Is Thailand SAFER Than WESTERN Countries?

Lloyd & Mandy

If you&#039;re looking for reliable travel medical insurance checkout Safetywing Nomad Insurance:  https://safetywing.com/nomad-insurance/?referenceID=lloydandmandy&amp;utm_source=lloydandmandy&amp;utm_medium=Ambassador  Welcome back to Lloyd and Mandy! In today’s Thailand travel video, we’re tackling a question we get asked all the time: Is Thailand safer than western countries? As expats living in Thailand, safety is something we thought a lot about before making the move. In this video, we’re sharing real statistics and comparing them with our personal experiences to give you an honest answer. From crime rates to daily life, we’ll break it all down to help you understand what living in Thailand is really like when it comes to safety. If you’ve ever wondered how Thailand stacks up against western countries, this video is for you. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more insights into life in Thailand, travel tips, and expat advice. Thanks for watching!  - How Safe Are Thai Hospitals? https://youtu.be/r3qAuFE_4rc  GET IN TOUCH: 🌏 Email: lloydandmandy@ruthlesstalent.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lloydandmandy/ 💻 Our Website: https://www.lloydandmandy.com/  🎥 Join O

Transcript

00:00We recently had a bunch of family members come and visit us here in Thailand and one of the first

00:05things they commented on was just how safe they felt walking around the streets here in Thailand.

00:11And I've got to be honest, since living here for nearly a year, we have felt extremely safe the whole

00:19time.

00:19But we do hear of stories from time to time about tourists getting into trouble, getting things stolen from them,

00:27getting into motorcycle accidents and just general dangerous things of that nature.

00:34But in general, as I said, it feels a lot safer here in Thailand than it does in a lot

00:41of Western countries where we've lived and visited.

00:44But in today's video, I want to actually go through some real numbers so that we can figure out, is

00:51it actually safer here in Thailand than in places like the US, Australia, Canada, the UK and Europe?

01:00So without further ado, let's get into it.

01:03But before I get started, guys, we would love it if you would hit the like button and subscribe if

01:07you find this video helpful at all.

01:09Okay, so as I said, we're going to be comparing the safety of Thailand to a diverse group of countries,

01:14which includes the US, Australia, the UK, Canada and Europe.

01:20Whether you're thinking about traveling to Thailand, living abroad or just curious about safety in different regions, this video will

01:27give you a breakdown of crime rates, road safety, health care and natural disaster risks in each of these places.

01:35So let's get right into the numbers.

01:37Often when we think about safety, we consider various factors like crime, road accidents, health care and the risk of

01:44natural disasters.

01:45Today, we're going to look at how Thailand compares to all of these different countries in these different areas.

01:50And to be completely honest, the results might surprise you.

01:54So let's start with general crime and safety.

01:57Thailand is considered a safe country for tourists and expats, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

02:04Thailand's homicide rate is about 2.8 per 100,000 people, which is quite low compared to most Western countries.

02:12Violent crime in Thailand is generally rare and most incidences affecting tourists are related to petty crime like pickpocketing or

02:20scams.

02:21While Thailand's crime rates are lower than those in the United States and the UK, there still are risks in

02:28crowded tourist areas, particularly when it comes to scams.

02:32As an example, tuk tuk scams and overpriced gem shops are quite common in areas like Bangkok and Phuket.

02:40In comparison, the United States has a significantly higher crime rate than Thailand, especially when it comes to violent crime.

02:48The homicide rate in the US is about 7.9 per 100,000 people, which is more than double than

02:53Thailand's.

02:54Gun violence and gang-related crimes contribute to this high figure, particularly in cities like Chicago, Baltimore and St. Louis.

03:03However, not all of the US is high risk.

03:07Tourists visiting cities like New York, San Francisco or LA generally won't encounter violent crime if they stick to well

03:15-known areas.

03:16Still though, property crime, including burglaries and car theft, is a serious concern in many urban areas.

03:23And we've visited the US multiple times and have felt generally safe.

03:27Australia has one of the lowest crime rates of any Western country, with a homicide rate of just 1 per

03:32100,000 people.

03:34This is much lower than the US and even Thailand.

03:36Property crime is also relatively low in Australia compared to other developed nations.

03:41While petty crimes like bag snatching can happen, particularly in tourist areas, violent crime is pretty rare in Australia.

03:49The country consistently ranks high on global safety indexes and you're really unlikely to encounter violent crime in most parts

03:57of the country.

03:58Now, if we look at the United Kingdom, the homicide rate is much lower than the US at about 1

04:03.2 per 100,000 people.

04:06Violent crime in the UK is lower than in the US, but it is higher than in Thailand and Australia.

04:13Petty theft, especially pickpocketing in busy areas like London, is actually quite common, particularly around major tourist attractions.

04:22And I have friends from the UK who can actually vouch for this.

04:25They say that London is getting more and more dangerous.

04:28The UK also struggles with property crime, particularly in major cities.

04:32And according to the Office for National Statistics, in 2022, the property crime rate in the UK was around 3

04:40,300 incidents per 100,000 people.

04:44Higher than in Thailand, but lower than the US.

04:48While violent crime is less common, tourists should be cautious in crowded areas to avoid petty theft, which I think

04:55pretty much goes for anywhere.

04:56Canada is known for its low crime rates, especially violent crime, with a homicide rate of just 1.8 per

05:03100,000 people.

05:05So Canada is technically safer than the US and the UK and Thailand when it comes to violent crime.

05:12Property crime, while it's still a concern, is lower than in most of these other countries.

05:17And you may be surprised that Canada is often ranked as one of the safest countries in the world, with

05:22low rates of violent crime and an excellent public safety record.

05:27However, like in any large country, certain areas may experience higher crime rates.

05:32But overall, it seems like Canada offers a very safe environment for tourists and residents alike.

05:38Okay, guys, so if you're going to be travelling to Thailand in the near future and safety is one of

05:43your priorities, then you're going to want to have a good travel insurance.

05:47We've travelled with Safety Wing Nomad Insurance for almost three years now, since the day we left Australia.

05:53And we've unfortunately had to use them a few times when we got sick while travelling both in Bali and

06:00in Mexico.

06:01But Safety Wing has recently made a massive update to their Nomad Insurance policy, which is a complete game changer.

06:08Safety Wing Nomad Complete is designed to be your complete medical coverage while at home or abroad, including medical coverage

06:16up to $1.5 million.

06:18For example, they'll cover you for up to $250,000 for any motor vehicle accidents, as long as you're following

06:24all of the road rules.

06:25So, if you're going to be driving a scooter or a car, make sure that you have the right licence,

06:30you're wearing a seatbelt or you're wearing a helmet.

06:33And whatever you do, just don't drink and drive.

06:35But aside from that, they'll also cover you for things like lost luggage, up to $500 per item.

06:41If you get sick or injured while travelling, up to $250,000.

06:46Meals and accommodation, if you have a travel delay over 12 hours.

06:50And even flights back home if an emergency arises, such as, God forbid, a death in the family.

06:56And they'll also cover you while you're visiting home.

06:59So, if you're travelling full-time like us and you want to go home to visit family for the Christmas

07:03holidays,

07:04they'll keep covering you for up to 30 days while you're at home.

07:08We've actually had to use the Safety Wing Claims process a couple of times and it has been nothing short

07:14of amazing.

07:15We can't recommend them enough.

07:16So, if you need a good travel insurance, we'll leave a link down below to Safety Wing Nomad Insurance.

07:22Now, let's talk about Europe.

07:24Europe is generally very safe for tourists, especially in countries like Sweden, Norway and Switzerland.

07:32The homicide rate across Europe does vary a lot because there are a lot of countries,

07:36but it tends to be much lower than in the US.

07:39As an example, in Germany, the homicide rate is about 0.09 per 100,000 people.

07:45While France has a rate of about 1.2 per 100,000 people, which is actually lower than Canada as

07:52well.

07:53However, in certain European countries, property crime can be an issue.

07:57Pickpocketing is a common problem in busy tourist areas of cities like Paris, Rome and Barcelona,

08:03which I've heard from a lot of people is an issue.

08:06In Spain, for example, the property crime rate can be quite high with tourists often targeted in crowded areas like

08:13the metro or major landmarks.

08:16Overall, though, Europe offers a pretty safe experience for travelers and many countries like Switzerland, Austria and Norway

08:25are actually among the safest in the whole world with very, very low crime rates.

08:30Now, on to the next issue, which is road safety.

08:33Unfortunately, Thailand has one of the highest traffic fatality rates in the world with a death rate of 32.7

08:41per 100,000 people.

08:43So, in comparison, Australia is 5.6 per 100,000, Canada is around the same and the UK is actually

08:50lower at 2.7 per 100,000.

08:52European countries like Germany has 3.9 per 100,000 people, which are all much lower rates of traffic fatalities.

09:00The US falls somewhere in between with a rate of 12.4 per 100,000 people.

09:06So, the US is kind of in between Europe and Thailand.

09:09Thailand's high road fatality is mainly due to reckless driving, especially motorbike accidents.

09:15If you're in Thailand, I say this all the time, it's crucial to always wear a helmet and exercise caution

09:21on the roads.

09:22In contrast, road safety is far better in countries like the UK, Australia and Canada,

09:29where traffic laws are much stricter and road conditions are much better maintained.

09:34Also, a major factor in this is that majority of people in Thailand actually ride around on motorbikes.

09:41And to be honest, a lot of locals don't actually have the correct licenses and don't wear the correct protective

09:48headwear, such as helmets.

09:49And this could actually be a major leading cause as to why road safety is so bad in Thailand.

09:56Look, if you're coming to Thailand, make sure you have the right license.

10:00Make sure you've got experience riding a motorbike before you jump on one.

10:04Don't drive drunk and wear a helmet.

10:06Healthcare is another important factor to consider when coming to Thailand.

10:10In Thailand, private healthcare is of a really high standard, especially in cities like Bangkok.

10:16And it's much more affordable than in many Western countries.

10:20However, the public healthcare system can be overcrowded and less accessible.

10:25I've actually made a video about the healthcare system here in Thailand, which you can see down below.

10:30I'll leave a link.

10:31In the US, healthcare can be incredibly expensive without insurance.

10:35And even with insurance, out-of-pocket costs can be high, extremely high.

10:41Canada, Australia and the UK offer universal healthcare, meaning residents and citizens typically have access to healthcare at little or

10:50no cost at the point of service.

10:52The quality of care is high in all these countries, but wait times can sometimes be an issue in public

10:58healthcare systems.

10:59I know that when we've been traveling in the United States, we've definitely been cautious about having to go to

11:06a hospital or a doctor because the healthcare there, honestly, costs so much more than it does back home in

11:12Australia and especially here in Thailand.

11:14You can go to a private hospital here in Thailand and pay probably one-tenth of the price of what

11:22you would pay over in the United States.

11:24So, European countries also have universal healthcare systems and countries like France, Germany and Sweden provide excellent care, though private

11:34options are available as well.

11:36So, overall, Thailand offers affordable healthcare, but the quality does vary while countries like the US can be ridiculously expensive

11:45if you don't have the right insurance.

11:47And so, just taking all of that into account, the numbers with violent crime seem to be a lot better

11:54here in Thailand.

11:54In fact, much better than the US, although still probably not as safe as Australia and Canada.

12:02It seems like Europe and the UK are almost on par with Thailand.

12:07But look, that's just some general numbers going over some of the crime rates in Thailand compared to European and

12:15Western countries.

12:16It definitely seems like, judging by those numbers, Thailand is safer than the United States in general.

12:23Apart from the road safety thing, I think that's something that you really need to think about if you're coming

12:28to Thailand.

12:29Just make sure you do the right thing and have the right license.

12:32Make sure you're not driving drunk and you're also wearing a helmet or even just avoid riding a motorbike if

12:38possible, especially late at night.

12:40Our experience so far in Thailand has been nothing but positive.

12:44We haven't really had one single moment where we've felt unsafe.

12:48And as I said at the start of the video, everybody who has come to visit us has commented on

12:54how peaceful and safe it feels here in Thailand.

12:57And I think that's because you don't really see a big homeless population of people walking around the streets looking

13:06like zombies like you do back in Western countries.

13:08You don't see too many drug addicts or, you know, groups of teenagers hanging out on the corner looking to

13:16get into trouble.

13:17Although there are definitely areas, especially in places like Bangkok and Phuket, where there is a lot of alcohol and

13:24a lot of partying.

13:25And if I was a solo traveler, especially a female, I would not really want to be walking around late

13:32at night, especially if I've been drinking.

13:34So I think this goes without saying, if you're traveling anywhere, just keep your wits about you.

13:39Maybe travel with a friend just to make sure that you are safe and make sure you know the area

13:45that you're headed to.

13:46Okay guys, if you made it this far in the video, we appreciate it.

13:49Please hit the like and subscribe button if you found any value in this video and we'll keep making more

13:54content just like this.

13:55Cheers.

Category

Transcript

Comments

Recommended