Thread: Thai Officials Investigate a 54% Increase in Foreign Tourists Deaths

BANGKOK – Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Ministry is working to understand and and at the same time address the issue of tourist safety.

The concern comes after Thai Officials noticed a 54% jump in the number of foreign tourists who lost their lives in Thailand past year.

Chadamas Chinmaneevong of the Bangkok Post reported that the Bureau of Prevention and Assistance in Tourist Fraud revealed that 83 foreign tourists died in Thailand last year, up 54% from the previous year. Another 166 were injured, down 160% from the previous year.

These figures were compiled from reports from the ministry’s 10 offices nationwide.

Of the 83 deaths, 34 were from road accidents, nine from swimming and boating accidents, six from congenital disease, four from suicides and 30 from other causes.

The report named several risky swimming areas for tourists, including Tawan Beach on Pattaya’s Koh Larn (Chon Buri) and Chaweng Beach on Koh Samui (Surat Thani). Mu Koh Similan (Phangnga) and Koh Hae (Phuket) were noted as risky areas for scuba diving.

Dangerous roads for tourists included highway 1095 from Chiang Mai to Pai district in Mae Hong Son, highway 118 from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai, highways 2258 and 2296 to Khao Khor (Phetchabun) and highway 4233 to Karon mountain (Phuket).

Putting the numbers in focus. In 2015, visitors to Thailand had about

One chance in 301,204 of dying

One chance in 735,294 of dying in a vehicle crash

One chance in 2,8 million of dying while swimming or boating,

One tourist in every 6,250,000 committed suicide


Although Thailand’s tourist industry has been growing, with the number of tourist arrivals reaching almost 30 million visitors last year, tourist safety is still a major concern.

According to the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index 2015, Thailand ranked 35th globally and 10th in Asia-Pacific.

For safety and security, Thailand came in 132nd place out of 141 countries and was the lowest in Asean with a score of 3.75.

Last Friday when Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha expressed his concern after Russian tourists were seriously injured in a speedboat accident near Koh Phi Phi.

Gen Prayut’s remarks prompted authorities overseeing tourist safety to seek out a solution.

The Tourism and Sports Ministry held a meeting on Tuesday to address the issue with the Commerce Ministry, the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Public Health Ministry, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Airports of Thailand and the Tourist Police Division.

Pongpanu Svetarundra, permanent secretary at the Sports and Tourism Ministry, accepted that Thailand needs to upgrade its safety and security standards for tourists as soon as possible.

“In the past, we did not deal with the root causes of the tourist safety problem. From now on, we will look at the issue and address it seriously,” he said. He hoped to see the country’s ranking in safety and security move up to the middle tier of Asean countries.

The study on water accidents will be done in Krabi while data on road accidents will be gathered in Chiang Mai. Governors of the two provinces will chair the research committee with the reports expected to be completed within three months.

Thai Officials Investigate a 54% Increase in Foreign Tourists Deaths | Chiang Rai Times English Language Newspaper

Originally Posted by misskit

83 foreign tourists died in Thailand last year, up 54% from the previous year.

According to this report 362 Brits alone died in Thailand 2013-2014.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/tr...iate-body.html

For safety and security, Thailand came in 132nd place out of 141 countries

That is shocking.

Originally Posted by Henrie

For safety and security, Thailand came in 132nd place out of 141 countries

That is shocking.

Only if the death is caused by poor grounding/earthing.

TDS: Thailand Death Syndrome. A fellow from Australia warned me about that when I first moved to Thailand. You don't know where it lurks, but it is always there.

From another fred....



https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...a-pacific.html (Thailand beats Pakistan in 2015 Asia-Pacific tourism 'safety & security' ranking)

Why people bother with Thailand when you have the Philippines next door, I have no fucking idea. And for that matter, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and a host of other Asian countries offering so much more.

^ Weren't you the guy just a short time ago doing your best to find a job here in Thailand? What changed?

Thailand - regional rank 10 world rank 25
Philippines - 14 & 74

They wish to consider a "solution" to the increasing death rate???????

Err, there isn't a functioning controlled pedestrian crossing in the entire country, they have the highest road fatalities in the world bar one country, they have one of the highest gun fatality rates in the world, vicious muggings and 'pack" attacks on tourists are a feature in many resorts, they permit mixed use of the marine environment between commercial craft and swimmers, they have no meaningful lifeguard system in any resort, their pedestrian access in many resorts and urban environments is either non-existent or limited to cracked and broken pavements, their street food culture is a source of hundreds of thousands annual visits to hospitals and their propensity for thoughtless, reckless and simply mind-boggling stupid behaviour is of course an omnipresent source of danger to anyone and everyone.

Apart from that, what's to worry about?

Also known as the annual tourist cull.

Originally Posted by Baas Babelaas

Why people bother with Thailand when you have the Philippines next door, I have no fucking idea. And for that matter, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and a host of other Asian countries offering so much more.

I hear ya Baas... I used to be a Thaiophile Thai this Thai that Thailand is the center of the universe....

Then I grew up and went to Japan... within a week in Japers 10 + years in Thailand was eradicated from my mind/body and soul...

Toyland is great for a stint in your 20's, it's got a fun/sanook vibe to it and the girls are easy like a Sunday morning...

But... it's not all that.. it gets tiresome even for Dick... I'm not hating on it... just saying that there are other destinations with heaps to offer as well innit...

Originally Posted by Baas Babelaas

Why people bother with Thailand when you have the Philippines next door, I have no fucking idea. And for that matter, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and a host of other Asian countries offering so much more.

How come you were looking for a job in Thailand and seem to post on just about every Thailand based Internet forum around?

Do you also post on every forum attached to China, South Africa, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and a host of other Asian countries?

Originally Posted by Happy As Larry

^ Weren't you the guy just a short time ago doing your best to find a job here in Thailand? What changed?

Thailand - regional rank 10 world rank 25
Philippines - 14 & 74

A job that paid 120K+.

Thailand is just barely worth it, earning 120K+.

Do you also post on every forum attached to China, South Africa, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and a host of other Asian countries?

Yes, Cywille, I do.