MOSCOW, January 21. /ITAR-TASS/. Protests on Thailand’s popular island resort of Phuket are peaceful and do not threaten the safety of Russian visitors, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) said on Tuesday.

Protest action limited to certain parts of the capital, Bangkok, had reached the island of Phuket on January 20 but had not affected the resort zones, ATOR said, adding that this was not the first time Russian tour operators had faced political disorder.

In December, the country’s islands had been hit by a surge of opposition street protests, most unrest centered on administrative regions of the capital.

Similar events were now being observed, tour operators said, while noting that Russian tourists were continuing to take holidays in Thailand and that ATOR had received no Russian complaints or wishes to return home. No tour cancellations had been reported, the organization added.

Representatives of the Tourism Authority of Thailand also confirmed that demonstrations in the country posed no threat to tourists. But they advised those staying in Bangkok to exercise caution and avoid crowded places.

On January 9, Russia's Foreign Ministry recommended that Russian citizens refrained from trips to Bangkok in view of Thai opposition plans to stage large-scale protests in the city starting from January 13. This intended to block the activity of several government agencies and upset traffic on main roads.

Russian tour operators have followed the foreign ministry’s recommendations and cancelled all excursion programs in the Thai capital, starting from January 13.