NEW figures have been released concerning tourist deaths in Thailand and they are so worrying that the local government has finally promised to work on improving visitor safety.
There was a 54 per cent jump in the number of tourist deaths at Australia’s much-loved holiday destination last year, according to a report by Thailand’s Bureau of Prevention and Assistance in Tourist Fraud.
Data collected from the ministry’s 10 regional offices showed that while 83 foreign travellers died in 2015, another 166 were injured (a drop of 160 per cent year on year).
While the main cause of death was road accidents (34), swimming and boating accidents claimed nine lives, congenital disease six, suicides four, and other causes 30.
The statistics showed that in 2015, visitors had a 1 in 301,204 chance of dying in Thailand, including a 1 in 735,294 chance of being killed in a road crash.
However, figures from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) over a similar time frame suggest this is just the tip of the iceberg. Between July 2014, and June 2015, DFAT recorded 109 deaths of Australians in Thailand, that’s not even factoring in tourists from other countries.
Either way, they are numbers that authorities say cannot be ignored any longer.
Pongpanu Svetarundra, Sports and Tourism Ministry secretary, told the Bangkok Post: “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.”
Meetings have been held between government officials to address the issue, with a study on water accidents set to be conducted in Krabi, and road accident data will be gathered in Chiang Mai.
The report also listed some of the riskiest places in the country for swimming, scuba diving and driving, including:
• Tawan Beach on Pattaya’s Koh Larn (Chon Buri)
• Chaweng Beach on Koh Samui (Surat Thani)
• Mu Koh Similan (Phangnga)
• Koh Hae (Phuket)
• 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)
• Highway 4233 to Karon mountain (Phuket)
Almost 30 million visitors flocked to Thailand last year, but it was ranked low on a recent list for safety and security in the Asia Pacific. It came in at 132nd place out of 141 countries in that category in the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index 2015.
Last month, a British backpacker was been found dead in mysterious circumstances on Thailand’s Koh Tao island, the same place two backpackers were found beaten to death in 2014.
The body of Luke Miller, 24, was found floating in a hotel swimming pool, reported the UK Telegraph. Before his death Miller had taken to social media to post about how much he was enjoying his trip.
“Can honestly say this new year I am living the dream of to the full moon party on a speed boat drink cocktails strawberry daiquiris living life to the full yolo so let’s do this,” he wrote.
He had been on a five-week holiday.
The island of Koh Tao is no stranger to tourist deaths. In 2014 the semi-naked bodies of British backpackers David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, were found beaten to death on the beach. Witheridge was raped before her murder.
Two Burmese men were charged and sentenced to death over the killings.
DFAT’S TRAVEL ADVICE FOR THAILAND
• The standard of medical facilities throughout Thailand varies. While private hospitals with international standard facilities can be found in major cities, services can be limited elsewhere. Private hospitals generally require confirmation of insurance or a guarantee of payment before admitting a patient. Costs can be very expensive.
• Motorcycle and other road accidents are very common in Thailand, including in resort areas such as Phuket, Pattaya and Koh Samui.
• Water-borne, foodborne, parasitic and other infectious diseases (including tuberculosis, cholera, hepatitis, leptospirosis and typhoid) are prevalent with outbreaks occurring from time to time. We advise you to boil all drinking water or drink bottled water, avoid ice cubes and raw and undercooked food, and avoid unpasteurised dairy products. Seek medical advice if you have a fever or are suffering from diarrhoea.
• Illness caused by naturally occurring seafood toxins such as ciguatera as well as scombroid (histamine fish poisoning) and toxins in shellfish can be a hazard.
• The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade strongly recommends that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation, before you depart.
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