Health and Safety for Women in Bangkok
Thailand is considered a relaxing and safe destination where visitors are respected and welcomed by most, and are free to enjoy themselves without worry. The Thai people are very passive and non-violent but unfortunately lax law enforcement has lead to some regrettable cases that have resulted in disproportionate bad publicity. Hygiene may not be up to Western standards in some places, but most tourist places are well maintained.
Health
Women travellers are probably safer in Bangkok than in their home countries. Violent street crime is rare. That said, women should use common sense, just as they would at home: Don’t walk alone on quiet streets at night; stay out of seedy establishments; keep your purse/camera close to you at all times; stay aware of pickpockets; decline offers of controlled substances, and so on.
Don’t let the easygoing, “mai pen rai” (never mind) atmosphere lull you into a vulnerable position. Likewise, binge-drinking ‘on the town’ while you’re travelling solo would be strongly discouraged. Most Thai people are honest and exceedingly hospitable but unfortunately, like anywhere, some locals down on their luck might take advantage of a tourist’s naiveté.
Foreigner women often garner well-meaning attention due to their light complexions. Wolf-whistles and sexual harassment rarely occur. Rather, Thais usually comment on a foreigner’s skin or hair as a compliment, not to intimidate. Even in cosmopolitan Bangkok, staring is common and not considered rude by the prevailing culture.
Most Bangkok taxi drivers operate with discretion and integrity. In recent years, however, there have been some high-profile instances of drivers raping and/or killing late-night female customers. If travelling alone, check first that the driver will use the meter before you enter his taxi. Take note of his license number, usually shown on the sun visor or dashboard. If he behaves erratically in any way, leave the taxi immediately.
Women’s Health in Bangkok
Not long ago, foreigners couldn’t even find tampons in Bangkok. A lot has changed in five years. Chemists such as Boots carry the full range of feminine hygiene products; mini-marts that you find at petrol stations, however, still usually carry only sanitary pads. Condoms, no longer only the domain of men, are easy to find at the ubiquitous 7-11s and Family Marts.
Many medications that require prescriptions in western countries are available over-the-counter in Thailand. PMT sufferers usually can find refills for their medicine from home at the chemist, without visiting a doctor first. However, should a symptom arise that needs checking by a doctor, Bangkok has many excellent, international-standard hospitals for you to choose from.
“Going to the hospital” has an alarming ring to it, but in Bangkok it can mean simply visiting a doctor, as that is where their offices are, instead of in free-standing clinics. (There are indeed clinics, which usually seem “dirt cheap” to foreigners, but are not always of reliable quality.) Bangkok Hospital, Bumrungrad, Samitivej, BNH, and Phayathai hospitals all offer women’s services by discreet, western-trained physicians. Patients often discover they’ve encountered better treatment than they ever have back home, at much lower cost.
One free-standing clinic is highly recommended for its superb services, low costs, and discretion: the Population and Community Development Association Clinic, next to the restaurant Cabbages & Condoms on Sukhumvit Soi 12. The unlikely neighbours are actually both run by the Association, which was founded by Khun Meechai, a doctor and progressive Bangkok Senator, whose tireless efforts encouraging condom use to fight AIDS led to his name becoming the slang word for condom. Check out www.pda.or.th.
Oh, and one more thing. If you’re going to be travelling outside of popular tourist areas and in desperate need of a loo, be prepared to use a squat toilet! Several million Thai women do every single day and although it might seem undignified, you’ll get over it.
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