Bangkok Grabs World’s Best Award 2010 For Best City

[webfact]

Bangkok grabs World’s Best Award 2010 for best city

BANGKOK (NNT) -- Bangkok has been named the best city in the World’s Best Award 2010 organized by Travel & Leisure magazine while Chiang Mai ranks second.

Bangkok has topped the World’s Best Award 2010 in the Top 10 Cities category and is followed by the northern province of Chiang Mai and Florence, Italy. The Thai capital city was given the highest score by readers of Travel & Leisure magazine. Factors that were included in the questionnaire were location and scenery, tradition and culture, food, shopping, hospitality and money-worthiness.

Bangkok and Chiang Mai also rank first and second, respectively, on the Best Asian Cities list, followed by Kyoto, Japan.

Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra will travel to the Trump SoHo Hotel in New York City, the United States, on 21 July 2010 to claim the World’s Best Award 2010 for Bangkok. The capital has once been named the best city when Mr Apirak Kosayothin was the Bangkok Governor.

-- NNT 2010-07-14

[IvanDobsky]

Oh my goodness

speechless for a few minutes

where is Travel and Leisure magazine based, who's the owner?

I can't believe what I just read

[Thai at Heart]

there isn't an emoticon for speechless unfortunately

[thaitina]

Surely this a call for a Crackdown on Ridiculousness.<br>

[sharking]

555555 very funny

[tigermonkey]

Travel & Leisure is based in New York, owned by American Express, and does these polls every year. The poll was done before the recent demonstrations in Bangkok.

The mag has 4.5 million readers. The polls are voluntary for readers to respond and are totally unscientific. Actual numbers are never published -- only a resulting score. These polls have a long history of wierd and distorted results.

Among this years interesting results : in Europe , Krakow is rated ahead of Paris

in South Pacific ( include Aus and NZ ) , the top 10 has only 5 results

That being said, congrats to Bankok and Chiang Mai

[surangw]

good timing ( delay) on this info

[Irene]

Travel & Leisure is based in New York, owned by American Express, and does these polls every year. The poll was done before the recent demonstrations in Bangkok. The mag has 4.5 million readers. The polls are voluntary for readers to respond and are totally unscientific. Actual numbers are never published -- only a resulting score. These polls have a long history of wierd and distorted results. Among this years interesting results : in Europe, Krakow is rated ahead of Paris in South Pacific ( include Aus and NZ ), the top 10 has only 5 results.

That being said, congrats to Bankok and Chiang Mai

Thanks for the source. Scientific or not, 4.5 million readers with voluntary voting, being top and second is still impressive. One would not care to vote if one has no liking of any cities. The only that the citizens should not be overjoyed is the poll was before that dreadful events in April and May. I like very much to know of the result next year.

Edited July 14, 2010 by webfact
html code deleted //Admin

[yesdavy]

Travel & Leisure is based in New York, owned by American Express, and does these polls every year. The poll was done before the recent demonstrations in Bangkok.

The mag has 4.5 million readers. The polls are voluntary for readers to respond and are totally unscientific. Actual numbers are never published -- only a resulting score. These polls have a long history of wierd and distorted results.

Among this years interesting results : in Europe , Krakow is rated ahead of Paris

in South Pacific ( include Aus and NZ ) , the top 10 has only 5 results

That being said, congrats to Bankok and Chiang Mai

A determining factor in scenarios like this can be a big media buy for ad space in T&L, or special concessions to AE for vacations packages, or deeply discounted blocks of seats on TG, or a number of other inducements. Then it becomes in AE's own interest to promote the destination.

[dantilley]

Some good news for Bangkok and Thailand at last - and fully deserved in my opinion.

[yesdavy]

Travel & Leisure is based in New York, owned by American Express, and does these polls every year. The poll was done before the recent demonstrations in Bangkok. The mag has 4.5 million readers. The polls are voluntary for readers to respond and are totally unscientific. Actual numbers are never published -- only a resulting score. These polls have a long history of wierd and distorted results. Among this years interesting results : in Europe, Krakow is rated ahead of Paris in South Pacific ( include Aus and NZ ), the top 10 has only 5 results.

That being said, congrats to Bankok and Chiang Mai

Thanks for the source. Scientific or not, 4.5 million readers with voluntary voting, being top and second is still impressive. One would not care to vote if one has no liking of any cities. The only that the citizens should not be overjoyed is the poll was before that dreadful events in April and May. I like very much to know of the result next year.

Ho

Think for just a moment....of all the 4.5 million readers, what percentage have every been to BKK? Now consider all the destinations of the world, and in the total universe of readers there would have to be a high enough percentage of the reader universe that have spent time in BKK in order for such poll results to even be mathematically possible. In other words, if the overwhelming majority of the reader universe have never been to BKK they would have had to have picked other cities. Polls are not like sweepstakes, which are subject to regulations and audits, when there is no consideration for volunteering an opinion. How the polling instrument (questionnaire) is designed and distributed will influence the results. For example, data is captured and then tracked and can select readers that have used AE cards in BKK, and a survey can be circulated to 100% of this group with an AE invoice, or, since all cardholders receive the magazine and the mailing labels are printed from the database, surveys can be printed in issues that go to this select group, just like you can run an ad or blow in an insert to a zip code select or any other select. Polls like this can easily start with the desired result and reverse engineer the process to deliver the result.

[kuffki]

I am surprised Bangkok did not take award for the cleanest city in the world, or would this be next year

[Rinrada]

I am surprised Bangkok did not take award for the cleanest city in the world, or would this be next year

or the least corrupt.......thats prob 2012....

anyway well done Chiangers and Bangers....free beer all round....

[SurfRider]

.

"The polls are voluntary for readers to respond and are totally unscientific"

Sounds like the same type of bizarre thinking that allowed the Nobel gang to award Obama the Nobel Peace Prize while conducting two very unpopular wars . . .

.

[Tiger7Moth]

Neglected because of all the news coverage about Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Tiger Woods named husband and father of the year! :jap:

[seanocasey]

Some good news for Bangkok and Thailand at last - and fully deserved in my opinion.

I am surprised Bangkok did not take award for the cleanest city in the world, or would this be next year

guy's wake up- this is the biggest load of boll-ox this year.

[sukhumvitlegend]

i think Bangkok is the best city in asia too! I LOVE BANGKOK.

[jaideeguy]

"Factors that were included in the questionnaire were location and scenery, tradition and culture, food, shopping, hospitality and money-worthiness."

Poll not based on safety, polution, corruption and political stability [maybe 'excitment' was a factor].........I'm canceling my subscription!!!

[siampolee]

Just remember the old adage.

There are lies, dammed lies and statistics

[PhilHarries]

location and scenery, tradition and culture, food, shopping, hospitality and money-worthiness.

Location: How can you have location as a criteria in such a poll? A city is where it is, usually within the nation it serves, it's not like you could decide to move Paris down to the Riviera.

Scenery: Apart from the usual tourist haunts that every city has all that Bankok has is endless rows of concrete shophouses and shopping malls (or did ).

Tradition: Hmmm, difficult one that but I suppose the tradition of gem scams counts.

Culture: Well corruption id part of Thailand's culture.

Food: I wonder if this was based on Thai food or Thai based food (there's a world of difference) or did it include western food outlets.

Shopping: Well duh, lets spend a thousand pounds and travel to Bangkok to do some shopping.

Hospitality: People are generally nice when they want you to spend money.

Money-worthiness (strange term but it's an American rag): Aka CHEAP.

However it's a feather in Bangkok's hat and one that TAT no doubt will use ad infinitum.

[phetaroi]

Surely this a call for a Crackdown on Ridiculousness.<br>

Thailand is becoming a hub for ridiculousness.

But seriously, I can understand the decision to select Bangkok. It's always warm and cozy sitting around the burning embers of a fire.

[MaxLee]

What a joke, did anyone experience the traffic jam in Silom, and Vibavadi Rangsit???

[kuffki]

"Factors that were included in the questionnaire were location and scenery, tradition and culture, food, shopping, hospitality and money-worthiness."

Poll not based on safety, polution, corruption and political stability [maybe 'excitment' was a factor].........I'm canceling my subscription!!!

Ohh even better

Scenery- a beautiful view of sky scrapers right along old shacks, accompanied by never ending traffic

Tradition-hmmm, hmmmm

Shopping-is great if you can there and back in 1 day, as you will be stuck in traffic for most of the time

Hospitality- taxi drivers and tuk tuks come to mind as being the most hospitable people, followed by the tailors, and massage shops

The only thing i would vote is money worthiness, but again it is not what it use to be and prices are rather high this days.

[dantilley]

A thread is posted on one of the largest Thai-based forums on the web, announcing that Bangkok has been voted best city in the world, which should surely be greeted as good news by the readership. Yet, instead, the news is met with a flood of negative posts insulting and criticising the award and the city that has won the award? Unbeliveable...

[Zpete]

there isn't an emoticon for speechless unfortunately

....Yes there is........ :cheesy:

Laffin so much, I cannot speak.

In all truth, I can be most defensive of Bangers, love the city, visit 2 -3 times or more every year.

BEST city, well with a pinch of salt, or chilli.

Chiang Mai is my fave for relaxing and is most laid back.

This poll is by "The Gobblledegooks"

Edited July 15, 2010 by Zpete

[Ulysses G.]

A thread is posted on one of the largest Thai-based forums on the web, announcing that Bangkok has been voted best city in the world, which should surely be greeted as good news by the readership. Yet, instead, the news is met with a flood of negative posts insulting and criticising the award and the city that has won the award? Unbeliveable...

"Unbelieveable..."? Not on Thai Visa, but it should be!

Edited July 15, 2010 by Ulysses G.

[Payboy]

Guess who's been advertising in every issue of Travel & Leisure magazine lately.

[craigt3365]

Yes, congrats to BKK. Need to remember this was done BEFORE the riots. I am sure if this poll was done today, things might come out differently. But BKK truly is a great city. #1 in the world? Ahead of Kyoto? Florence? Etc? I don't think so. But it is truly a great city to visit. And CM is also a great place to be a tourist....which is what this poll was oriented towards...tourists, not residents.

"Readers of the magazine are polled both online and offline during February and March of each year since the awards began in 1995, and are asked to judge according to criteria including sights, culture and arts, restaurants and food, people, shopping and value."

So as you can see...crime, pollution, traffic, politics, etc...are not part of the survey.

I use to subscribe to this magazine, but it is a bit too upscale for me now that I am retired!

If Thailand could get this red-yellow issue out of the way, it could truly hold it head up as winners for two of their cities. One can only dream....

[RJF]

It would help the discussion if people read and think before reacting. The survey was held before the riots. Cities were voted for from a travel perspective - not from a 'live in' perspective. And do realize that Travel + Leisure aims at a premium segment. I assume their readers tend to stay in pretty nice hotels, far away from the prostitute infested gutters that are so often referred to by members of this forum. Bangkok from a premium 5 star is somewhat different than Bangkok from the Nana hotel. We can argue if their readers get to see the 'real' Bangkok, however you may define that. That's a different discussion however.

[kuffki]

It would help the discussion if people read and think before reacting. The survey was held before the riots. Cities were voted for from a travel perspective - not from a 'live in' perspective. And do realize that Travel + Leisure aims at a premium segment. I assume their readers tend to stay in pretty nice hotels, far away from the prostitute infested gutters that are so often referred to by members of this forum. Bangkok from a premium 5 star is somewhat different than Bangkok from the Nana hotel. We can argue if their readers get to see the 'real' Bangkok, however you may define that. That's a different discussion however.

It really does not matter what point of view you like to take or what angle you look from

Bangkok is a dirty, car unfriendly city that has hardly anything to offer.

Shopping is good yes, but getting around from shop to shop is a nightmare.

Site seeing? hardly anything worth mentioning

City architecture, from the point of view that has many different design buildings then yes, otherwise its juts sky scrapers everywhere.

Not sure why nice hotel would give any city the award, as every major city in the world has nice hotel.

Would be interesting to know how poll was conducted and which city's were given to chose from. If it was what is the best city in Thailand? or was it Best Capital city in Asia, or what was the actual question asked.