So, another country gets ticked off the list. I can't really comment too much on Thailand; despite being here for a month, I never really left the cosy confines of the tourist trail, and I have no idea what the real Thailand is like. In places like Chiang Mai, the Khao San Road and Ko Samui, the locals are unavoidably tainted by tourism, and as a result they seem pretty miserable and offhand, and the service is terrible. But I'm absolutely convinced that this is not representative of Thais in general; they're supposed to be incredibly friendly, and although I didn't experience this, I didn't exactly put any effort into exploring the real Thailand.
There is one thing that's true, though. For me – and statistically speaking, I'm in a minority with this opinion – Thailand just doesn't appeal. Sure, there are plenty of places to visit, but none of them really filled me with a major desire to explore, and I could have omitted Thailand from my trip without any discernible tear spillage. I'm glad I came and did what I did, but compared to Indonesia it feels tame, compared to Singapore it feels backward, and compared to Malaysia it feels downright unfriendly.
On the other hand, Thai food is delightful, the landscapes are beautiful, and there's an interesting culture hiding behind the tourism. And it's a perfect place to go if you want to take a break from hardcore travelling, because travel doesn't get a lot easier than in Thailand.