Dear Pa Farang,

I'm going to be traveling alone, my first time in Thailand, and, as a woman, want to know if there are any specific areas to avoid. I've hear the markets are wonderful, but one of my girlfriends did get her bag pickpocketed.

I plan on going to Chatuchak market, do you know anything about that? Do they have security people there?

Sincerely,

Liz from Denver

Dear Liz,

Thailand, is, all-in-all, a safe country. The natural friendliness of Thais often lulls western travelers into lackadaisical behavior in crowded areas, and that's probably what happened to your friend. The best way to avoid trouble is to avoid looking like a target. This applies to walking down dark streets at night, and also to shopping in a crowded market wearing a daypack on your back. Security in Thailand is largely your own responsibility. The Thai tourist police do have presence in shopping areas where farang congregate, but are really there to help solve disputes between you and shop owners. Once your bag has been lifted, or your pocket picked, there's not much they can do.

To help yourself, don't dress expensively in crowded markets. Leave your gold in the hotel safe, and wear a cheap plastic watch. Keep the rest of your valuables, such as passport, money and credit cards, on the front of your body, in tight-fitting pockets, or in a sling pouch under your shirt. When you pay for something, pull out your money so that, when possible, other customers can't see where you're pulling it from. Don't lug around a huge 35mm SLR camera, as it's easy to lose, especially when you set it down momentarily to pay for something. Most camera companies now make powerful cameras little bigger than a deck of playing cards, and these easily fit into a pocket.

Perhaps the most valuable piece of clothing you can wear in Thailand is a shirt with two button-down, or zippered pockets, large enough for your passport, paper money, and credit cards.

If you invite casual guests to your hotel room, keep your money and credit cards with you at all times. Many Thai hotels make it a practice to take the Thai ID card from the guest prior to he or she entering the elevator, and return it when the individual leaves. They will log the name of your guest, the ID number, and your room number. Some Western travelers think this is yet another case of Big Brother at work, but in reality, this protects you. Don't give the security people a hard time for doing you a favor.

Another tip: When shopping in crowded markets, don't dress to impress. Strive to make every other Westerner look like a better rip-off target than you.

Avoid all scams, show the Good Manner, and have a great time in Thailand,

Marayat dee!

Pa Farang