Southeast Asia's top tourist destination can't seem to break out of its slump. Supporters of two major political parties have been clashing in the streets. Former PM Samak Sundaravej was forced from office following scandals and protests. Now, just two weeks into his run as prime minister, Somchai Wangsawat, Samak's replacement, is under investigation for breaking the government rules about owning shares in companies that do business with the government (it's an obvious conflict of interest). If charged, he could be tossed out of the government.

While other nations in the region seek to bolster their position as economic players and tourist destinations, Thailand is hurting. The recent riots led to a spate of cancellations. Tourist numbers for the country that once dominated Southeast Asia's vacation trade are down. And those who are looking for any sign that things are going to get better are only able to find evidence of a worsening situation. Thailand has always bounced back from political woes before. However, with other regional player like Vietnam gaining steam, would-be tourists have other options these days. Why opt for uncertainty when there are other viable destinations out there?

One of my favorite things to do in Thailand is to have a hand and foot massage. I feel rejuvenated afterward and it only takes 30 minutes. Plus, the massage is cheap and accessible. Hand and feet massage establishments are plentiful.

Here's another way to rejuvenate in Thailand. At Wat Prommanee in Nakhon Nayok, about 60 miles north of Bangkok, you can climb into a big pink padded coffin for a few moments, and then climb out as a new person.

With high demand in the wanting-to-become-like-new-again department, visitors to the temple, hundreds of them, wait in line for their re-birthing experience. There are nine coffins, so it's a stream-lined process. Monks, who also chant a dirge, tell people when to get in and get out.

The New York Times article, where I found out about this new opportunity to slough off the old and attract the new, provides these examples of what it is that gets people to climb into a coffin.

• need for relaxation
• prosperity
• get rid of bad luck (the guy who said this had had a car accident and a break in.)
• to win a soccer game (An entire soccer team showed up)

If traveling with your family, bring them along.

By the way, getting reborn isn't free. It costs about $5. You can also pick up an amulet to take home.

If you do go, according to the article, don't stand too close to the coffins while waiting your turn. You don't want the bad karma being released from the people in the coffins to go right into you.

I'm wondering what happens if a person refuses to get out because a minute and a half just isn't enough. Could you keep paying more money to stay in longer? Or do you have to get out, go to the end of the line and do it again?

Sometimes, common sense is all you need to decide if a trip is too risky. For example, a expedition to build sandcastles on Galveston Island wouldn't have worked out well during Hurricane Ike.

But at other times the decision to stay or go is a lot less clear. Do you avoid places like Thailand, where current political strife has induced demonstrations and violence? What about Indonesia, where there is always a threat of terrorism bubbling under the surface? Lebanon? Israel...?

I guess in large part, the decision depends on the kind of traveler that you are. Some people just don the pith helmet and wade into the fray, while others avoid it completely, opting for ping pong and cable TV in the safety of their basement. For those of us who are neither overly courageous (or is it reckless?) nor overly fearful, the answer to the question "to go or not to go" is a little more complicated.

So how can you weigh the odds and decide if the positive aspects of a trip are worth putting up with the risk?

I just heard about the Italian comedienne who is facing jail time in Italy for insulting the pope. In Italy, there are laws against insulting religion. If you tell a joke that is against the pope, it can land you in hot water.

According to the story, Italian comedienne, Sabina Guzzanti, a presenter at a rally in Rome this past July, made a joke about what could happen in the after-life to popes who are against gay rights. Now she is facing five years in jail.

Italy is not the only country where people mind their Ps and Qs when talking about certain people and regulations or habits are in place to command respect.

In Thailand, for example, before each movie, there is an ode to the king before the feature film. The audience members stand throughout the king's anthem and photo montage of images depicting aspects of his life. There isn't a law that says you have to stand, but everyone does--even tourists like me.

If you don't stand for the king before a movie, you may feel a bit silly sitting in a sea of waists and legs, but that's about the worst that can happen, I imagine. If you head to Italy, it seems like when it comes to religion, follow the adage, if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.

[Here's an article I came across about the habit of standing up in movies to pay tribute to the king.]

When I found out that Phuket, Thailand was the setting for the kick off episode of the new season of Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern on the Travel Channel, I flashed to images of tourist filled beaches where jet skiing and para-sailing are high on the list of things to do.

Not if you're Andrew Zimmern who'll eat anything with great gusto, and who has a penchant for heading off to places not highly traveled by throngs of the beach crowd.

"Bugs, bugs and more bugs." "Squid, the new seafood jerky." "Cashew nuts." "Secret sauce." "Unbelievably disgusting. I love this stuff," and "Thailand is hard to pass up," were within the string of descriptors in the show's beginning, and Zimmern delivered.

Although Zimmern gave a nod to Phuket's tourism--1,000,000 or so people come here every year infusing needed moola into the island's economy, he headed off the beach junket into Phuket City for some market style eats.

As Zimmern explained, Phuket is the pearl of the Andaman Sea where Phuket City is a vibrant town, "devoted to a range of spiritual groups," where "life is embraced at all levels."

Tomorrow night on the Travel Channel at 10 p.m. EST, in a new season of Bizarre Foods, Andrew Zimmern will once again slurp, crunch and chomp on various dishes from around the world that might be real stomach turners for some people. Zimmern seems particularly fond of various innards and testicles.

As I've posted before, the only thing I have ever seen Zimmern spit out is durian. Although there is an ick factor in the show's formula, mostly I find each episode highly informative and interesting. My favorite episode from last season was Zimmern's trip to Bolivia, a country that I did not know much about beforehand.

Tomorrow night the focus is on Phuket, Thailand. Since Thai food is truly spectacular, I'm curious to find out about the bizarre foods Zimmern downs, and what cultural tidbits and sights the show has chosen to highlight.

I've been to Thailand a few times, but never to Phuket which is a popular travel junket from Singapore. I know it as a place filled with resorts frequented by expats and a slew of other tourists. It will be interesting to see what Zimmern has discovered. I bet seafood will fit into the equation and possibly insects.

As those opposed to Thailand's leading political party clashed with its supporters, the country's travel industry sat in the background and cringed. Thailand is already one of the most popular countries, if not THE most popular, amongst tourists heading to Southeast Asia. The Tourism Authority of Thailand had plans to draw even more would-be visitors than ever this year.

Are all those ambitious tourist quotas out the window because of the recent violence?

It looks like it, unless the situation changes. Thai Airways, which is already in the red because of high fuel prices, claims that the number of passengers from the Asia Pacific has fallen nearly 10% in the last few days. The drop is mostly due to cancellations, many following a travel warning issued by the governments of South Korea, China and Japan.

In Phuket, the protesting directly affected flights. The airport at the popular beach destination was closed as a security measure after anti-government protests broke out nearby. The previous military coup was not violent. Tourists were actually out posing for pictures with soldiers. This time, though, chaotic riots make for a much more dangerous situation. Those who are planning a trip to the Land of Smiles won't find many smiling faces if they get caught up in a confrontation between pro and anti-government demonstrators or between one of the sides and the military. The US State Department has yet to issue any travel warnings concerning Thailand.

Thailand has always been at the top of Southeast Asia's tourism game. The P.R. for the country as a tourist destination is head and shoulders above the rest. You've probably seen the pictures: silhouettes of sky-high temples, smiling local residents, quaint floating markets, comely service industry workers flashing their most photogenic wai. But is the image that Thailand has spent so long building for itself becoming cliché?

According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the whole Amazing Thailand campaign is just getting started. Industry insiders at TTGAsia report that TAT is going to ride its campaign into the ground:

"TAT is considered to be repeating the same old story. It is Amazing Thailand again. It is Seven Amazing Wonders product again. It is even Visit Thailand Year (tagline) again."

Will that type of campaign continue to fly? What if some of the negative press that the Land of Smiles has been getting lately continues: rumors of another coup, ongoing complaints about Suvarnabhumi Airport (like having to walk half-a-mile to reach the W.C.), and security threats from southern militants?

Add to that the fact that regional player Vietnam is upping the ante by constructing a new airport and new rail system for Ho Chi Minh City.

Most visitors to Thailand still buy the "amazing" thing. But, one wonders if TAT will have to come up with a new branding scheme sometime soon.

With summer in full swing it, finding good outdoor spaces to have a drink is the thing to do. Nothing says summer more than a couple of friends sitting on an outdoor terrace sharing a pitcher. But even better than your average terrace or patio has to be a rooftop.

Stopping for an evening drink is an excellent activity, but if you can find a bar on top of a tall building with an excellent view of your host city, even better. While in Vietnam last fall, my hostel in Hanoi had a rooftop bar and it seemed none of us ever wanted to leave. Our friends over at Matador Nights -- part of the Matador Network -- think along the same lines and have graced us with an article on The World's 10 Best Rooftop Bars. It's the insider's guide to finding the best rooftop nightlife, from the ultra cool to the ultra sexy.

Here are the top five:

1. Sirocco, Bangkok, Thailand
2. The Penthouse, Madrid, Spain
3. Luna Bar, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
4. Rooftop Bar, Melbourne, Australia
5. Gravity, Dublin, Ireland

For the rest of the list and descriptions to all of the bars, read the Matador Nights article here. Do you have a favorite rooftop bar?

With a title like that, it may surprise you that this article has absolutely nothing to do with ladyboys. I'm a little bit ashamed to say that when I first headed to Bangkok, I didn't expect much beyond backpacker bars and a ubiquitous haze of sleaze covering everything.

Boy, was I wrong. Bangkok is an incredible place to visit, and possibly even to live. I've only carved two weeks out to visit this year, but next year I'll be back for a month or two.

Here are some hidden gems that I discovered in Bangkok that really made my stay a whole lot better.