⚠️AMBUSHED BY WILD DOG IN BANGKOK | NO INSURANCE | This Is What It Cost $$$ | THE FULL STORY 

Hi Pat, I was bitten by a Soi dog a while back. I went to the government hospital to get fixed up. This resulted in several evening visits to A&E for the extra injections. I was In the A&E waiting room around 6pm each time and was able to observe the playing of the National Anthem. Of course, everyone stood to attention apart from those in wheelchairs. Total cost was around THB 6,000 so ,as you said, about a third of a private hospital.

Sorry for that Pat, glad you feel okay now. A couple of years ago I was attacked by a dog whilst walking our dogs in our village. Went to a private hospital to get the same treatment as you to half the price. Be careful and keep up your good work.😊

I feel bad about that Pat, considering we'd just finished one of your famous BKK tours. If anyone is considering a Pat tour - I can absolutely 150% recommend it. I had a ball, informative, interactive, eye opening and a lot of fun. I want to thank you Pat for the time and effort you put into the day. It was very much appreciated. Anthony 🙏👍

Hi Pat, Very wise to be wary of stray dogs in South East Asia. I always give them a wide birth and I keep them in my sight. But what really scares the crap out of me is the marauding monkeys, you often don't see them coming and they are so fast and quiet. If you should be carrying a shopping bag they think food, and they don't care how they get it. Good to see you got immediate medical treatment, forget about the cost. Get well soon.

That was good. Calm, informative, and no bitterness aimed at the dog. Sound advice, decent medical photography. Kudos.

Glad to hear you're OK Pat, must admit I'd have been worried after a bite like that. I was bit by a dog on my first night back on Samui Jan '03, walking past shops in Lamai with a bit of shopping in a carrier bag and there was a dog happily dozing outside a shop but as I passed it I must have surprised it and it leapt at me and bit the top of the back of my leg. Luckily it only caused a small puncture wound but I was a bit worried. Popped into a tourist bar (Rising Sun) run by a couple of long-term expats and asked what I should do. Penny, one of the owners, phoned her doctor and he said just keep it clean and not to worry about Rabies as the island was Rabies free. Obviously I lived to tell the tale but I don't know if the island is still Rabies free. As an aside I was bitten by a snake one morning while hanging my washing out at the back of my bungalow in Maenam, felt a small prick on my leg and thinking it was just a morning mossie I jerked my leg up and swatted my leg with my free hand without looking and thought nothing of it. Couple of hours later my leg felt a bit itchy and when I went to scratch it I felt a couple of small lumps. Looked at the back of my leg to see 2 small puncture wounds with dried blood. Decided to pop to the local pharmacy (Gai's Pharmacy for those that know Maenam) and she gave me the biggest bollocking I've had in many years, she went crazy that I hadn't been to the hospital but as I said to her I had no idea I had been bitten. She said I was lucky I wasn't dead (scare tactics I suspect). She gave me a couple of pills and some cream to put on the wound and again I lived to tell the tale. Moral is always be aware of the wildlife. Looking forward to your next vid Pat, always entertaining and informative.

Hi Pat, sorry to hear of your bad experience. Glad that you’re OK and somewhat philosophical about the incident. Would be a shame if it affected your free roaming and exploring spirit that we all appreciate and enjoy so much. Take care 🙏

It's my biggest fear when I'm there. Been lucky so far. You are also right about the insurers!. Get well soon Pat. Regards Tony

Glad you're ok

Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery!

I got bitten by a Soi dog on Koh Yai last year . Result 8 injections including 5 rabies jabs,including one straight into the wound. Luckily I was covered by my medical insurance for the 11500 baht the treatment cost me at the Med Consult Clinic in Thonglor. Two of the injections were at the clinic on Koh Yai. A dog just came up behind me while I was taking a stroll on the beach. There are unofficially meant to be between 8-10 million Soi dogs in Thailand. I had no problem with Pacific Cross who paid me the money within 3 weeks of me sending my medical receipts in.

Speedy recovery Pat. Clearly that dog was jealous of the cat. Nothing unusual.

Even as someone sympatheic to animals and a vegetarian for decades, I find the whole situation with dogs in Thailand and elsewhere unfortunate. Even pet dogs are often poorly trained, not socialised, rarely on a leash, basically with irresponsible owners. It's not safe for adults, and far far more unsafe for children. As for soi dogs, I know most are okay, but i think people feeding them and so-on are not really helping the situation, and their entire attitude is misguided. No one wants stray dogs roaming where they live, and if improving that situation requires rounding up stray dogs and having them euthanised, then so be it. Obviously humans need to be educated about how to be a responsible owner too. And if you really care for soi dogs, then anything you do that is keeping them on the street really is NOT helping the situation. We cannot compare the value of even one human life to that of a dog (or any animal for that matter), it's simple as that. People need to change their attitude. That may sound harsh, but i believe that 100%, and as i said, I say that as someone very sympatheic to animals and any suffering they might have to endure. I was recently out in the countryside in Kanchanaburi, and did a lot of walking, and literally everywhere I went I had packs of dogs charging out of driveway and properties, barking and growling, following me. (If you are someone who is in a car or on a scooter it's not such a problem, so maybe you don't encounter it quite as much). I realise most likely it's just a bit of excitement for the dogs, something to bark at, and I would continue walking confidently and not really engage with them, but honestly, it really doesn't feel safe, and if I was with someone else I probably wouldn't feel comfortable taking them through that. It's a damn shame, as a well trained, well cared for dog can be one of the most lovely creatures out there, but a poorly trained one, with irresponsible owner (or no owners) can be very dangerous indeed. Anyways, thanks for the thoughtful video as always!

Good to see you Pat. Looking healthy and chilled. Enjoy. Be safe 🙏

I'm glad you are well! You can't mess with dogs in Thailand. I was running on the beach in Koh Lanta when suddenly surrounded by two big dogs trying to bite me. They were super aggressive. I dodged them by running into the water, and they stopped the pursuit. Just a general rule of thumb. Get insurance if you live in South East Asia and get a good one. Not just because of the dogs, but so many other things can make you sick or worse, leave you crippled. You are never an exception to the statistic. Get personal with your insurance agency again. I've had mine for years and take a call with them every year to confirm my understanding of their policy and what they cover. I also ask them to confirm this in writing if I doubt they will cover something.

Great vid Pat - and exactly the right attitude - somewhat your fault, but you are calm and accepting of the situation. I stopped going for walks in early mornings because of soi dogs - started carrying a big stick and hit a few - but it was just a matter of time before one of them did the same thing to me. I stay away from cats, dogs and monkeys in Thailand - and anything else that bites/scratches.

I'm sorry too hear that and I hope you will get well soon.😢. so many dog in Thailand.

‘Who let the dogs out’ Get well soon Pat.

Really good video! Thank you for sharing it.

Glad to hear all is well with no repercussions sir 👍🏾

I'm a runner, and I live in the upcountry of Thailand. I run anywhere from 3 miles to 15 miles each time. I encounter dogs, both single dogs and packs, every time I run. Some are tame pets, but many are aggressive. I used to carry a dog stick on my runs to threaten mean dogs. However, I no longer carry the stick. Every aggressive Thai dog I've ever encountered is a coward. Like street gangs, they are braver in packs, but if you behave as an Alpha, they will always back down. You must remain aware, though, because some dogs, like the one that bit you, are sneaky, and they don't always bark or growl before they attack. I'd like to sometimes listen to music on my runs, but it's better to remain aware of your surroundings. If you encounter a pack of dogs, and you can't easily turn around, pick a side; never run or walk through the middle of them. Never turn your back and try to outrun an aggressive dog. I've never been bitten because I make it clear that I'm a hard target who would be happy to beat the crap out of them if they get too close. Fortunately, of course, Thai street dogs are not trained attack dogs.

Thanks for sharing; good story and info.

Thanks for sharing Pat

I think that muzzled dog had a part as an extra in the last Road Warrior film. 😁

Touch wood, I've never been bitten. I thought of carrying an extendable baton at one stage, but came to my senses with the realisation that I'd be stomped to death by an angry Thai mob if I injured an animal - even if it was (unintentionally) trying to kill me. PS, avoid Savannakhet, Laos, the place is overrun with angry dogs...

Hi Pat, as we both know, cats are clever critters. I believe the cat left its scent on you as to use yourself as a diversional tactic for her/ him deeds. Kudos to you for all the hard work that you put in and feeding the cats of Lumphni Park. 🐈

Get well soon. In all my years travelling around Bangkok, I just stay away from dogs. Last month in Pnom Penh, I was followed by two dogs growling and looked really hostile. I left that street. I love cats.

glad that you are ok now, I remember setting with a friend in pattaya at evening in one of the bars out side the bar when suddenly my friend shouted and we saw a big rat running ! It was a rat bitten my friend and went to hospital immediately.

Hope you have a speedy recovery Pat 😮

Sorry to hear this, Pat. Glad you’re alright in the end. (I miss your signature sign off line of “I’ll see you sooner than you think” though). Keep on keeping on, brah. Aloha 🤙🏾

Sorry to hear that Pat. I’ve sometimes ventured into narrow Chiang Mai soi’s and had to turn around when there were a bunch of dogs. Also because it’s hot, one tends to always be wearing shorts.

All us here are so sorry for your "encounter" but very glad you're getting through relatively unscathed. After enjoying one of your walking tours about a month ago, the thought did cross our minds of the "wildlife" we saw along the way and if there were ever any issues, but considered they were primarily self-policed and not really an issue. For our part, we just joined up as full-fledged members of the channel and hope our small showing of support can help, over time, off-set the costs of your private hospital visit and subsequent treatments. Cheers and love to you and yours Pat from Tampa Florida!!!

Last August I was bitten by a feral young cat in Lum Luk Ka. I’m very much like you when it comes to cats in Thailand and never had a bad experience but this time I was very stupid. I tried to pet the back of its neck and the cat latched onto my hand digging it’s teeth into my left index finger. It wouldn’t let go so I had to use my right hand to pry it loose which caused it to bite my right pinky finger. It was very painful and my left hand was bleeding a fair amount. Immediately washed it under an outside faucet and went to buy antiseptic cream and wound cleaner. Unfortunately cat bites are easily infectious so even with cleaning the wound several times a day it got badly infected 2 days later. I ended up at Bumrungrad hospital in Bangkok. Went through a similar experience that you did except they had to cut/drain my finger. Rabies shots in both hands plus another 7 various shots including tetanus. Also the follow up rabies shots plus I had to get the wound cleaned every day for a week. It was much more expensive than yours though. Hospital was amazing. Very efficient and treated very well. Fun fact, Thailand uses a different rabies vaccine from the US so I had to start over because I had to leave Thailand before the last shot. 😂

Glad you're doing well Pat. ❤

I have a couple soi dog friends here in Pratumnak where I live, but we've earned each other's trust and lots of people feed them. They're nice healthy doggies. Usually I don't approach dogs I don't know but the other day one of the 7/11 dogs with a collar who always hangs out at the entrance to catch the aircon snapped at me when I put my hand towards him. You never know. You're advice is excellent and a good reminder for all of us.

Great useful information. Soi dogs are often unpredictable as to just how aggressive they will become. In my experience the larger there numbers the worse their behavior or braver they become. If there’s an alternative route that’s the one I’m taking.

great show, thanks for all the info, see you soon

Hey Pat - glad you are ok. Glad you are putting a positive spin on this. The outside gym I go to in Lumpini has a stack of cats just laying around keeping the monitor lizards at bay!

While in Malaysia with my wife, she had a parastomal hernia which was a serious event.... We had relevant insurance but we needed to pay for the treatment up front and claim the money back from the insurance company.... That was over £3000... All ended well eventually thankfully... I wish you a speedy recovery Pat.

Glad you doing well Pat wish you a speedy recovering, I understand you go to the nearest hospital. A good insurance is important but like you said you have to read also the small letters. I’m always careful with dogs in Thailand especially when they are in a group. Last time in Thailand I saw on Thai tv a child has been bitten brutal by a street dog very sad to see that. I’m cat person too so I don’t have too much with dogs but there also some good ones like the dog at our Soi that time. He just lay down in the shadow on the sidewalk and had a neck tag and look very friendly.

Oh shitt! That was a serious bite...Glad you're OKay Pat!!👍

Saturday night, rural government hospital out here in Isaan and got the rabies and tetnus shots for somewhere between 100-200B. My damage was from a Soi Cat however and not as severe as yours. Brilliant health system here in Thailand. If I was an American I'd fly here for medical treatment and have a holiday too and probably still save 100,000B 😅 Good to hear you're fine Pat, definitely not a pleasant experience.

Ive been bitten 3 times by dogs. Twice as a kid and once as an adult. Not a nice experience. Im a cat person like you, i love dogs as well. Although soi dogs i stay well clear of. Speedy recovery Mr Pat.

Thank you useful information.

I'm glad to hear you're ok Pat ❤ take care of your health, No doubt about that, you are one of my most favorite RU-vidr in Thailand. Cheers. ❤😊✌️

Good to see that you are OK. The most intelligent thing I ever did was to marry a Thai doctor!

I think that's why I'm more of a cat person. Been chased by too many soi dogs. Carrying alcohol is a good idea (guessing not a cold leo)

I will try to avoid soi dogs territory at night and always covered by best insurance especially in Thailand. Take care BKK Pat kap.🙏

Sorry that happened. I worry about this all of the time. Currently in Vientiane I walk to the gym at 5AM umbrella in hand rain or shine but as you know it's more often the silent ones that come from behind. That's some money for TH. In the US you'd ad a zero though. Cheers.

You did right thing.l like watching your Chanel.

Very interesting video Pat. Sensible advice.

Hi Pat, I hope that there are no complications from this experience. Definitely a reminder for me when I head to Samui and photograph the dogs. I’ve had one or two show their teeth. But I never approach any of them to begin with. Good reason for a long lens to keep your distance.

I was walkin' down the street Concentratin' on truckin' right I felt a dark bite beside of me And I looked round in a state of fright I saw a dark dog , one flog A mutter from the gutter he looked me up and down a bit And turned for other

The same thing happened to me in Nepal and I went through a round of rabies shots. Annoying. Heal up and stay aware out there Pat, especially walking around those streets at night.

Unfortunate. Thanks for sharing the story. Street / wild dogs are probably my biggest fear when travelling.

Get well soon take care be safe

Hi Pat, i got bitten by a stray dog in hh 6 yrs ago. It came from behind as in your case. Had to take 8 rabies jabs in total. Very unpleasant experience. Now i am scared of stray dogs, never before. Had travel insurance that covered the costs.

So sorry to hear of the dog bite. Have to say am impressed with your attitude to it all and very glad it wasn't wasnt more serious. I always look twice at those roaming around Saphan Taksin/Central Pier .

Hello Pat..you took the right course of action, you can't play lotto with your life..regardless of cost.

Another great and useful content! Lol seriously.

I got bitten by a stray cat in the Philippines. I went to City Hall in Angeles, and they provided the full course of Rabies and Tetanus injections free of charge...

LOL, so many familiar faces at 6:00!

I hope everything goes well for you Pat 😎👍

27/6/2023 I got bitten by a monkey on Lombok Indonesia. About an hour later I went to small a local hospital to have it looked at. They cleaned and dressed the wound then gave 2 shots of rabies vaccine. I was then given a course of antibiotics and pain killers and told to come back for the next two weeks for an extra 2 shots. I was charged $3 Australian for all.

I have been bitten two times by soi dogs, both times on the back of my left ankle. Once in Bangkok and once in Pattaya Park. Both times it happened at night and they came out of building sites at full speed. Both attacks were over 20 years ago. Man oh man inflation has really kicked in. I went to Bangkok Hospital in Bangkok and the Pattaya International Hospital in Pattaya. Both of my bites did not even cost 20,000 baht in total. It was a long time ago, but I would put the price for both bites at less than 18,000 baht. I did have insurance with BUPA and I think they paid the bulk of it. I no longer have health insurance because I am going on 69 years old. Insurance at my age is much more than $6 to $8K USD if they will insure you. I'm fit and have no pre existing health issues. If I did you're talking about $10k a year and they still won't cover you for pre exiting health issues. At age 70 most insurance companies won't touch you with a 10 foot pole.

Best wishes love cats and dogs I think your right the scent of the 🐈 cat ❤ glad your ok PAT 😊

Sorry to hear you were bitten. I was also bitten by a soi dog. I went to the government hospital for all of the injections. Very quick service and 110 baht per injection.

I was bitten 3 times growing up in Bangkok. One of them was a mom guarding her pups. She ambushed me bad, had no idea where she came from. Wasn’t a fun experience at all, had all those shots as well. So, that’s why I’m not so fond of soi dogs 😃. My wife and I do have our own dog though. Looks like you’re healing up nicely though. Take care Pat.

Really good video Pat, arriving in December I know what my kids are like as they will probably try and pat each dog. I am not staying that far from the Pet Cafe so will try and visit

Glad to see you're ok Pat and did'nt give the dog a hard time!!

Thanks!

Hope you're good pat. You know the bad dogs are the exception rather than the rule. I feed a few groups near my place I've showed you and sometimes those guys get sketchy, but are very thankful. On a side note my cat Mario ate the food you gave him for nearly six months before he ran out.

Best wishes and a happy recovery!! 🙂 Was bitten by a monkey a few years ago, never nice with animal encounters like that 😬 cheers!

Wow . . . I'm sorry you got bit and glad you are on the mend.

So sorry to hear. Hope you don't have bad dreams now. Because of these dogs I went to the doctor to get three rabies vaccinations (and a good doctor recom cholera, hep A+B, JEV, meningococoal disease and typhus vacs, too) as there is no medicin against it if you get it. Cave canem. Bebanthen cream is best for healing

I always have insurance and I hope that I never get my money's worth. I am more than happy that the money goes to pay for other people's claims. The money is ultimately irrelevant, but your health is priceless. Glad that you are OK and that you did not have any side effects from the treatment.

This is very scary and your points about insurance are so true.. Three years ago I grazed the top of my foot on a collapsed deck chair, there was quite a lot of blood but like a fool I thought going into the sea would help, how wrong I was. It happened at Jomtien beach which is in the direct path of the sewage outlets from Pattaya. Its visible most of the time and really is unpleasant. Any way I decided not to go to Hospital even though I was insured, an English friend who lives there is a doctor and he cleaned and dressed the wound. Two days later he re-dressed it and it was a total mess, it was now a deep wound and there were many many maggots !! After contacting the insurance company they said I was not covered as I had delayed the hospital visit. I returned to the UK 2 days later and on landing at LHR was met by paramedics as my body had begun to shut down with rigours ! I spent 6 days in hospital with sepsis where initially I was treated to preserve life and then try to save my lower leg. 5 months off work and a very very close call. When we go abroad we can become complacent and somewhat blinded to the real issues that can affect us. I always felt I was quite streetwise as was airline crew for 20 years but this incident changed my whole outlook totally

How to deal with Soi dogs: Get a plastic bag and put something in it, like your phone. As you approach the dogs, spin the bag at the side of you once, just like an aeroplane propeller. The dogs usually just walk away slowly, letting you past. I found this out several years ago when i was walking home drunk, i called at the 7-11 for a burger on my way home. I approached the dog, with it's puppy. They were both barking at me and it was around midnight. As i approached the dogs, i span the bag around, the dogs stopped barking and moved away. After several weeks, when they saw me, they just got up off the pavement/sidewalk and moved so i could get past On another occasion, there was a big pack of 10+ dogs. It was early evening as i approached them, i span the bag round. The dogs just moved out of my way into the undergrowth. Just spin the bag around once, if they still bark, spin it again as you are about to pass them. Don't spin the bag around continuously as the dogs will get used to it. Pat could not do anything about his ordeal as he never saw the dog coming.

I got bitten in a similar way earlier this year in Chiang Mai. I had the 5 rabies jabs, antibiotics and tetanus. Cost me about 8500 baht. I believe there is very little rabies in most of Thailand. I did research and there had been 3 deaths last year I think. There is rabies in north Thailand but not in Chiang Mai. I didn't take the chance because if you're unlucky and get it you die. 8500 baht for peace of mind. They authorities should be rounding up street dogs and put them to death because they are a problem. When human lives are at risk something needs to be done.

Glad you're on the mend lad. Only this morning, my missus told me she's had her 2nd rabies jab, which caused me a moment of amusement (we live out in Nong Chok so hardly any dogs in our area, compared to most of BKK. Lot of cats mind :) ) However, not one hour later and I've just watched your antics, and am now getting myself sorted for the jabs at the local hospital. It's quite easy to forget about the basic lessons of Thailand; after you've lived there for a period of time, so much appreciation for this video. You sure you weren't set up, by the cat / dog / private hospital hit team ?

I hope you feel better soon Pat. Did the hospital at least give you a refund for cutting your jeans? I had an incident with attacking pack of dogs when was staying in On Nut and was trying to take a shortcut onto Sukhumvit Road under the flybridge motorway... I had to be very firm and leave the area as they were very aggressive.

Glad to hear you are recovering well. I have never been bitten by an animal but I remember an incident that happened in Bangkok about 20 years ago. I was walking down a street during mid-day when this dog on the other side of the street started barking at me. For whatever reason it was fixated on me even though there were plenty of other people around. That was the one and only time I thought a dog might come after me but for the most part, the soi dogs leave me alone.

Everbody, who visits Thailand should get rabies vaccination before ! Do it min 1 monthes infront. It contains three injections. Second seven days after the first. Third 14 days after the second. It does not hurt. Often health insurances cover the costs in home contries, cause they know: To prepair is better / cheaper than repair

Sorry to hear this but I'm glad you still have love in your heart for the dogs. I found it very depressing seeing so many dogs in streets many in awful condition 😢 if they can't look after the dogs or try and solve the issue. What chance do the poorest thai people have. Wouldn't it be amazing and a great selling point if they finally did something. It only gets worse and worse just leaving them alone. The problem doesn't just go away or people take matter into their own hands. Which isn't going to end well for the dogs. Take care Pat you're a great person inside and out. I thank you so much for helping both cats and dogs out. The best you can. We need more people like you in Thailand. All the very best wishes ❤

Great video, got me thinking. In my walks around BKK I have not had an issue (yet). I did have a situation with a small pack of dogs in Chiang Mai and have been chased while cycling different parts of SEA, but have not been bitten. I'm comfortable with navigating the streets of BKK enough now to walk with noise canceling earbuds on listening to music while keeping my head on a swivel looking for just about everything but dogs. I'll add them to the mix. I just researched the vaccine here in BKK and if you receive it and get bit, you still go to the hospital for a couple more shots. So for now as I'll be in fairly close proximity to a hospital during my walks, I'll try to increase my awareness of dogs (and monitor lizards, monkeys, cats) and do what you did if I get bit. Glad you're OK!

Glad you are safe, better your health than money.

Pat, I've been bitten twice by soi dogs in Bangkok. Both times I went to private hospitals both times it was much cheaper than the price they hit you with. But I think my insurance paid half. What annoyed me was having to waste time going to the hospital several times and waiting for doctors. It's the psychological effect that upsets me. I used to love adventuring around the obscure back streets but now I tend to avoid them. The recommended response to a bite is to attend a hospital on day 0 and ideally within an hour of the bite. The difficulty and cost massively escalates if the person has not had a pre-bite injection course. Nowadays they have very powerful toxins to clean the wound so it is much less likely to get infected than in the past.

Hi Pat....thank's for the great video as always...we are big fans of yours ! You are a great vlogger and your content is always so professional and well presented. We work hard in Pattaya City to re - home abandoned dogs and cats especially after the pandemic...most of them are lovely. Richard & Oye, from PATTAYA DOG GROOMING SALON & CHANNEL.

Hey Pat, once you're 'sat in the wheelchair' you know it's going to cost big time!!

A soi dog without insurance! What next! 55555

You'll be alright, BKK Pat. My sister got bitten once when she was in the 5th grade, many, many years ago, sore and swollen for about a week, got a scar of the bite mark on her skinny calf until today though. I hope your lovely May is taking good care of you. Cheer up & please warn Gary Butler too, he likes to pet dogs in general.🐝 💪

Sorry to hear that Pat, hopefully, nothing turns out serious but please check from time to time make sure that no weird fangs are appearing in your mouth. Take care.

The pack of dogs fighting in the background at 2:10 is pretty fitting.

Sorry to hear that. But thanks for sharing. There was nothing that you could have done to prevent that, and it was very wise of you to get to the hospital as soon as you did. God bless you, and thank you for these videos.

Once my dog bit me....I bit back. The face she did was so amazingly funny. Regarding insurance: Last year I got covid with all its symptoms and I had to go into a hospital. Fees were more than 5000€...so I'm glad that I spent the money for insurance. But I am not sure, what you need. Travel Health-Care insurance or something for the locals?

I have a tip that worked for me. Back in 2003-2004, I had a friend living in a building at the deepest end of Sukhumvit soi 11, past the Solitaire hotel. There were six or seven soi dogs down there, quite territorial. They belonged to some families who let them out their gardens to roam the soi. One time they even surrounded me, barking and growling but I managed to pass through without incident. Anyway, we eventually figured out a trick that for unknown reasons worked flawlessly: I got the mobile phone out and pretended to have a call. Spoke loudly and showed complete disinterest in the dogs, like they were not there. Didn’t even look at them. For some reason, the dogs became equally disinterested. No aggressions, no moving towards me, hardly looking at me at all. If someone can explain why this was so effective, it’d be great. As always, thank you for great videos!

I have been really concerned about the feral dogs I have seen in all the videos of that region. I am sad to hear you got bitten, it’s good that there was a hospital close by! Be careful out there. Hoping for your swift recovery!

Hello Pat. Sorry about this bad experience. I really love dogs but in Thailand I am always very cautious with stray dogs. Mostly they are nice and shy. But some are really aggressive !! Really important in your story is one thing: if a tourist gets bitten by a dog: go to hospital !!! You never know if or how sick they are!

Get well soon pat

Thank you for a brilliant video Pat in respect of sharing this experience. Not brilliant for getting bitten but for explaining so well what preceeded it and how you managed it but....also for being g so generously spirited towards the dog that bit you and street dogs in particular. I am also so heartened by the wonderful comments of folk here many of which say how the Soi dogs have an appaling life and when they attack/bite it is often a defensive reaction although it won't seem like that at the time. I volunteered across 8 Thai dog rescue shelters over 7 weeks earlier this year and fed on the streets and scrubland....literally thousands of dogs and not so much as a scratch. Not to say that I do not anticipate I will get bitten because what innocently happened to you can happen to anyone! Just to say that folk should not be put off going to Thailand or South east Asia and not to be nasty to street dogs whose dreadful life has been brought about on them by some dreadful humans! Cheers Pat 👍