Probably the first question asked by those who are considering a trip to Asia or Southeast Asia for the first time is: Is it safe to travel in Asia? Here in LolaandGeorge, we would like to answer to this question by taking into account the two sides of safety. You may consider safety in criminal aspects (security) and safety in terms of accident or disease risk (safety).
Crime in Asia: European standards
Surely when people wonder whether a country is dangerous or safe, they first think in terms of criminality. Those fears specifically concern theft. Is there a lot of robberies or not? And if there are, are they violent?
On the criminal front, it can be said that Asia is quite safe. Although East Asia and Southeast Asia are very large and not all countries are exactly the same. The danger of being robbed as a tourist is as low as or higher than in most European countries.
According to some statistics, the annual homicide rate per 100,000 inhabitants in Asian countries is generally equal to or slightly higher than in Europe. While in Vietnam and Belgium there are 1.6 and 1.7 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants per year, in the United States and Thailand there are 4.8 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants per year. If we look at China (1.1), Japan (0.4) and Singapore (0.3). We can confirm that homicides in Asia occur as little as or less than in the rest of the world. For example: Spain (0.8), Argentina (3.4), Brazil (21), etc. In short, you don’t need to stress over while travelling on the Eastern continent.
Social standards in Asia are very important. As a result, some Asian countries won’t even take your wallet when you leave it somewhere in public.
Scams
Usually local people who approach tourists with a big smile and pretend that they want to help them. After talking for a while and using a few tricks to earn their trust, they usually take you to an agency or a store where they will offer you a service or sell you a product at a higher price than normal. This is avoided with a little logic and prudence.
Copying credit cards also causes scares to more than one. You should watch out for the cards. Cover the secret code with your hand when using ATMs.
Drugs
Finally, it should be noted that the majority of people in Asian prisons are unfortunately doing so because of drug-related issues. Bringing, buying, selling or possessing drugs is very dangerous. The penalties are extreme and you can ruin your life (or have to pay a good bribe) for just a few grams of soft drugs. Virtually all embassies have fellow citizens in foreign prisons for dealing drugs.
Want to know more about Asian countries? Read our article Trending: Karaoke bars in Japan to learn more.