Like in any large city visitors must be aware of their surroundings. But Bangkok is not inherently dangerous. Crimes most prevalent against tourists are "stealth" crimes such as pickpocketing, scams with credit cards, or confidence tricks with fake goods or gemstones. Some of the most common areas for pickpockets to operate are the large weekend market Chatuchak in the north of Bangkok and the main railway station. As a word of caution credit cards should only be used in reputable, established businesses and bills should be checked for accuracy.
Perhaps one of the more common scams is that involving gems. Gem scams follow a predictable pattern. Someone will approach you outside a well-known tourist attraction and will say the attraction is closed. The friendly stranger will suggest an alternate temple to visit which is supposedly open only one day a year. The stranger will then say that there is also a special once-a-year government sponsored gem sale. They will offer to take you or direct you to a tuk-tuk (open air taxi) to take you to the "special" temple. At the temple another stranger will engage you in conversation and who will also mention the "special" gem sale. The tourist then agrees to go look at the gem shop, and is soon convinced to buy gems which can supposedly be sold in your home country for a 100% profit. When the tourist has the gems appraised back home they turn out to have minimal value.
It is not advisable to buy gem stones if you are not familiar with the characteristics of a quality stone. You will never get a bargain. You will never be able to sell them on as professional jewellers have their own sources. Never accept the seller's certificate. Take it to a laboratory, i.e. GIA, AIGS or GIT (not GRS) and get it certified. They will not give you a valuation as this is not done in Thailand anywhere. If you cannot resist the temptation to buy a stone then go to a store which belongs to 'Jewel Fest Club'. They give you a return guarantee less a small charge. No questions asked. Or consult your Lonely PlanetGuide etc. They also list a few reliable dealers.
Another con that the tourist must be aware of, is the COVER CHARGE. This happens time and time again and it is important that you do not fall into this trap. Promoters outside adult 'peepshow' clubs will approach you and will convince you that their club is different as they do not charge any cover charge or that what you see is free and you only pay for what you drink. They will back this up with a piece of paper shoved in your face with the capital letters 'NO COVER CHARGE'. This is not true. Once you enter the club, the drinks are brought out to you within 2 minutes and the promoter will persuade you to buy her/him a drink too. Within 5 minutes you will find yourself with employees who will 'cheers' you with their drinks - drink which you will later have to pay for. As it begins to dawn on you what is happening and you immediately ask to pay and to leave, the employees will stall you, bringing out more drinks etc. Demand to leave and the boss will bring you the bill with words to the effect of 'COVER CHARGE OF 300 BAHT'. This, of course, includes the promoter who you agreed to buy a drink for. It is difficult to leave without paying this otherwise the longer you stay, the more you will have to pay for.
This has happened to many tourists and is regularly complained of so please bear this is mind when you think you are just experiencing the seedy side of Bangkok as you will be paying a lot more than what you have bargained for!
It is recommended that you visit your personal physician or travel health clinic 4 - 8 weeks before departure for immunization shots. In addition to being up-to-date on tetanus-diphtheria, measles-mumps-rubella, polio and caricella immunizations you should also have a Hepatitis A vaccine shot and a Typhoid immunization if you plan to eat or drink outside of major restaurants and hotels. Sanitation conditions do vary greatly in the city.
Air pollution is significant in Bangkok and people with respiratory conditions are at risk for complications from air pollution. This risk may be minimized by drinking plenty of fluids.
There is no risk from malaria in cities and major tourist resorts (Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Pattaya, Phuket Island, and Ko Samui). Do take malaria pills if you travel to affected areas. Check the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for details: Malaria Risk by Country - South East Asia
More detailed information can be found on the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Health Information for Travelers to Countries in Southeast Asia
