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