Safety in Krabi and Phi Phi
Like the rest of Thailand, Krabi and Phi Phi island are mostly safe. You needn’t worry about your personal safety when visiting these places, and will soon become comfortable with the friendly and non-evasive nature of the locals. However, being a popular tourist spot there are more pickpockets here than usual, but generally Krabi safety is far better than Phuket or Bangkok.
There are however some natural risks, as well as unintentional threats through negligence, which you should be aware of. In alphabetical order, here is a list of the major issues of safety in Krabi or Phi Phi.
Beach safety in Krabi: the monsoons between May and October presents some rough seas occasionally, however the rip tides that can be lethal off the Phuket coast usually aren’t a problem here. Also, jet skis aren’t popular in Ao Nang so the risk to swimmers is reduced, but you should be aware of mooring boats in Phi Phi’s bays, especially during the busy season in Ton Sai bay. Waste water is also discharged directly into the sea in some parts.
Capsizing: this has been an issue over the years which as never been properly resolved due to lax monitoring of ferry loads. In the busy season ferries can get overloaded, there are no safety considerations, and sometimes in rough seas they sink. A few drownings are reported each year. Try to avoid busy times and days, and note where the life jackets are on board.
Credit card fraud: this, unfortunately, is something Thailand is notorious for. Prefer to pay cash for small items, and always keep an eye on the swiping of your card. Most places are honest but it is an easy country for fraudsters to get away with things. A particular problem now is ‘card readers’ which are surreptitiously planted over the card slot of ATM machines (mostly in Bangkok). Check your bank statements carefully, although we don’t advise accessing internet banking from internet cafes.
Diving and marine life: the diving industry in Thailand is quite professional, meeting international standards of safety. The nearest hyperbaric chamber is in Patong Phuket – less than 45 minutes by speedboat from Phi Phi or Krabi. The threat of poisoning from marine life is minimal, as is attacks from predatory species. Local diver operators will keep you fully informed of these.
Drugs: are taken seriously by Thai authorities and penalties are harsh, with the death penalty being the maximum sentence for perceived trafficking. This include marijuana which is openly sold on some islands such as Phi Phi, and in bohemian bars. Ao Nang is considered a clean place, and the police don’t check too often. But should you be caught with a small amount of ‘dope’ on you, the least you can expect is a $1,000 ‘fine’, if the police are in the right mood.
Hustlers and touts: are a perennial problem at most touristy areas although Krabi tends to have far fewer of them. Generally they are nothing more than an annoyance, with tuk tuk drivers persistently trying to take you places.
Jelly fish: weren’t a problem until recently when some tourists began reporting to hospitals with stings that were painful but not lethal.
Pickpocketing and theft: is only a minor problem, and those with ‘light fingers’ prefer busier places like Patong. You can generally feel safe with your possessions on the beach, or carrying a handbag in public. Theft from hotel rooms is rarely reported though backpacker places have a chronic problem (sometimes from the backpackers themselves).
Rape: is an occasional problem, but the negative publicity from past incidents has ensured the police have dealt harshly with caught offenders to set an example. Mostly, in Krabi the safety of single women alone is not an issue, but do use your common sense if it’s dark and deserted. Ao Nang is one of the safest areas, Phi Phi has a bit of a party element to it and drunken men sometimes lose their senses.
Road safety: is a big problem in Thailand due to reckless driving and poor law enforcement. This is not a problem on Phi Phi obviously but the road between Krabi and Phi Phi is notorious for some reckless overtaking. Most local traffic is slow and not a major threat to safety in Krabi, however those renting bikes should drive conservatively and ‘think for others’ on the road.
Snakes and spiders: Thailand has its fair share of snakes, though you are unlikely to encounter these. A few snakes in the Krabi area are poisonous but hardly any are deadly and reports of tourists deaths from this are virtually unheard of. However, it’s advisable not to go hiking alone, and if you are bitten to try and instantly memorise the snake’s appearance to help with serum identification. The locals spend far more time in the wilderness, and hospitals are likely to have previous experience in dealing with bites.
Terrorism: has not struck Thailand’s tourism resorts yet thankfully, though poor police intelligence here makes it a target for a Bali-styled attack. Fortunately Thailand is not perceived as a strong ally to the US/UK, and has not suffered any targeting by terrorist groups. It does have a problem with Muslim insurgency in its far southern provinces and the terrorism is largely contained to that area. Small attacks of disobedience by disgruntled protesters, including grenade attacks during the airport sieges of 2008, have avoided the main tourist areas. But unrest has caused inconveniences to transport in the southern region before, so it’s advisable to watch local press and have contingency plans. Krabi and Phi Phi remain among the less likely targets.
Tsunami: it might be difficult to imagine another great tsunami occurring in our time, but the area remains in a hazardous geological zone. There are now warning and evacuation precautions in place (and regular drills), and you should pay attention to the signs. Forewarning from these should be sufficient to evacuate from the beach. Ao Nang is high enough above the sea level but Railay and Phi Phi are not and the latter is at severe risk, therefore its prudent (especially for families) to have an idea of how to flee to higher ground.
Violence: is a rarity in Thailand as far as tourists are concerned, since the Thais are usually non-confrontational. If you avoid getting in a drunken ‘nationalistic’ argument with locals (they can be quite lethal when intoxicated and defending their pride) you will not encounter any intimidating safety issues in Krabi. That said, there is an ugly mafia-like underbelly to Thai society, and occasionally naïve foreigners get caught up in it. Be aware that law enforcement here is lax and mafia types, even policemen, can act with impunity.
