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Is Thailand a safe holiday or scuba training destination? 

Why am I being warned against Thailand as a destination?  

You will have no doubt heard the warnings on the BBC, international news etc for warnings against traveling to Thailand. There have indeed been some problems but these are over 900 kilometers from where our dive academy is based. Let’s put this very tragic situation into perspective…  

The world can be such an ugly place to be from watching the news and each day seems to sadly bring more death and destruction to our attention. 9/11 was certainly not the first act of terrorism but caught the world’s attention due to the scale, planning and sheer horror that can be caused in one foul blow. The aftermath we have been living with since due to the new phenomenon of the “war on terrorism” has changed the world.

On January 4^th 2004 there was a military armament raided in Pattani, which is south Thailand. The three most southern provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala have had continued troubles and also the province of Songkhla. The very southern provinces of Thailand are predominantly Muslim. Go back a way in history and this used to actually be Malaysian soil.

It has been known now for a long time that the Muslims in the south feel that they are a suppressed people even though making the majority of the population through religion. Until recent events Thai Muslims and Thai Buddhists have lived very peacefully in harmony.  

Since the arms were taken from the barracks in Pattani there have been two main large scale problems in Thailand. Firstly on April 28th 2004 there were the Krue Se Mosque killings. A group of militants “holed” themselves up in the Krue Se mosque after making attacks on police boxes, checkpoints and the army in the south. The groups see themselves as victims and continue to use religious doctrines, separatist ideology and historical resentment to recruit and shape the thinking of the young militants. Many of these young militants are less than 18 years old.  

After a tense half day stand off the army opened fire on the militants, killing more than 30 people within the holy building causing uproar and even more resentment of power in the southern provinces.  

Between the tragedy of Krue Se mosque and the events of October 25^th 2004 there have been bi-daily killings of Buddhist monks and state officials and government employees such as teachers and doctors. This has lead to more military being placed in the south Thailand provinces.  

October 25^th brought the Tak Bai disaster where a very large group of both Muslim and Thai protestors had gathered to ask authorities questions about the location of certain local people that had apparently been detained for crimes that they did not commit. Throughout the morning of this fateful day the crowds swelled to be over a thousand in strength. As the day progressed the protesters became increasingly agitated and difficult to keep calm. Unfortunately what happened next shocked the world via the press. The military used force to disperse the crowds. This heavy handed tactic was used relieving the south of over 80 human beings. The inquiry is still (now Dec 13^th 2004 ) being conducted. It looks like there was a lot of foul play on the behalf of the army here but I’d like to stay impartial.  

It’s become a problem that even Her Majesty the Queen of Thailand has been involved in. So very rarely do the royal family involve them selves with the politics of the country but late 2004 the queen stayed a month in the troubled south to try to implore peace from both the Muslims and the Buddhists.  

The uprising in the south is basically extremists uprising against the treatment of the southern people by the government. No westerners have been targeted or injured in any of the troubles.  

To place all of this tragic news in proportion, Thailand is a safe country to visit if the correct areas are attended. I personally find it very sad that all of the news that hits the international press with regards to Thailand is all negative and never focuses on the wonderful people and good things here. There is so much wonder and beauty coupled with very skilled people and great places here.  

My family all live in London. By asking if Chonburi and the dive facilities are safe to visit is like me asking if I am in danger of IRA activity in London whilst visiting my family. – Of course there is a risk but one that only wrapping yourself in cotton wool for your life in a bunker some where will solve – even then the bunker roof might fall in :)  

There are horrific problems on such a scale in many countries and many of which that we as travellers will have visited – until you get here you’ll not understand just how far removed this problem is from the average holidaying person or training diver. All of the trouble is in the southern region and not even as north as Phuket. Here on the Eastern seaboard we are extremely removed from all of the daily troubles regarding the south.  

Thailand in general if you are sensible is a very safe country to visit indeed. I feel safer walking the streets of Pattaya and Bangkok during the day and in the evenings than I would back in London.  

There is a risk each day that we wake – as to whether we are sensible about the risks and chose to live our lives to the fullest whilst careful – we should have a happy and full filled time on this earth.

The one sign that we should pay heed to - compressed air is addictive!

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