Narathiwat province
Narathiwat is the easternmost of the far southern provinces and boasts a considerable stretch of fine beaches. The provincial capital, Narathiwat, is a very pleasant town, well regarded for its very friendly people and pleasant setting. The province is bordered to the north by Pattani, Yala to the west, Malaysia to the south and the Gulf of Thailand to the east. There are only two seasons in Narathiwat -- the dry and the wet.
Naratiwat province has seen an explosion in violence over the last few years in relation to many long running issues with the predominantly Muslim south. It is as yet unclear who is really behind the violence, with allegations made against the current administation in Bangkok, the police, military and muslim separatists. What is clear at this stage is that westerners are not being specificaly targetted, although all visitors should exercise considerable caution in this currently volatile part of Thailand.
