Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TRAVEL IN THE DEEP SOUTH: SHOULD YOU GO?
Despite the conflict, almost everyone in the Deep South - whether ethnic Malay Muslim or a Thai soldier - is
happy to see a
fa·ràng
. So few foreigners make it here that you're guaranteed a lot of attention from the locals.
Nor have tourists, or any Westerners, ever been targeted by the insurgents; this is a very insular war.
Yet by nature insurgencies are unpredictable, and bombs kill indiscriminately. Explosive devices planted on
parked motorbikes outside shops are a common tactic of the separatists and have been used in the city centres of
Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat on a number of occasions.
It's best not to linger on the streets for too long; you could be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Nor is
travel in the countryside in the early morning or after dark advisable. This isn't an area to be riding a motorbike
in if you can't be identified as a foreigner.
But perhaps the biggest drawback to travel in the region is that the insurgency has stifled tourism to such an
extent that there is very little infrastructure for visitors. Apart from travelling between the major centres, you'll
need private transport to get around. There are few hotels and restaurants and precious little nightlife, and hardly
anyone speaks English. And those beautiful beaches have absolutely no facilities.
If you do want to travel here, research the current situation carefully and take advice from your embassy.
