GwendolynVarner130

Phuket is one of Thailand's hottest holidaymaker destinations, and yet visitor numbers are well down on previous year. The beaches and streets in Phuket are quiet and businesses are beginning to feel the strain. Thailand's political problems have been well documented by the media, so much so the country is portrayed as being in complete anarchy. Even though the problems have been centered in Bangkok, they have impacted Phuket. But what's the truth of the situation? Should tourists be wary of visiting Phuket?

The short answer is "no". For a little bit of perspective, Thailand has had numerous issues over time, from coups to bombings. Nevertheless, it had been only the tsunami that really affected tourism in the end. Thailand's internal problems usually create a few short-term ripples and the media writes of chaos in the streets, however for people living in Thailand, they will let you know that life continues on as usual.

In Phuket, tourism is way down. Hotels are nowhere near full and people on the island are saying that the influence on the will be worse in the long run than the tsunami. It's this type of dire situation, but it is also completely unnecessary. Travel advisory warnings also do not help.

If you were to see Phuket News right now you'd visit a peaceful island. You can find no more dangers than normal and everything is safe. There isn't any fighting in the streets and tourists are not being victimized or attacked. Actually there's probably never been an improved time for you to visit Phuket because the island is less crowded than usual.

The beaches are still there and the popular internet sites are waiting for people to trickle in. Of course, travelers should still exercise the same caution they'd when visiting Phuket any moment of the year. Traveling alone on a motorcycle at night isn't a good idea and care should be taken when out and about. But don't let the news headlines reports put you off a visit to Phuket.

It's really a sad state of affairs, but hotel-booking websites have been reporting a massive decline in bookings. The exact same is true of air companies, that are now throwing out offers left, right and center to entice people to visit Thailand. You will find bargains to be snapped up at this time.

So if Phuket is safe for tourists, then what about Bangkok, where most of the trouble has been? There were protests and airport closures and all kinds. Nevertheless, until you had a plane to catch throughout that time, in the event that you were in Bangkok, you wouldn't have noticed much out of the ordinary besides whenever you switched on the news. Every thing continued as usual. It always does.

After the most recent coup, the tanks and soldiers became a tourist attraction. The resultant protests were mostly jovial affairs with picnics and concerts. Some media reports were speculating that Thailand was about to become a bloodbath, similar to revolutions of the past, but such events didn't materialize.

Forums, blogs and phone lines have now been overwhelmed with people asking if Phuket continues to be safe for travel. It's safe, also it likely will be for some time to come.

Always check our Phuket Vogue for the latest information about Phuket Weather, Phuket girls and restaurants.