Hello Thailand Travel Forum users, this is my first post on this forum.

I will be traveling to Bangkok in October and after a few days will be heading down to the Phuket area and then after a while over to Koh Samui, I was wondering about any tips for safety and to prevent from getting robbed or scammed, and things of the sort.
I read a post saying that Phuket has become a dangerous place and the poster went as far as to say "don't go there". Is this true or is it quite the exaggeration?
From what I've heard, tuk-tuk drivers are the biggest scammers around so I'll try to stay away from them, what other method of transportation do you recommend? I will probably be walking most of the time though.
Hiking around the islands of the Phuket area is there much danger of getting robbed? Possibly going to not so common hiking areas too.

One last thing, I will be traveling with someone who is a marijuana user, and I've heard that it is really really bad to get caught with it in Thailand. Is it safe for her to keep at like the bottom of her backpack? Or do cops often do random searches on tourists, were in our 20's so maybe we're more likely to get randomly searched?

I don't know if I'm worrying much more than I should be but I've read some sketchy stuff in the past few hours, your help is much appreciated! Thank you very much, in advance!

The fact that you even ask the question about packing pot pretty much indicates that you do have the potential of getting into SERIOUS problems. If caught with drugs, scams and robberies will seem like picnics!

The newly seated government has announced their war on drugs. When the current prime minister's brother was in power, a few years back, there were thousands of people killed during his war on drugs.

You or your partner is absolutely raving mad if you intend to travel to Thailand with marijuana in the backpack. I can't be any plainer than that!!

May I suggest you Google the "Bangkok Hilton Hotel" before you head off to Thailand with any sort of drugs in your baggage. If you do decide to take them you might enquire about accommodation arrangements at the "hotel"

The Bang Kwang Central Prison in Bangkok, Thailand is infamously known as the the 'Bangkok Hilton'and reputed by some to be amongst the worst prisons in the world. It is located at the edge of the Chao Phraya River in Nonthaburi to the north of the city.

Bang Kwang is called the Big Tiger by the Thais. It got this name because it eats up the people who go inside. You could expect a long stay here if you get caught. I have seen it from the outside and it doesn't look like too much fun to me.

watch 'brokedown palace', good movie. doobies will get you scammed for money, deported early, or, SIMPLE POSSESION carries a 5 yr max prison sentence...........oh joy, free long term holiday w/free accommodations and food, that may or may not crawl out of your bowl..........ENJOY

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https://sites.google.com/site/lareegem/

Obviously I don't mean that she will be BRINGING it to Thailand, that would be MAD!
I mean, if she were to buy it from another tourist at a hostel or something like that, from a safe place, are we likely to be searched randomly? I even heard that sometimes they randomly drug test you, is this true?

If it's really that bad I will have to insist that she doesn't smoke until we cross over to Cambodia.

I meant travel IN Thailand, not to Thailand. Of course she wouldn't fly with it or cross any borders or go in to any airports with it.

Is it true that travelers are sometime subject to random drug tests?

Alright! I've gotten enough replies about the marijuana. Can someone now answer my other questions please???

Thank you

OK, your other questions:
yes, it is an exaggeration;
if you are an experienced bikerider I would recommend renting a motorbike, otherwise I would recommend simply taking tuktuks or buses to/from Phuket Town;
hardly any danger of getting robbed.

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Diving Phuket and Similans

"One last thing, I will be traveling with someone who is a marijuana user, and I've heard that it is really really bad to get caught with it in Thailand. Is it safe for her to keep at like the bottom of her backpack?"


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Do you think all police just fell off the turnip truck? Most cops know how to search for contraband or illegal products. Dope in the bottom of the bag, in your socks, in your underwear, in your shoes - they have seen it all. Even stuck up butt holes too!

A warning for you - dopers often store their dope in their friends bags! Don't be surprised if both of you are ever searched and your friend comes up clean and you do not!

Dopers usually only care about themselves. There are foreign women in Thai prisons who had their boyfriend's dope in their bags! (They usually claim they were set up by the police! But most dopers are so stupid they are easy prey for police anyway!)

You are worrying about paying too much for transportation in Phuket so you plan on walking a lot - good luck! Time and distance will screw with those plans!

Phuket is just about the most expensive place to visit in Thailand. Even Bangkok is cheaper when you consider hotels and local transportation. There are other cities in Thailand that are cheaper to roam around in. All of Thailand is warm like summertime - you don't have to be at a beach to get some sun!