[justworkout]

It always blows my mind when the people who most complain about other countries for restricting freedoms (not that they shouldn't complain--they should) always give Thailand a free pass and praise it thoroughly.

Of all the places I've been in Asia, Thailand was the scariest. Police are more than happy to screw over people, especially foreigners. Other countries give small slaps on the wrist or just kick you out if you're a foreigner. Thailand is a country that literally arrests people for posting negative hotel reviews. Aside from North Korea and Myanmar, no other place in the eastern half of Asia comes down so hard for minor stuff (and that includes the big totalitarian neighbor to the north).

I always advise people to avoid the country entirely. Not worth the risk.

[imartin2k]

Thailand is also one of the most visited countries in the world, and 99.9% of tourists never run into any problems. In fact, I’d argue it’s one of the safest countries in the world for tourists. Personally, I always advise people to choose Thailand if they are looking for travel to a place that ticks most boxes relevant for a vacation. Just don’t insult the monarchy or sunbath in a temple while you are there. Neither should be that hard.

[ykonstant]

>Personally, I always advise people to choose Thailand if they are looking for travel to a place that ticks most boxes relevant for a vacation.

Personally, I always advise people to refuse to give their money to states that imprison people for insulting public officials.

[hulitu]

Just a minor point here: there are a lot of "states that imprison people for insulting public officials". Some of them in western Europe.

[vagrantJin]

just a minor point here. The monarch/s aren't really public officials since that implies employment by the state. They sit above the state but within it.

The structure of governments is generally an imitation of monarchs ie, presidents think themselves minor kings rather than public servants - see armed guards and minion ministers, grand abodes etc .. however short lived.

[bingbongsong]

I have lived there for many years; had a business, lived in various areas, North to South, and studied Thai there. Though this is anecdotal I have experience with Thais and Farang there. One thing that is glaringly missing from your remarks is the extreme tolerance of Thai people. Yes it is a military dictatorship and there is massive corruption throughout it's public systems but one hardly feels there effect in day to day life. Face and keeping the staus quo are of upmost importance. If there is trouble and people are arrested it is usually because they have majorly screwed up, upset the wrong person or failed to bribe there way out. Bribes are fines in effect or ways to ease the passage of "problems" You can easily make reference to laws and rules in other countries that have equally bad problems.

[chewz]

That's harsh.

In my personal experience over years Thai policemen usualy politely refuse bribes (handing back my 1000 baht bill) and still giving me a pass.

Also (and I have seen this many times) on one of these rural police checkpoints when idle Thai policemen usualy swipe the road with brush. Just to keep busy. I have never seen a policemen swiping the road or doing something useful in any other country in the world.

As for monarchy there were massive student protests that focused also on monarchy and kings enormous wealth. This is indeed very sensisitive but also political and generational issue in Thailand.

I have also seen thousands of situations where farangs had been behaving terrible (for various reasons) and Thai people taking that very patiently.