One of the most popular holiday destinations in south-east Asia, Thailand lures around 20 million travellers every year, including 900,000 Britons, thanks to its clear seas, white sand beaches, excellent diving and relaxed pace of life.

But the double murder last year of British backpackers David Miller and Hannah Witheridge – for which two Burmese workers have now been sentenced to death – may make travellers consider whether or not they still wish to visit.

The Foreign Office does not currently advise against travel to the country, with the exception of the provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Songkhla on the Thai-Malaysia border, and says that most British visits pass without incident.

However, it warns that westerners, including British nationals, have been the victims of crime, including robbery, date rapes, sexual assault and fraud, with specific reference to “vicious, unprovoked attacks by individuals and gangs” in the Samui archipelago of Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, where Mr Miller and Ms Witheridge were killed.

It says that violent sexual assaults and robberies against both men and women are reported regularly in the Koh Samui archipelago and the mainland province of Krabi, a hopping-off point to many of Thailand’s islands. “These are particularly common during the monthly Full Moon parties and generally occur late at night near bars,” it says.

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www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/asia/thailand/12068368/Is-it-safe-to-visit-Thailand.html