Visitors sometimes become crime victims here because they drop their guard due to the friendly nature of the Thai culture. Common crimes include friendly patrons of bars slipping drugs into drinks of unsuspecting foreigners, then robbing them, or “guides,” taxi drivers or new acquaintances offering special deals in jewelry, suits or antiquities that are scams to bilk visitors. There have also been cases of credit card fraud, avoidable if using credit cards only at well-established businesses. Traffic is chaotic and pedestrians should always remain alert. For instance, a number of people have been injured or killed trying to cross Wireless Road in front of the U.S. Embassy. Traffic moves on the left-hand side of the road, but there are often bus lanes that flow in the opposite direction.
