Sounds like someone was pulling your leg.

Well, I did see lots of people in yellow T-shirts being bussed off. There was a non-stop line of buses pulling up at the hotel where I was having lunch. The passengers that got on didn't seem to be holidaymakers. For one thing, they all seemed prety hyped up.

The one thing I was told and did actually see was that everything would be conducted without violence. Even the airport and train station blockages at Hatyai were quiet affairs - not much shouting or anything like that, just a few people efficiently organizing groups to do various things.

So, yeah, I'd say Thailand is safe.