Places to Avoid in Thailand If You're Traveling with a Family and Children

As a long-time resident of Thailand, I tell everyone it's a wonderful place to travel to if you're coming with your family and children. Thais love kids and, as most of the country is incredibly safe, it's a wonderful place for your kids to enjoy a safe and fun vacation. But, just like anywhere, there are some places in Thailand best avoided, if you don't want your kids to see the seedy side of life.

Patpong - Although the location of one of Bangkok's most popular night markets, Patpong is actually an incredibly seedy area of town and not one I recommend going to with kids.

The site of one of the city's biggest sex-trade areas, Patpong is full of girlie bars, prostitutes and sleazy touts trying to get you into their establishments. Plus, the market there is far more expensive than most other markets in Bangkok. If you're with your kids, avoid Patpong and go market shopping at Chatuchak Weekend Market or the new Talad Rot Fai instead (see links below for more information).

Soi Cowboy - Another of Bangkok's sex-trade areas, Soi Cowboy also has the added advantage (disadvantage?) of having a high population of Thai ladyboys, and it's dirty. Avoid the area, if you're with children.

Nana - Bangkok's most notorious sex-trade area, Nana is rife with Thai prostitutes and old western guys spending their money. While Nana is fine during the day, and is actually the location of some quite nice hotels, at night it's far seedier than many other places in Bangkok and best avoided with your family.

My recommendation is to also stay in a hotel outside the Nana area. After all, who wants to deal with the added sleaze when you're on a pleasant family vacation.

Patong on Phuket Island - Phuket is a beautiful island and one of Thailand's top tourist destinations. The town of Patong on Phuket, on the other hand, is known for its high population of bar girls and thriving sex trade -- especially at night when the town really becomes alive.

If you're traveling with children, Patong is perfectly safe and, during the day, there are many children's activities in and around Patong your kids will love. One of the beaches is nice too.

At night, just stay away from the bar and club areas and from anywhere the girlie bars operate (your hotel can give you updated information on the best places to eat dinner with children).

Pattaya - Pattaya does have tons of things to do for families with children - amusement parks, a Ripley's Believe It or Not, museums, movie theaters, bowling alleys and more. It is also however probably the biggest town in Thailand known for its involvement in the Thai sex trade, and a notorious place for men who wish to participate in it.

During the day, you will see many families with children in Pattaya. At night, most families avoid the Walking Street area, most of downtown Pattaya and any of the beer bars and clubs.

If you want to stay away from the seediness of Pattaya as much as possible, stay in the Jomtien area and take your kids to family activities outside the city limits. Otherwise, much more suitable places for children are Hua Hin or Chiang Mai.

Finally, to reiterate, none of these places in Thailand are particularly dangerous or scary. In fact, most of them are surprisingly safe. You will also not see nudity out in the open or anything immoral or frightening for your children, and there will be a lot of tourists. In fact, overall, Thai women adore kids so your children would get as much innocent, friendly attention from Thai bar girls than they would from any other Thai. All you have to think about is do you want your children exposed to the seedy side of life. I know I wouldn't.

More Information:

How to Get to Chatuchak Weekend Market

Talad Rot Fai