WITH the future of Thailand at sixes and sevens, Phuket has definitely sided with the Cricket Sixes. Appropriately, neutral white is the color of preference being worn by the players at Karon Stadium today.

Organisers say that while all participants had kept an eye on developments in Bangkok, there were 24 teams competing from all over, and no cancellations.

''We've got underway today, the stadium is looking good and the pitch looks flat and green,'' said one of the organisers, Mark Burns.

He did add, though, that usually a couple of teams come in to the competition as late bookings. That didn't happen this year.

It's a natural reaction that is likely to apply to the tourism industry generally. If you have booked and paid, you make the trip, unless there are renewed and alarming concerns about safety.

As the level of uncertainty grows, though, as it is now in Bangkok, the level of bookings, even to a safe destination like Phuket, is bound to fall away. That's human nature.

And it's plain that the threat of continuing violence in Bangkok has increased, making Phuket's appeal more uncertain, even though the holiday island is free from troubles and more than 700 kilometres away from the capital.

The feedback from the Cricket Sixes was more positive than from Phuket's pre-Songkran Bike Week, perhaps because that event sees more late bookings from visitors who come from Thailand or neighboring countries.

BW organiser Wittaya Singkalan said that last year the event had attracted 4000 bikes, and this year the number involved fell away to 2800.

''People who had already paid came, but others who left it to book late opted not to come,'' he said. ''This included many regulars from Bangkok, who decided it was important that they stay and see what eventuates in the capital.''

Events ran smoothly, he said, but there were only 400 motorcycles involved in the large-scale spelling out of ''Phuket 2010'' on the Patong football field, so people had to be involved as well as machines to make the outline work.

''Many people who came did not ride bikes, too,'' he said. ''This year we were quite successful in attracting about 60 bikers from Vietnam for the first time.''

Khun Wittaya said it was sad that the event was affected by the red protest in Bangkok, just as last year's event had been, if not quite so seriously in 2009.

Back at the cricket, Mark Burns added: ''As organisers, we were a bit wary of the situation and kept a close eye on what was happening. It's something you can't take lightly.

''The Sixes has been going for seven years, so many of our players are quite resolute. Almost every year seems to bring one concen or another.

''Normally we would pick up a couple of extra teams close to the event. That didn't happen this year.''

Phuket, playing the game as a safe destination, will also be relying on its resolute fans returning later this year, no matter what.