The difference between Thailand and Vietnam is partly law and order. Thailand has for years had a reputation for tourists getting away with quite a lot. I still remember the video of the English girl on Koh Phangan who was basically given the choice of paying around 50,000 baht or going to jail over drugs. That kind of consequence sent a message. One example out of many from the past that actually sent a warning about being stupid. Vietnam is stricter, and that alone probably filters out some of the low class tourism Thailand has attracted. Thailand has tightened some rules again, but for years the direction went the other way. Big Trouble in Thailand was almost a warning label for tourists. Thailand was fun and forgiving, but there were still clear limits, and stupidity could suddenly become very expensive. For those who actually watched those kinds of news reports and documentaries back then, the message was pretty clear.
