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Holidaymakers in Phuket, Koh Samiu and Pattaya can go out freely after Thailand's military junta lifted the popular beach resorts.

But the restriction, imposed following the May 22 coup d'etat, will remain in place across the rest of the country, including in the capital Bangkok.

The decision to end to curfew was a bid to promote tourism, but the latest statistics show that global interest in Thailand as a holiday destination has dropped 26 per cent following the coup.

Beach break: The three popular resorts of Phuket, Koh Samui and Pattaya have had their curfews lifted

In a televised announcement, the junta said it was ending the curfew 'to promote tourism and to relieve the impact from the curfew in areas that are peaceful and free from political protests.'

The curfew was initially introduced nationwide from 10pm until 5am, drawing complaints from the country's vital tourism industry, which accounts for about seven per cent of Thailand's economy.

Last week, the junta eased the nationwide curfew to the hours of midnight until 4am.

The ongoing political turbulence, which has seen disruptive and sometimes violent protests in Bangkok since November last year, has caused a significant drop in tourism.

Contrast in the capital: Soldiers remain on the streets in Bangkok, despite the relaxation of restrictions at beach resorts

And the further drop in holiday bookings has been reported by holiday website trivago.com, comparing search figures for the week prior to the coup and the week following the military takeover.

Despite no reports of violence and reassurances that holidaymakers are not in danger, trivago found that worldwide searches dropped 26 per cent, with British holidaymakers search 24 per cent less than they were the week previously.

Tuesday's announcement from the military said the curfew would stay in effect for the rest of the country 'until further notice.'

Thailand's tourism industry has been resilient despite nearly a decade of political turbulence, with a record 26.7 million visitors last year.

Life goes on: Despite the political upheaval, holidaymakers have reported little or no disruption in key tourist hotspots

But tour operators, restaurant owners and hotels have complained that the combination of coup plus curfew was leading to excessive cancellations.

More than 50 countries have issued travel alerts, advising citizens to steer clear of protests in Bangkok.

But many tourists have tweeted pictures from the country's resorts showing peaceful, unaffected beaches.