In Silkroad using any teleporter, or logging off will instantly reset your 10 minute cool down for job suits. Use this to your advantage, especially if someone just took that load you killed for.
Hunters can kill you without penalty; you however get a penalty for killing them. This makes them more than a nuisance. If you find yourself suited and a higher level hunter comes along you really need to learn weapon (Silkroad gold) and equipment levels by sight you do not run away. Instead you'll try to chat. Many times they won't attack either because you could be pretending to be lower level, or there's no sport in it. If you run, well that's just fun for them. Worst case is they kill you and you lose a little exp and you lose the load.
The down side Arrange points, when you kill hunters merchants or transports you get arrange points. Should you get 3000+ arrange points you will become wanted. That means anyone wearing a hunter suit can see that you are wanted and will probably attack you. They do this because they get a bonus for killing you. In addition when you are killed you will have to pay a fine to the hunter guild NPC. The fine at level (Silkroad online gold) 40 is around 60k and goes up with levels. After you desuit you will not be able to do any job for 3 hours.
Friends in alternate job suits are nice to have. They kill the opportunistic thieves and get hunter exp for taking out your NPC spawns. If unsuited they can be ready for anything, like evening the odds if hunters appear or act as a general deterrent for hostility.
Can thieves spawn NPCs at will? Nope, it is a random spawn just like traders. If you die by hunter or merchant there is a chance to lose items (including what is equipped), it is the same as if you died from a monster. Taunting dead traders or hunters is bad form, many are already angry. Remember it is a game and you are doing your job.