner!)

One benefit of "dressing down" is that when you are bargaining with street vendors your starting price will be a little lower! If you look rich you may be offered a higher opening price!

Safety wise you do have to be more aware of holes in the sidewalk that may not have adequate warnings and being taller than most Asians you may find yourself walking into "hanging down" stuff that could poke your eyes out.

Have fun, enjoy yourself - you could just as easy be run over and killed by a bus back in your hometown and never go anywhere!

Hal

thanks for all the feedback.
i should mention that i tend towards the paranoid myself.
feeling about thailand like i did before talking with my thai friend.

i am still traveling to thailand.

however,something all westerners should be aware of - i have spoken to several of my thai friends living in the u.s. -all of whom watch and listen to thai news on the tv & via internet on a regular basis-there has been an increase in crime in thailand recently. that is a fact.
forget about how safe it is, or comparing it to timbuktu.
i am in no way suggesting not to go to thailand

Does seeing something on Thai TV or reading it on the Internet make it Fact?

I'm constantly reading or being told by someone on TV that crime is falling in the UK and that the figures prove it. Do I believe them? Do I heck!

Crime statistics are very difficult to interpret and can be spun in to many a different shaped web

And do note that there are a number of regular posters on this board who live in Thailand and do not share your friend's perspective. I would hestitate to call "increased crime in Thailand" a fact.

I guess I'm missing the point of this thread?

What's the warning Westerners need to be aware of? There's an increase in crime in Thailand, but it's not directed at Westerners? Wow. Great. That's revelatory.

Sorry to be snarky, but I'm just getting tired of these threads that tend to cause hysteria and unnecessary panic amongst people who have never been to SE Asia and would subsequently be turned off to going by comments like this. Comments which have no merit or real informational purpose behind them.

Crime is up all over the world. Such is the nature of humanity and evolution.