Thailand 'most Dangerous Tourist Destination', Claims Book

[Flashermac]

In the week that the ruling military has banned a British book about Thailand’s struggle for democracy, another is about to claim that the tourist industry has gone seriously awry.

 

“Thailand: Deadly Destination†is soon to be published and attempts to explain why a million fewer tourists are predicted to visit the beach-rich nation this year, following a military coup and the unsolved murder of two British backpackers in September.

 

The book’s publicity material claims that, in terms of tourist safety, Thailand scores very badly. “In 2014, just as in the years preceding it, there were train, bus, ferry, speedboat, motorbike and car accidents, murders, knifings, unexplained deaths, numerous suicides, diving accidents, robberies gone wrong, anonymous bodies washing up on the shores and a string of alcohol- and drug-related incidents.â€

 

It pulls no punches and paints a bleak image of the future, going on to state: “Thailand has [KS - removed a bit here], weak democratic institutions, an economy slipping into recession, faces issues of corruption across many of its key services and is host to international crime syndicates, awash with despised foreigners and drifting perilously towards civil war.â€

 

John Stapleton, the author, claims that those who know the country well were less surprised by news of the murder of two British tourists. He said: “The international coverage of the recent brutal killing of two British backpackers on the island of Koh Tao has highlighted what many long-time observers of Thailand already knew, that its tourist industry is poorly managed and the Land of Smiles has come to justifiably be regarded as one of the most dangerous tourist destinations on Earth.â€

 

...

 

http://www.telegraph...laims-book.html

[bust]

Funny you should post this as only yesterday I was looking at stats and where the most Australians die overseas and yep you guessed it Thailand was #1

 

Rank - Country - Total deaths

1 Thailand 111

2 Philippines 68

3 Greece 60

4 Vietnam 54

5 US 51

6 Indonesia 48

7 Germany 41

8 Hong Kong 40

9 China 38

10 UK 28

*Source: DFAT

[scoobydoo]

'' Land of Smiles has come to justifiably be regarded as one of the most dangerous tourist destinations on Earth.â€

 

 

surely the most dangerous destination would have been sufficient ? unless they're are specifically excluding space tourism ?

[scoobydoo]

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Elephant-tramples-handler-death-runs-jungle-Russian/39486#ad-image-0

[cavanami]

Soooooo, if a book is written that a place is dangerous...ban the book...great fix! NOT!!!

[scoobydoo]

good, might put off dangerous tourists!!!!

[jitagawn]

Hmm not so sure about this. Someone as always is trying to make a buck... Yes it can be very dangerous if one takes risks that one does not ordinarily

take at home. Drinking to excess running around with women you barely know.. :hubbahubba: Typical board member stuff :grinyes:

 

I always tell single farang women to be careful down south at the beaches but then again this is the same the world over. But for sure if you are a dummy it can get deadly very very fast. Personally while not in residence fulltime anymore (now 50/50) never had a serious issue.

[zzzz]

News reports of bad things happening to tourists are not a good indicator of how safe LOS is compare to other countries. Comparing the percentages of tourists that are murdered or injured would be a better indicator. (What percentage of tourists in LOS were murdered or injured in the last 12 months relative to other countries, for example).

 

As far as a million less visitors predicted to visit this year, the # of tourists entering LOS increased by about three fold in the last 15 yrs, from 8 million to 24 million. A drop of one million is not much (less than 5%) in relative terms.