THAILAND and Phuket especially are becoming Party Central for more young Australians, with some of them inevitably celebrating Christmas and New Year in the time-honored fashion of consuming as much alcohol as possible without fermenting.

Just last weekend, police in Australia conducted a rare nationwide crackdown on alcohol-fuelled violence that produced hundreds of arrests and plenty of larger than normal hangovers.

It probably comes as no coincidence, then, that Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs has just released a guide to citizens headed 'Partying Overseas.'

Some young Australians, it has to be said, do tend to associate partying with the consumption of large quantities of drugs, legal and illegal, in ways that some of their contemporaries in other parts of the world sometimes find surprising.

Do fun and alcohol necessarily come out of the same barrel? Well, yes, and no. Some nations seem to think there's a direct relationship.

It's considered enough of a problem by Australia's Government for a comprehensive warning to be issued to international travellers.

Here's the Down Under official advice to citizens, posted today on smarttraveller.gov.au:

''Large numbers of Australians get into trouble overseas as a direct result of partying too hard and forgetting about simple safety precautions. Parties and festivals like Full Moon Parties in Koh Phangan, Thailand and Oktoberfest in Germany can be fun experiences but drinking too much or taking drugs can put you in difficult and often dangerous situations far from home.

''Australians have had their drinks spiked, had their documents stolen, been assaulted, injured, arrested, imprisoned and even killed. If you are planning to attend a Full Moon or other party or festival overseas, think about your personal safety and take appropriate precautions so that your trip is memorable for all the right reasons.''

While this advice is aimed at preventing Australians becoming victims because of their partying, it should also perhaps be pointed out that in some cases, drinking leads to aggression.

Police around the whole of Australia did not turn out last weekend to take care of the victims of party-time violence, but to pounce on the perpetrators.

Phuket has more young Australian visitors than perhaps any other part of Thailand, especially at this time of the year. Once only a feature of Koh Phangan, near Samui, Full Moon parties are also becoming regular events on Phuket, too.

The Australian Government's advice to partygoers, wherever they hail from, is sound and worth taking. The first four listings are: plan before you go out, know your alcohol limits, don't use drugs (as distinct from alcohol) and stay in a group.

A Full Moon spend celebrating the culture of the country you are in without partying and alcohol is one of many other options.

The full advice on 'Partying Overseas' can be found at http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/TravelBulletins/Partying_Overseas