U.S. State Department Warnings

While I never felt insecure or threatened in Thailand, I did see a roadblock on the shuttle ride from Patong to the boat. Farther south on the mainland there has been criminally and politically motivated violence including incidents attributed to armed local separatist/extremist groups. "Although these groups focus primarily on Thai government interests, U.S. citizen travelers should remain vigilant with regard to their personal security, as some of the violence in the area has been indiscriminate in nature," says our government.

Since January 2004, in Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala, and Songkhla provinces, arson attacks have been directed at schools and other buildings associated with the government. Bombs have been found in public areas and near local government offices, and there has been killings of police and other officials and theft of weapons and explosives. In March, a motorcycle bomb exploded near a group of beer bars frequented primarily by Malaysian tourists. Thai authorities may institute special security measures in affected areas, such as curfews, military patrols, or random searches of train passengers.

In Phuket, an island south of the mainland and east of the Malay Peninsula, the biggest danger is AIDS.

To get up-to-date travel warnings, you should contact your travel agent or go to the U.S. State Department web site at http:// travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html