Travel safety tips for students planning a gap year in Thailand amid rising risks

As students celebrate exam results and plan for their gap year, travel expert Simon Calder warns of increased risks abroad, emphasising the importance of sensible risk management around alcohol, water, and road safety, particularly in Thailand’s party hotspots.

Students celebrating exam results and planning a gap year are being urged to put safety ahead of spontaneity, after travel expert Simon Calder warned that the real goal is to come home with good memories and no avoidable mishaps. Speaking on The Travel Expert podcast with Telegraph journalist Greg Dickinson, Calder said the most important thing for young people heading overseas is sensible risk management, particularly when their trips involve long journeys, unfamiliar transport and late-night socialising.

His first concern was drink, drugs and the possibility of being targeted or making bad decisions after drinking. Calder also highlighted the danger of methanol poisoning, a risk that has caused serious harm to travellers abroad, and warned against letting alcohol or drugs push people into reckless choices such as hiring a scooter or swimming late at night. Travel safety guides for Thailand’s party destinations, including Koh Phangan, also flag bucket drinks, theft, fire hazards and drink spiking as common hazards that visitors should take seriously.

Water safety was his second major warning. Popular island and beach breaks can look carefree, but strong currents can turn dangerous quickly, especially for inexperienced swimmers. Guides to Thailand’s Full Moon Party scene likewise stress the need to understand local conditions, stay alert around the coast and treat the sea with caution rather than assuming a holiday setting is automatically safe.

Road safety, however, was the issue Calder placed at the top of his list. He said risks rise sharply once travellers leave the UK, and that young holidaymakers should think carefully about how they will get around before they arrive. That advice is especially relevant in Thailand, where scooters and motorbikes are a tempting low-cost option for backpackers but can expose inexperienced riders to serious danger. In Thailand, one additional point matters as much as any safety warning: drug laws are strict, and travellers should not assume nightlife venues or party beaches mean anything goes. As Greg Dickinson put it on the podcast, "They're extremely strict on drugs, so you basically need to not get involved with that whatsoever."