...When will people learn that holidays in Asian countries (Thailand, BALI, etc.) is bad, bad, bad? I can think of at least 7-8 separate incidents in which Australian tourists in hope of an idealistic holiday to those particular countries have ended up paying with either their life, freedom and both. It's just not safe there and people seem to constantly go back. Why risk your safety? I mean foreign countries can be exciting and I know those places are beautiful, but the loss of life and the ensuing tragedy is just not worth it.

hno:
I'll add some padding to soften the flames.
Mobus - Nothing is going to justify the violence perpetrated against innocent tourists and I can understand why you may think that Asian countries are dangerous in light of these stories, but please remember that millions of tourists visit this region every year and the chances of being a victim of violence is quite low.
Why do people visit Asia? It's stunning that's why.
I will say , however, that I am not so keen to travel to a number of Asian countries due to their dismal human rights records and not so keen to support their state owned carriers either like Emirates, Etihad, Singapore and Malayasian Airlines - just to drop a name or two.
The flip side of this is the outrageous behaviour of some tourists (not only Australians) in Asia who revel in drunkeness and ignorance and think they are above local law.
Closing point - Asia is great, violence is terrible - be careful not to tar everyone with the same brush and behave yourself when you travel..