Thailand now considered more dangerous

In the annual Global Peace Index survey, Thailand slipped from the 105th position to the 118th as far as the safest countries in the region go. The handful of foreigners that have been raped in the last years, the latest case ending in the murder of a Scandinavian tourist, have made many would-be visitors think twice about a trip to the islands of Thailand.

Of the 24 criteria in the survey, Thailand was rock bottom in four categories, such as political instability, potential for terrorist attacks, levels of violent crime and respect for human rights. Only Burma scored lower than Thailand in these areas, with the survey covering the countries featured in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

''The world appears to be marginally more peaceful this year. This is encouraging, but it takes small steps by individual countries for the world to make greater strides on the road to peace,� says the founder of the travel index Steve Killelea.