Data were collected from several sources. The author has
repeatedly visited Thailand as a tourist and researcher and lived in
Bangkok for nearly 6 months in 2004–2005. The author also
scanned various web sites which deal withWesterners and tourism
in Thailand. Most data came from an online survey which began in
April 2007 and closed for the present study on December 6, 2007.
The survey was advertised as a survey of experiences as a tourist in
Thailand and was advertised on many travel web sites and travel
and cultural newsgroups. The 33 question survey is part of
a broader study of Thai tourism and was for anyone who had been
a tourist in Thailand but who was not Thai. The survey asked about
demographics, motives for visiting Thailand on the last trip, and
various experiences as a tourist. For the present study, answers to
the following questions are relevant, which could pertain to any
previous visit/s to Thailand