What makes you visit Thailand

[LoveThailand]

The main draw apart, what makes you visit Thailand?
Just curious.
For me those will be Thai food, fruit, and general friendliness of locals. Tropical weather (I do not mind the rain there). Vegetation.

[daf4]

The food first ,weather second, beach third

[netrix]

[youtube:sg4u3e6z]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTYilnhKHhY[/youtube:sg4u3e6z]

[francois]

For me, the boyfriend. The weather sucks and the vegetation can't compare to my home and the beaches I see are polluted.

[Surfcrest]

I come to Thailand for so many reasons and these reasons have changed over the years as I've become less and less a butterfly. I enjoy the social times with my farang friends in Pattaya and Bangkok. I enjoy a beer or two after dinner with farang acquaintances in Sunee Plaza. Many of my neighbours come back year after year at the same time as me and so those friends as well I enjoy reconnecting with when I'm back. I enjoy going on road trips to other parts in Thailand from time to time. Sometimes it's for a weekend or longer and sometimes I'll take someone with me for the adventure.

Over the years, I've used my time in Thailand go get back in shape or to rest up after wrapping up some work back at home. Unless I'm out with friends, I only eat Thai food when I'm over here. I swim a minimum of 4 km's per day in our pool and probably a few more throughout the day down at the beach. I've been able to loose 20 pounds in each of the last 5 visits over a month or so. Add that together with getting a real massage everyday, eating fruit and fresh fruits throughout the day...manicures / pedicures, a visit to the spa for a facial every week to keep up with looking my best or simply taking good care of myself. It's nice to go home feeling better than when I came.

I live at the beach both in Vancouver and in Jomtien. I work late into the nights back home in Vancouver, but I'm a morning person in Thailand. It's a total and refreshing change of lifestyle, one that I hope to adapt for good once I retire in a few more years. I love arriving in Thailand, opening up the apartment, throwing open all the shutters and windows and having the breeze from the ocean race through. Both here or back home...having a view of the sunset each night makes every day so wonderful.

When I first started coming to Thailand, the weather seemed more reliable between the months of November to April. Now there's a bit more rain and a few more mosquitos. Back home, the reverse has happened with the weather, we've lost our reputation as raincity and so I don't need to escape to Thailand or South as much.

I've stayed here for several months at a time but I find, for me...a month or two is enough. I think back to when I arrived, in the back of a taxi out of Suvarnabhumi Airport...not being able to wait to get out of shoes and into flip-flops or having the hot beach sand squish through my toes and then weeks later heading home in the back of a darkened air conditioned sedan, dressed back up for the trip and cooler weather back home. I enjoy the trip each way...to and from Suvarnabhumi :)

Surfcrest

[joe552]

Who said I was jealous, Surfcrest?

The main draw apart, what makes you visit Thailand?
Just curious.
For me those will be Thai food, fruit, and general friendliness of locals. Tropical weather (I do not mind the rain there). Vegetation.I can get Thai food at home, ditto fruit. I can't remember visiting a country where the locals weren't friendly, however Thailand's tourist scams are legendary the world over, not something that can be said for many countries. The beaches are polluted, the Thais care nothing for the environment, it's just something else to be exploited. I don't need excuses to give prudish friends or work colleagues for why I visit Thailand.

[christianpfc]

In Thailand, I can wear flip flops all the time.

I can get warm and sunny climate, good food, interesting culture and prices cheaper than in Germany in Italy, so it must be the boys that make me come to Thailand. (To tell the truth, I like Italian food as much as Thai food and Italian culture and language is closer to German.)

But my interest has shifted away from boys: there is tropical fruit all over the year, now I have more friends in Thailand than in Europe, and I've never traveled that much before in my life (question of and price).

[LoveThailand]

Thanks guys, for your comments.
I forgot the massages in the OP - they are bundled with other corporal pleasures in my mind - but yes - the massages, manlicures, etc. - of course.
As to the food - Thai tastes best in Thailand. Even though there are ethnic restaurants everywhere now - it is more authentic here and of course the ingredients are fresher. Same for fruit - living in temperate climate I did not really know how a real mango should taste like till I traveled to the tropics where they grow.
Thai scams - I am sure the Dutch or Germans would have invented some too - were they put into reverse situation - with "rich" Thais coming in droves to their countries for vacation.

[Wim888]

I have lived and worked in about 20 countries. I feel a home in several countries because I am fluent in several countries. Why do I particularly like Thailandя╝Я Well, the great sex that is available. Every time I visit Thailand, I always find several guys that fit all my requirements in terms of appearance and service. But there is much more. Thailand has the best food in the world. The people are the friendliest, and I have never encountered rude Thais. Also I always feel safe and secure in Thailand, even walking around the streets late at night--at least in Bangkok and Chingmai. I do NOT feel safe and secure in many cities that like, including New York, Chicago, Mexico City, etc.

[egel]

I do NOT feel safe and secure in many cities that like, including New York, Chicago, Mexico City, etc.
God, who would???

[colmx]

I have never encountered rude Thais.
Even in a queue at a 7-11?
It drives me mad the way peope skip past a queue in the 7... and ghost right past you as if you don't exist

Sometimes the well trained shop assistant will serve the queueing customer first... But most of the time its the abrupt guy that they serve!

[christianpfc]

and I have never encountered rude Thais.

Believe me, there are rude Thais, I had a few encounters. But they are far outnumbered by scammers in various forms and touts. Tourist money attracts these elements, so in tourist areas the concentration of scammers is higher than in the rest of the country.

[thaiguest]

1) Thailand is not overwhelmingly gay friendly but it does have secure, gay controlled ghettoes such as Soi Twilight, Soi 4, Sunnee, Boyztown, Jomtien etc where at least we have an illusion of normalism. This I like most.
2) The sexual services provided in above.
3) The food.
4) Happy endings
5) Foot Masssage.
6) The regular folks in Bkk and the villages.

[Jetsam]

I have never encountered rude Thais.
Even in a queue at a 7-11?
It drives me mad the way peope skip past a queue in the 7... and ghost right past you as if you don't exist

Sometimes the well trained shop assistant will serve the queueing customer first... But most of the time its the abrupt guy that they serve!

you Brits and quenring hahha, why you don't teacht the Indians when you ruled them, last year I witnessed an Indian tour group enter a bus and it was total chaos, no friends among them I guess .

what make me vist Thailand, cheap sex and good climate.



]

[peeseua]

1.Thai men












2.Cheap grilled catfish.
3.Fried insects.
4.Cheap seafood.
5.Cheap accommodations.
6.Relative anonymity.
7.Cheap roast pork.
8.Cheap roast duck.
9.Issan cuisine.
10.Cheap roadside snacks.

[Phred]

For a decade and a half IтАЩve been visiting LOS, usually once a year for a couple of weeks, in low season lately. On my first trip here I met some people who became very good friends and then another on a subsequent trip. Without that good fortune IтАЩm not sure I would have returned, at least not so often. The comradery IтАЩve shared with them has made all the difference so I would say thatтАЩs what kept me coming so often.

Beyond that, Thailand itself is the best vacation destination in Southeast Asia. The best food, culture, atmosphere and best of all, the best prices. Chins drop when I tell friends in the west that I can get a clean, modern, well-appointed hotel room with balcony for US$20 a night (or less sometimes) and a delicious fresh cooked Thai meal with wine for US$9! Thailand is set up for tourism and they do it right. Yes, there are negatives about Thailand (show me a place where there arenтАЩt any) but the positives far outweigh them. Sure, IтАЩve been scammed but they have only been minor things. Show me a place where there are no scammers; IтАЩm from New York so I speak from experience. And as for the political problems, they may be severe lately but political loggerheads is pretty much everywhere these days.

My favorite place in Thailand is still Chiang Mai, a wonderfully relaxed and charming city, to me the San Francisco of Asia. Cafes, restaurants, wats, museums, artisans, cultureтАж I could go on. I love waking up early on the overnight train and observing through my window the rural people going about their everyday lives; farmers in rice fields, students on motorbikes, shopkeepers in thatched huts preparing for the day.

For the past few years IтАЩve stayed exclusively in Jomtien when visiting my expat friends and that has made all the difference. I love the more relaxed feel in Jomtien and at night less traffic and the ocean air; very relaxing. And where else can you get reliable transportation for miles for US30 cents than on a Thai Songtheou (sp?). And I adore the very simple touches of Thai decoration; soft candles, soft lighting in general, flowers, simple wooden fold-up place mats and coasters. Several extended friends of friends go to western-style restaurants every night and east western food entrees on china with knife and fork on tablecloth topped tables while waiters hover. IтАЩm always miserable when dragged to these places. Give me a nice outdoor basic Thai restaurant with delicious food, drinkable wine and little pink paper napkins over these place card dinners any day of the week. And donтАЩt even get me started on the scrumptious street food in Bangkok. Plop me down on a plastic stool with a plate of that divine food and IтАЩm in heaven.

Speaking of which, this thread is titled тАЬWhat Makes You Visit Thailand?тАЭ not тАЬWhat Makes You Visit Bangkok?тАЭ or тАЬWhat Makes You Visit Pattaya?тАЭ There is a saying: тАЬThailand begins where Bangkok endsтАЭ which is very true and also applies to Pattaya. If your experience of Thailand is encapsulated in a western bubble in only these two places you donтАЩt really have a good concept of the country.

Thailand is also a great jumping off point for visiting the surrounding neighboring countries, all of which have much to offer also. And IтАЩve had great experiences visiting those places, I love Southeast Asia in general. The last place on my list I have not gotten to is Burma and that just because they still donтАЩt have visa on arrival.

Yes, I enjoy the nightlife in Thailand but its much more about the overall experience and the people. I read the jaded posts by many on this board and just feel sad for them. I feel very grateful that I discovered the many, many fine things about Thailand that keep me coming back.