Bangkok Identified as a Hotspot for Rising Pickpocketing and Tourist Scams
There have been growing concerns about the surge in pickpocketing and tourist scams at major overseas destinations, including Bangkok in Thailand, Paris in France, and Shanghai in China.
Bangkok, Thailand, was identified as the city where pickpocketing requires the most caution. Bangkok ranked first with 9.82 mentions of fraud and pickpocketing per 1,000 tourist reviews, earning the notorious title of "Asia's New Crime Capital." Getty Images
Recently, the travel media outlet Travel Binger analyzed global travel reviews and public data from this year, identifying six countries-Thailand, Italy, France, Spain, the Netherlands, and China-as hotspots where incidents of pickpocketing and scams are rapidly increasing.
Among these, Bangkok in Thailand was singled out as the city requiring the most caution. Bangkok ranked first with 9.82 mentions of fraud and pickpocketing per 1,000 tourist reviews, earning the notorious title of "Asia's New Crime Capital." Paris followed with 6.81 mentions, then Prague in the Czech Republic with 6.51, Shanghai in China with 6.28, and Rome with figures in the high 4s.
Bangkok, Thailand, identified as the city requiring the most caution. The photo shows Wat Pho, a famous tourist attraction in Bangkok, Thailand. Photo by Shin Hwayeon, Yonhap News Agency
In Europe's major tourist cities, popular attractions where large crowds gather have been found to be the most vulnerable to crime. In Paris, incidents were concentrated at key sites such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, the Arc de Triomphe, and on the metro and RER (regional express trains). Notably, there was an analysis that crimes nearly doubled after the 2024 Paris Olympics, with the influx of large crowds temporarily increasing risk factors.
In Rome, Italy, extra caution was needed at Termini Station, the Colosseum, and the Trevi Fountain. Experts added that after the Cartabia Reform in Italy, the reduced burden of punishment has emboldened criminals.
In Amsterdam, Netherlands, a common scam involved "fake police officers" demanding to inspect wallets and cards while showing fake IDs. In Shanghai, China, deceptive scams such as aggressive touting and price inflation, especially around Nanjing Road and the Yuyuan area, were frequently reported.
The insurance industry advised travelers to prepare copies of key identification documents and passports in advance, and to take out loss insurance on expensive smartphones and cameras. They also recommended not carrying valuables or expensive travel bags whenever possible.
The U.S. Embassy in France advised, "Keep zipped bags in front of your body, avoid exposing your phone near subway and bus platforms, and do not respond to requests for signatures, donations, or surveys." In London, where phone thefts have surged, the "Mind the Grab" campaign was launched, with warnings written in bold purple chalk on the edges of sidewalks in central London to caution against pickpocketing.
Ultimately, it is necessary to remain vigilant in typical high-risk areas such as tourist attractions and subway or train stations, and to take precautions such as avoiding crowded times.
However, there are statistical limitations to this ranking, as it is based on the frequency of mentions in traveler reviews rather than official city statistics. Factors such as tourist density, reporting culture, language barriers, and biases in online reviews may lead to risks in each city being either overestimated or underestimated.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
