Being a Target

[ken.p]

Hello all. First off I like to say, I don’t doubt anyone when the say there a target, of whoever in Thailand.
A few times now I have seen the words I’m a target or, I’ve been told I’m a target mentioned on this forum by different people. I would like to know why they are targets, or why they think they are targets. Also whom they believe it is that’s targeting them.
Mainly, I ask this question in hope I avoid becoming a target myself (like many others I’m sure).

Ken P.

[Francois]

When driving my motorbike, I have the feeling I'm a target: They all want to kill me and I have to survive...

[Lung Per]

Hello all. First off I like to say, I don’t doubt anyone when the say there a target, of whoever in Thailand.
A few times now I have seen the words I’m a target or, I’ve been told I’m a target mentioned on this forum by different people. I would like to know why they are targets, or why they think they are targets. Also whom they believe it is that’s targeting them.
Mainly, I ask this question in hope I avoid becoming a target myself (like many others I’m sure).

Ken P.

I am definately a target when I walk the bar areas at night. The young ladies can't let me go. They all want my body - or is it my money?

[margaretcarnes]

Maybe simplifying it a bit but I think there are two basic kinds of targetting. Financial (fear of being ripped off by Thais in general, including partners, police, retailers etc) and in business dealings - which can very occassionally end in severe beatings or worse, and aren't always restricted to targetting by Thais.
It's easy to be made to feel vulnerable in a country which few of us will ever fully understand, and where we are a tiny minority. It shouldn't put people off IMO so long as they accept that they will always be seen as different, just as we will always see Thai people as different. That's the magic of the place.

[johnnyk]

Behave yourself.
Don't get loud in a dispute.
Let the locals win petty issues.
Be polite.

[Tzen Tse]

It also depends where you go and what you do.
If you go well dressed and showing all your wealth (jewels, expensive watch or clothes, etc.) and you go having a walk in some districts, it is obvious that you will have more chance to be spotted by people with some dubious intentions.
Maybe you could consider this before you go out.

[HHADFan]

When driving my motorbike, I have the feeling I'm a target: They all want to kill me and I have to survive...

That's a wise attitude.

[dtaai-maai]

Allowing for some literary license, it's not just wise, it's how you are trained to ride in the UK.
It's called defensive riding. A lot of it is common sense, of course.
Unfortunately, to some degree it depends on the majority of other road users having some form of training and road etiquette, so a lot of the things I was trained to do would probably get me killed in Thailand...

But the basic principle of "be constantly aware of what's happening around you" applies everywhere. Shame it isn't infectious.

[HHADFan]

Allowing for some literary license, it's not just wise, it's how you are trained to ride in the UK.
It's called defensive riding. A lot of it is common sense, of course.
Unfortunately, to some degree it depends on the majority of other road users having some form of training and road etiquette, so a lot of the things I was trained to do would probably get me killed in Thailand...

But the basic principle of "be constantly aware of what's happening around you" applies everywhere. Shame it isn't infectious.

I realize we're wandering off topic, but, yeah, that's how we're trained to drive in the US, too. 'Defensive driving', 'Watch out for the other guy', etc. Here, I have to assume the 'other guy' is batshit crazy and capable of doing absolutely anything at any time.

[Pleng]

Yeah in England you can, to a certain extent, put a decent amount of trust in the people behind you. Here, I spend a lot more time riding in my mirrors than I did back home. Though one day I know I'm going to be so busy looking in my mirrors trying to avoid some pr**k who is determined to overtake on the inside (even though the outside lane is empty at the time) that I'm going to plough straight into the back of a vehicle ahead of me that I hadn't seen was slowing, turning, whatever!

[HHADFan]

Yeah in England you can, to a certain extent, put a decent amount of trust in the people behind you. Here, I spend a lot more time riding in my mirrors than I did back home. Though one day I know I'm going to be so busy looking in my mirrors trying to avoid some pr**k who is determined to overtake on the inside (even though the outside lane is empty at the time) that I'm going to plough straight into the back of a vehicle ahead of me that I hadn't seen was slowing, turning, whatever!

I started to put this in my earlier post, but didn't. Usually, if we're on the bike, my girlfriend drives. She's better than 90% of Thai drivers/riders, and certainly better than me. My life is more important than my ego.

One day I was driving and we had this conversation:

"Why do you keep looking in the mirrors?"

"To see what's behind me."

"Oh. Thai people don't pay much attention to what's behind them."

"Nor what's in front of them, from what I can tell."

I should have added "or beside them" as well.

To make a passing nod to the OP, Margaret, johnnyk, and Tzen Tse all gave good advice, as did dtaai-maai when he said, "be constantly aware aware of what's happening around you". That doesn't just apply to traffic.

[aragon]

Here, I have to assume the 'other guy' is batshit crazy and capable of doing absolutely anything at any time.

I know this is way off topic, but try driving in the Middle East these guys make most Thai drivers look as though they have taken an advanced driving course and most of the drivers here are definiely batshit crazy.

[hhfarang]

^Yeah, but unless you're in a different place or the middle east has changed a lot, there (for 4 years) I wasn't constantly dodging motorbikes, in fact, I don't ever remember seeing one. I was always nearly getting rammed by a Benz auto or (Benz) water truck. At least when you got killed in traffic there it was likely to be by a luxury car or as I said, a Mercedes water truck.

[Dannie Boy]

I have driven in Saudi (the worst drivers) Bahrain (not quite so bad) and the UAE (slightly better still) and the single biggest factor between there and here is the ratio of high performance cars. A dot in the rear view mirror soon becomes an SLK or whatever doing 200 KPH and they often expect you to move over so don't slow down until the last moment or until it's too late. They also practice lane dodging, again at very fast speeds. The only saving grace in the UAE is the number of speed cameras that have been installed in the last 2-3 years. As HHFR also said, the number of motor cyclists is very low compared to here. Slightly off subject I know, so apologies and

[Takiap]

Stay indoors.
Keep all windows and doors shut and properly secured.