Bangkok, 10 November 2026 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) welcomes Chiang Mai’s ranking as the safest city in Southeast Asia and 19th worldwide in Numbeo’s Safety Index by City 2026. The northern Thai destination achieved a safety score of 77.9, reflecting positive public perceptions of personal safety and security.
The rankings consider several aspects of urban safety, including confidence in walking alone during the day and at night, concerns about theft and violent crime, and perceptions of overall crime levels. Chiang Mai’s results reflect favourable assessments across these indicators, placing the city among the world’s 20 highest-ranked cities for perceived safety.
The recognition adds to Chiang Mai’s international profile as one of Thailand’s leading tourism destinations, known for its Lanna cultural heritage, historic temples, northern Thai gastronomy, traditional arts and crafts, and nature-based experiences. The city also serves as a gateway to mountain communities, national parks and cultural attractions across Northern Thailand.
TAT’s sustainable tourism work in Chiang Mai includes the Chiang Mai Prototype, a destination development model focused on tourism standards, responsible visitor experiences and local participation. Through this initiative, Doi Inthanon National Park was selected for the Green Destinations Top 100 Stories 2026. Chiang Mai also ranked tenth in the Best Cities category of the Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific 2026, adding to its recent international recognition for tourism.
Numbeo, an international online database covering quality of life, cost of living, crime and safety, compiles its Safety Index from user-contributed surveys. The index measures public perceptions and experiences of safety rather than official crime statistics, providing a comparative assessment of how secure people feel in cities worldwide.
