In Reply to: Agree with Clovis posted by Dockerman on Friday, 11. September 2009 at 15:38 Bali Time:
i lived in Thailand for 8.5 years and really did love it. i now live in Bali and love that too.
you have to remember that the two places are completely different (lets not get into the arguement about island Vs country at this point).
food - thailand wins hands down. no question.
beaches - thailand wins hands down again. beaches on Bali arent much chop.
people - not fair to compare. individuals are individuals. i have met idiots in both places, as well as people i am happy to call real friends.
places to visit - again, not fair to compare. i worked as a tour guide in thailand and got to see some incredible sights. i have ridden elephants in flooded rivers, trekked in the mountains in the north, seen amazing wildlife in the south, and snorkeled the most amazing reefs. as for man made attractions, and suitability to family's in a compact area, then i guess bali has it.
nightlife - bangkok has a more sophisticated nightlife than bali. phuket and samui have a big sex trade happening in any nightclub that you would go go. chiang mai has a different scene all together. bali has a little sophistication, but its very cliquey.
for the first six months i lived in Thailand, i was constantly comparing it to Bali. when i got over that, i learned to LOVE the kingdom.
dont write Thailand off after just a two week jaunt to a touristy area. give it another go and get off the beaten track and see how you feel.