Travel safety comparison · Asia
Laos vs Thailand: safety comparison
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Laos vs Thailand: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.
Laos and Thailand have very similar overall Warnely composite scores: 38 and 36. The choice between them is unlikely to be driven by the headline number alone. The biggest single category gap is in crime, where Laos scores 2/5 against Thailand's 3/5.
| 🇱🇦Laos | 🇹🇭Thailand | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 38 / 100 | 36 / 100 |
| Risk tier | Exercise Increased Caution | Exercise Increased Caution |
| UK FCDO advisory | No active advisory | No active advisory |
| US State Department advisory | Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) | Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) |
| Global Peace Index rank | #47 | #86 |
| Drug law | Severe (long sentences) | Severe (long sentences) |
| Women's safety rating | Generally Safe | Generally Safe |
| LGBTQ+ legal status | legal | marriage |
| Tap water | n/a | n/a |
| Currency | LAK | THB |
Laos vs Thailand: common questions
Is Laos or Thailand safer to visit?
Thailand has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 36/100 vs 38/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.
Is Laos or Thailand safer for solo female travellers?
Laos is rated Generally Safe for women's safety; Thailand is rated Generally Safe. Read the full guides for city-level detail.
What do FCDO and US State Department say about Laos and Thailand?
Laos: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State). Thailand: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).