Phuket - Surin Beach

[randy1]

I hope the OP was not in the Tiger Club that burnt down a few days ago. This incident again, confirms though, my comments about how dangerous Thailand is. Thais really don't have much understanding or focus on things like transport safety, electrical safety, fire-safety, etc...

[Alan Partridge]

Phuket is a horrible place. Dirty. Scummy tourists. Touts. Smell of raw sewerage. Very dangerous in terms of transport. Stay away. There are many much nicer places to visit.

All a matter of opinion. Many would say exactly the same of Hong Kong.

[lingc]

Thanks Randy! Thankfully I haven't left yet. Yes Tiger club looked a bit too dodgy for me. Such an awful thing to have happen.

[randy1]

Thanks Randy! Thankfully I haven't left yet. Yes Tiger club looked a bit too dodgy for me. Such an awful thing to have happen.

Yes, very sad indeed. Glad you are OK. Almost every day in Thailand there are terrible road accidents, (busses, cars, motorbikes, and people hit and killed by vehicles), accidental electrocutions, drownings, stabbings, drug overdoses, people "accidentally" falling out of windows, jet ski deaths, shootings, and of course many many severe injuries also, many which could have been prevented had standard safety precautions been taken rather then 3rd world standards being applied. A good example is taxies, which in Thailand almost NEVER have passanger seatbelts.

If you do visit places like Phuket, please always be on guard and don't be shy to tell a driver, for example, not to pass on the on-coming side of the road, or to keep his speed limit below 80km, etc.

[lingc]

Thanks! I will keep everyone's advice on top of mind.

[chris_yang22]

All a matter of opinion. Many would say exactly the same of Hong Kong.

Sorry but I have been to Phuket and to Hong Kong and it is not all a matter of opinion. The public transportation here is world class. You're much safer on a bus here then some songthaew or scooter in Phuket. You can't drink the tap water in Phuket, but you technically can drink the tap water here (although I don't). There is no comparison between the two, whatsoever.

[chris_yang22]

Yes, very sad indeed. Glad you are OK. Almost every day in Thailand there are terrible road accidents, (busses, cars, motorbikes, and people hit and killed by vehicles), accidental electrocutions, drownings, stabbings, drug overdoses, people "accidentally" falling out of windows, jet ski deaths, shootings, and of course many many severe injuries also, many which could have been prevented had standard safety precautions been taken rather then 3rd world standards being applied. A good example is taxies, which in Thailand almost NEVER have passanger seatbelts.

If you do visit places like Phuket, please always be on guard and don't be shy to tell a driver, for example, not to pass on the on-coming side of the road, or to keep his speed limit below 80km, etc.

This is excellent advice. I would add that although safety is a major concern, Thailand is still a great place with lots to offer. Some of the injuries and deaths mentioned above are also not just the result of bad practice or lack of safety regulations, but dumb tourists who get carried away because they are on vacation in a tropical paradise. So be safe, but have fun, too!

[anonas]

Go to the ocean side or to the island of Koh phi phi. Go diving, do a safari. The place is great. Patong beach but ur right about the smell on bayside