Status On Unrest In South

[ding]

Planning on taking kids to LOS again and need to know if Ko Lipe and places in the south are safe for westerners.

Does a person's country of origin matter to the locals?

Thanks.

[Viking]

Ask in the Southern Thailand Forum, I believe some posters live down in the south.

Viking

Edited September 10, 2006 by Totster

[jbaldwin]

What do you mean by the South. The problems are largely in three provinces: Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani and it might be prudent to avoid these areas. Also remember that unlike other muslim extremist problems, westerners have not been target. The Thai government and government employees (police, teachers, local government employees) have been the targets. As far as I am aware, no westerner has been involved in any of the attacks

[Viking]

What do you mean by the South. The problems are largely in three provinces: Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani and it might be prudent to avoid these areas. Also remember that unlike other muslim extremist problems, westerners have not been target. The Thai government and government employees (police, teachers, local government employees) have been the targets. As far as I am aware, no westerner has been involved in any of the attacks

" muslim extremist problems" is not was it is! It's an old, centuries old !, dispute over territories between Thai governemwnt and some that lives in the southern parts of Thailand. It is not a religious or Al Quida thing and I believe that it is safe for Falangs to visit thou many nations recommend you not to.

Viking

[ding]

Thanks folks!

The current organized group has been around since 1959 if I recall. The get funding from a radical group but from what I read they don't take hostages or murder the western tourists. They have a .org site too.

I just don't trust what I read and want to bounce it off TV's collective wisdom. Guess I should post this in the southern forum but wondered about the situation from a travellers point of view, as opposed to the residents. They would know, though.