GUWonder

While I too find Bankgkok pretty safe, the use of those reported rape statistics doesn't really make the point well, also as when it mixes apples with oranges by not making any effort to adjust for the different definitions applicable. For example, the numbers for reported rape in Sweden skyrocketed after Sweden changed the definition of rape around 10-12 years ago to include crimes that are not considered rape in say the U.S. or Thailand. Also, reported crimes and reported convictions for crimes are anything but uniformly the same thing.

I have no doubt that I'm no more likely to be assaulted in Bangkok than in Washington (DC), NYC, Dallas, Phoenix, Berlin, London, Sydney, or Toronto. The biggest risk of injury/death I'm likely to face in Thailand comes from vehicular traffic. If I didn't avoid Thailand because of road traffic accidents, then I'm not sure why I should avoid Thailand because of some terrorist attacks like this -- especially as I certainly didn't stop going to NYC after 9/11 and all that followed from that.

IAN-UK

Without serious caveats and copious footnotes, the chart is misleading. It reflects reporting and recording differences, as well differences in the way rape is defined. Reporting the crime depends heavily on social attitudes to victims, faith in the police to investigate cases thoroughly and push for prosecution, and trust in the legal system.


You might smell something fishy with the chart suggesting Sweden is twice as dangerous as anywhere else on earth, fully three times more dangerous than neighbouring Finland.

HasteFlier

Indeed, using reports to count can be misleading - Sweden would be a clear example of a higher number due to more sympathetic view of the victims and different definitions.

There are different estimates of number of rapes by country, which give significantly different results. An example would be an UN report which places South Africa first, a country that is not even in the ones mentioned in the report chart.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual...ica#Prevalence
Then, of course, there are war zones such as eastern D.R.C where rape is extremely prevalent, but for tourism purpuses there are of course less comparable.

My point is not necessarily that this is *the* ranking (though I believe it's more accurate), but rather that a ranking based on reports might be deeply misleading.

HKtraveller

When I see those figures in Indonesia, I would put the emphasis on the term police recorded. Life tells a different story. Just talk to a few Indonesians.

yosithezet

Samui, eh?

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...ard-from-south

I'm certain you will have a nice time on BKK and in USM. I'm in BKK every few weeks and that won't change. There is a Thailand meetup thread you can use if you want to meet FTers whole in town.

MarcoGT

I know about the bomb in a mall center in April/May...

I will have a look at thread for meetup...thanks

dtsm

Shrine has reopened and dignitaries have visited to pay their respect.
False alarm at Nana BTS, empty carton box.....

Update on the bombing suspect here: https://uk.news.yahoo.com/hunt-bangk...4.html#KoEeCXI

Those in town, be vigilant but have fun!

glennaa11

I live right across the river from Washington, DC. And spend a fair amount of time in the District. This summer is a crime wave. People being killed and stabbed all over the city. Several innocent bystanders in "nice" parts of town have been killed. I personally witnessed a theft a couple of weeks ago. And yet I have not stopped going into the city.

I don't judge if folks decide that their vacation won't be rewarding or fun because of the current situation. For myself, I wouldn't change my plans at this point. Personally I wouldn't consider Bangkok or Thailand as a whole to be a "war zone" by any means. I have several friends and acquaintances who work in the travel/tourism industry and worry about their livelihood.

transpac

The "Authorities", while veering this way and that, now seem focused on "internal conflict" as the cause. So, in that context, the New Year's Eve bombings of 2006 (multiple: eight, simultaneous; lower death toll) might be viewed as the model they seem to be working off of now. (In that incident, several RTA personnel were arrested, but ultimately freed in the aftermath of the coup; AFAIK, there were never any subsequent arrests, so this 'case', like so many here remains "unsolved"?)

There was a massive car bomb, which was un-detonated, found outside then PM Thaksin Shinawatra's home in August, 2006 (so just a bit before the Military overthrow in Sep. 2006). While political assassination is strictly against the long-agreed upon 'rules', it is believed that the ISOC/RTA organized that failed attempt, while wiser heads prevailed and called it off at the last moment.

In this most recent incident, Junta Supremo/PM/Field Marshall Prayut has encouraged the perpetrators (perhaps a total of three, at least in the vicinity) to turn themselves in before their "paymasters" have them eliminated. This is a familiar approach used by the 'authorities' here; most recently just last week by RTP Chief Somyot in the messy Chuwong 'accidental' death case.

transpac

I think the Pink Panther might be a better model?

Think Field Marshall Prayut has a thing for Bridget Moynahan? Will he be growing a mustache?



Blast has premier looking for answers - on TV

Police working on the Erawan shrine blast should watch the American crime series Blue Bloods for leads, says Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...-answers-on-tv

Aventine

haha Made me laugh out loud.

dsquared37

On top of the Blue Blood lala land idiocy we've now got this:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/secu...lanned-bombing

"the incident is unlikely to involve international tourism, and Chinese tourists were not the direct target because people of other nationalities were also affected. "

"Col Winthai said the bombing was probably the work of organised crime, or kabuankarn. "

And just so people shut up and don't point out said idiocy:

"He warned that the NCPO would increase the level of legal action against people who post misinformation about the bombing on social media, and against people who incite confusion and panic. "

Apparently the only legit misinformation is that distributed by the gov.

zzap

I'll be around town from the 28th to early September. No intention to cancel the trip.

Has anyone observed fluctuations in accommodation prices? Now is probably a good time to grab and excellent rate if there are a lot of foreign cancellations.

GurungBoi

not sure about accommodations but it seems the price in my hotel went up lol by 20 cad per night when i searched it last night =/

dsquared37

With the revelation this evening that the two men standing in front of the yellow shirted bomber were not involved in the process this is beginning to look much less organized than was originally thought.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/secu...ng-accomplices

If the yellow shirted guy happened to simply walk into the shrine and find the nearest open seat, opportunistically sitting where the red shirt guy had just vacated the bench, that suggests much less planning than would have otherwise been necessary.

Sadly, like Koh Tao, the chances that any legit findings will make the light of day are basically nil.