LOOKING forward and back at the same time can be a little tricky. Yet even in a crosseyed state, it's plain to see that Phuket tourist numbers are continuing to soar.
Last May, with Phuket police being sent to Bangkok as reinforcements, it was obvious that Thailand's tourism industry was in trouble. Occupancy rates were plunging in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Pattaya.
But on Phuket? Things were not really that bad.
Every Tom, Dick and Nancy could see that the national travel alerts being bandied about for all of Thailand had no validity for Phuket, especially with so many direct flights.
As usual, the embassies were overreacting based on what they could see happening at their doorsteps. The rest of the country? No idea.
While the Bangkok rallies did turn bloody in one isolated part of the capital - although not for tourists - we were able to write the headline ''Every Red Cloud Has Silver Landings.'' Phuket continued to prosper.
So it remains, with the number of international arrivals and departures through Phuket airport for April this year increasing by 24.60 percent compared with 2010, according to official Airports of Thailand figures.
What's more, domestic tourism to Phuket appears to be returning, too, with domestic traveller numbers up 15.01 percent for the month. That's really heartening.
In total, there were 679,760 comings and goings through Phuket International Airport for April 2011, some 328,442 international and 351,318 domestic.
This means that for the first four months of the year, the number of arrivals and departures by air on Phuket already totals 3,163,574.
Even allowing for a dip in low season travel between May and October, Phuketwan is prepared to say that our prediction of a record tally of more than eight million passengers through Phuket International Airport this year remains unchallenged.
Flights in and out of Phuket in April numbered 4739, a rise of 18.89 percent, with domestic traffic for once increasing a little faster than international numbers.
Looking back at the past year is easy, but looking forward at the same time complicates matters.
With the other eye, we can see the air filled with promises as well as aircraft. We can see anger and hope. we can see lots of people voting.
We can see the Phuket airport turnstiles clicking. But after the national poll on July 3 . . . sorry, our crossed eyes are misting over.
Last May, with Phuket police being sent to Bangkok as reinforcements, it was obvious that Thailand's tourism industry was in trouble. Occupancy rates were plunging in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Pattaya.
But on Phuket? Things were not really that bad.
Every Tom, Dick and Nancy could see that the national travel alerts being bandied about for all of Thailand had no validity for Phuket, especially with so many direct flights.
As usual, the embassies were overreacting based on what they could see happening at their doorsteps. The rest of the country? No idea.
While the Bangkok rallies did turn bloody in one isolated part of the capital - although not for tourists - we were able to write the headline ''Every Red Cloud Has Silver Landings.'' Phuket continued to prosper.
So it remains, with the number of international arrivals and departures through Phuket airport for April this year increasing by 24.60 percent compared with 2010, according to official Airports of Thailand figures.
What's more, domestic tourism to Phuket appears to be returning, too, with domestic traveller numbers up 15.01 percent for the month. That's really heartening.
In total, there were 679,760 comings and goings through Phuket International Airport for April 2011, some 328,442 international and 351,318 domestic.
This means that for the first four months of the year, the number of arrivals and departures by air on Phuket already totals 3,163,574.
Even allowing for a dip in low season travel between May and October, Phuketwan is prepared to say that our prediction of a record tally of more than eight million passengers through Phuket International Airport this year remains unchallenged.
Flights in and out of Phuket in April numbered 4739, a rise of 18.89 percent, with domestic traffic for once increasing a little faster than international numbers.
Looking back at the past year is easy, but looking forward at the same time complicates matters.
With the other eye, we can see the air filled with promises as well as aircraft. We can see anger and hope. we can see lots of people voting.
We can see the Phuket airport turnstiles clicking. But after the national poll on July 3 . . . sorry, our crossed eyes are misting over.
