Safest cities in Thailand
26 cities with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04
US 1/4 Exercise normal precautionsUK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of this country
What official travel advice warns about
Terrorism
- Terrorism in ThailandTerrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Thailand.
Political situation
- The political situation can be unpredictable and has led to periods of civil and political unrest. Avoid protests, political gatherings, demonstrations and marches.
Crime
- Protecting yourself and your belongingsTo reduce your personal risk:
- Violent crimeViolent crime, including gun crime, rarely involves tourists. However, several foreign nationals were victims of gun violence in Bangkok in 2018. Take care when travelling in unfamiliar areas and avoid walking through isolated areas alone, especially at night.
- Sexual assaultViolent sexual assaults and unprovoked attacks can happen in tourist areas across Thailand. Attacks are most common during full moon parties or similar events, and near bars late at night.
- Drink spiking, alcohol and assaultsDrink spiking and drug-assisted sexual assault does happen in tourist areas around Thailand, with male and female victims. Do not leave your drinks unattended or accept drinks from strangers. Pre-arrange your transport home so you do not have to accept lifts in unlicensed vehicles.
- Methanol poisoningThere have been deaths and cases of serious illness caused by alcoholic drinks containing methanol in Thailand.
- Bank card fraudBe aware of card fraud. Do not lose sight of your card during transactions. There have been incidents of ATM skimming. Use an ATM in a bank and always protect your PIN.
- Job scamsBe wary of job offers that appear too good to be true. People have arrived in Thailand and been illegally transported to neighbouring countries on the promise of high-paying jobs, which turn out to be scams. When you re-enter Thailand you may then be detained while your immigration status is validated.
Laws and cultural differences
- Criticising the Thai monarchyCriticising the Thai monarchy (‘lèse-majesté’) is illegal. The law can be interpreted broadly and carries a long prison sentence. British and Thai journalists, human rights defenders and members of the public have faced charges for making political comments or sharing articles online that could be interpreted as being negative towards the…
- Images on social mediaPosting images of people drinking alcohol or wearing clothing considered inappropriate can be illegal. Both the person who uploaded the images and the people in them could be fined or imprisoned.
- Buying property in ThailandBuying property in Thailand is not straightforward. Make sure you understand local laws and consult a lawyer before making financial commitments. British people have been victims of property scams.
- DronesIt is illegal to fly a drone in Thailand if it is not registered. You must register your drone with Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) within 30 days of entering Thailand or purchasing a drone in Thailand even if you do not intend to fly it.
- Gambling – playing cardsThailand has strict laws on gambling. Under the Playing Cards Act (1943) it is illegal to carry over one hundred and twenty playing cards. Violation of the Act could lead to prosecution, a fine, or even imprisonment.
- Personal IDPolice may ask to check your passport. If you do not have it with you, you could be asked to produce it within 24 hours at a police station. Usually, a copy of the photo page of your passport will be sufficient.
- Smoking and e-cigarette bansIt’s illegal to smoke in public with a fine of up to 5,000 Thai baht. It is illegal to possess or use any vape, e-cigarette, pod, e-liquid, or heat-not-burn device in Thailand. Offences can lead to confiscation, heavy fines (typically 5,000–30,000 Thai bhat), detention, and court proceedings. You may be required to remain in Thailand until the…
- Alcohol sale restrictionsThe sale of alcohol is restricted between midnight and 11am. This does not apply to licensed hotels, international airport terminals or authorised entertainment venues. Exercise caution when purchasing or consuming alcohol in public places during restricted hours and check with venue owners or shop sellers. Failure to comply could result in a fine.
- Illegal drugs and prison sentencesThailand has strict laws against drug use, possession and trafficking. Possessing small quantities of illegal substances can lead to heavy fines or imprisonment. Possessing Class A drugs can lead to the death penalty.
- CannabisCannabis laws in Thailand are strictly enforced and have changed in recent years. You must follow local regulations on possession, use and export.
- LGBT+ travellersThailand is generally a safe place for LGBT+ travellers. Thailand legalised same-sex marriage in January 2025. Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.
- Wildlife, animal products and souvenirsIt’s illegal to buy, sell, kill or capture any protected wild animal or trade its parts without a licence.
Outdoor activities and adventure tourism
- Elephant treksElephant treks can be dangerous, especially if elephants are mistreated or not handled properly. Use a reliable, licensed tour guide. British nationals have been seriously injured and killed because handlers have lost control of the elephant.
- Swimming safetyTake care when swimming off coastal areas, especially during monsoon season. People have drowned in strong riptides. Thailand has lifeguards on duty at designated beaches and operates a flag system for safe swimming. Follow all warning signs, especially red flags.
- Scuba divingDiving schools may have limited resources and do not always observe safety and maintenance standards. Always:
Transport risks
- Road travelThailand has a high number of road traffic accidents, particularly with motorcycles. The World Health Organisation (WHO) ranks Thailand as one of the world’s deadliest countries for fatalities on motorcycles.
- Car and motorcycle hireMotorcycles and scooters for hire in tourist areas are often unregistered and cannot be used legally on a public road. Before you hire a vehicle, make sure your travel insurance covers you and check the small print of the lease agreement, paying particular attention to any limits on engine size and necessary licenses. Many travel insurance…
- Air safetyNok Air has been suspended from operating international flights due to safety concerns by Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority, though still operates domestically within Thailand.
- Sea travelThere are many passenger boat services operating between the mainland and islands. Boats can sink or collide, which has led to fatalities, including of British nationals. Accidents are usually due to:
Extreme weather and natural disasters
- Rainy seasonThe rainy season is generally from May to October. In Koh Samui and the south-east of Thailand it is from November to March. However, the rainy season has been more unpredictable recently.
- EarthquakesEarthquakes and tremors are a risk in northern Thailand. Earthquake Track lists recent activity.
Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for Thailand, updated 2026-06-30 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →
Country figures
- Homicide rate
- 4.79 /100k2011
- Income inequality
- Gini 33.32024
- Human development
- HDI 0.7982023
- Income
- $25,570/yrGNI per capita PPP
- Road deaths
- 32.2 /100kWHO, 2019
- Political stability
- 54/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
- Rule of law
- 53/100WGI, 2024
- Corruption perceptions
- 33/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
- Natural-hazard risk
- 4.9/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Women, Peace & Security
- 0.76GIWPS, 2025 · 0-1, higher = better
- Air quality
- 23.5 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
- Safe drinking water
- no dataof population · WHO/UNICEF JMP
- Healthcare capacity
- 0.5 doctors /1k2.4 hospital beds per 1,000
- Malaria
- 1 /1k at riskWHO, 2024 · endemic countries only
Natural hazards
- Flood
- 9.8/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Tsunami
- 5.8/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Drought
- 5.2/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Earthquake
- 1.7/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Cyclone
- 1.6/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Hazard types scoring under 1 out of 10 are not listed.
Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Thailand (as of 2025).
How Thailand compares
| Measure | Thailand | World median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 4.8 /100k | 2.4 /100k | +2.4 /100k — better for World median |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 33.3 | 35.2 | −1.9 — better for Thailand |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.798 | 0.763 | +0.035 — better for Thailand |
| Road deaths | 32.2 /100k | 15.4 /100k | +16.8 /100k — better for World median |
| Rule of law | 53/100 | 52/100 | +1/100 — better for Thailand |
| Corruption perceptions | 33/100 | 39/100 | −6/100 — better for World median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 23.5 µg/m³ | 19.7 µg/m³ | +3.8 µg/m³ — better for World median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 4.9/10 | 3.8/10 | +1.1/10 — better for World median |
| Measure | Thailand | Asia median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 4.8 /100k | 1.5 /100k | +3.3 /100k — better for Asia median |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 33.3 | 33.6 | −0.3 — better for Thailand |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.798 | 0.766 | +0.032 — better for Thailand |
| Road deaths | 32.2 /100k | 14.9 /100k | +17.3 /100k — better for Asia median |
| Rule of law | 53/100 | 52/100 | +1/100 — better for Thailand |
| Corruption perceptions | 33/100 | 37/100 | −4/100 — better for Asia median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 23.5 µg/m³ | 28.6 µg/m³ | −5.1 µg/m³ — better for Thailand |
| Natural-hazard risk | 4.9/10 | 3.6/10 | +1.3/10 — better for Asia median |
Medians, not means, so one extreme country cannot drag the reference value. Each row compares only the countries that have a published figure for that measure, and differences are plain arithmetic between stored values.
All 26 cities, safest first
- Bangkok72.3 · #3151 worldwide
- Chiang Mai68.3 · #3597 worldwide
- Phuket68.3 · #3598 worldwide
- Lop Buri68.3 · #3599 worldwide
- Chon Buri68.3 · #3600 worldwide
- Khon Kaen68.3 · #3601 worldwide
- Pattaya68.3 · #3602 worldwide
- Nakhon Pathom68.3 · #3603 worldwide
- Nakhon Ratchasima68.3 · #3604 worldwide
- Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya68.3 · #3605 worldwide
- Ubon Ratchathani68.3 · #3606 worldwide
- Phitsanulok68.3 · #3607 worldwide
- Lampang68.3 · #3608 worldwide
- Nakhon Si Thammarat68.3 · #3609 worldwide
- Thanyaburi68.3 · #3610 worldwide
- Udon Thani68.3 · #3611 worldwide
- Tha Chang68.3 · #3612 worldwide
- Surat Thani68.3 · #3613 worldwide
- Chiang Rai68.3 · #3614 worldwide
- Nakhon Sawan68.3 · #3615 worldwide
- Sattahip68.3 · #3616 worldwide
- Thalang68.3 · #3617 worldwide
- Ranong61.6 · #4314 worldwide
- Hat Yai59.2 · #4502 worldwide
- Songkhla59.0 · #4520 worldwide
- Yala55.6 · #4797 worldwide