I was browsing the Thai Air web site tonight and came across a new item about this, which I found hard to believe...

http://enews.royal-o...?load=content_6

But sure enough, it does appear to be true, and here's the link to the Travel+Leisure Magazine's list of the top cities for 2011, based on an online readers poll that asked respondents to rate "sights, culture/arts, restaurants/food, people, shopping, value."

http://www.traveland...est/2011/cities

I wonder how many hours the staff at the Tourism Authority of Thailand spent furiously clicking their computer mouses late at night to pull this one off...

Siem Reap ranks 7th and beats out Barcelona and Paris....

Well, on second thought, the survey DIDN'T ask respondents to rate widespread scams, endemic corruption, Red Shirt riots, and the capital city having been supplanted by a government in exile in Dubai, among other endearing features...

The same publication also has a top 10 cities in Asia for 2011, led by BKK, of course, ahead of Kyoto, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Shanghai, Beijing and Singapore, among others.

http://www.traveland...asia-cities/251

Cool! Only 3 months left tll my 1st time in LOS.

Check the news section-was covered recently. To save you the time here's a summary. 328 posts; conclusion: bs.

I do love Bangkok...but hard to explain it being ranked higher than HK or Kyoto. Unless you are looking for girls!

I do love Bangkok...but hard to explain it being ranked higher than HK or Kyoto. Unless you are looking for girls!

Last sentence says it all!

Check the news section-was covered recently. To save you the time here's a summary. 328 posts; conclusion: bs.

I do love Bangkok...but hard to explain it being ranked higher than HK or Kyoto. Unless you are looking for girls!

I'd certainly rank HK and Kyoto higher regarding girls too.

I do love Bangkok...but hard to explain it being ranked higher than HK or Kyoto. Unless you are looking for girls!

Never been to Wanchai after dark? Beats the hell out of Nana Plaza. Hong Kong is great, but scores negatively on pollution. Sure Bangkok has its traffic smog but that's nothing compared to a bad day of factory belching from across the border in Manland China...

I do love Bangkok...but hard to explain it being ranked higher than HK or Kyoto. Unless you are looking for girls!

Never been to Wanchai after dark? Beats the hell out of Nana Plaza. Hong Kong is great, but scores negatively on pollution. Sure Bangkok has its traffic smog but that's nothing compared to a bad day of factory belching from across the border in Manland China...

Several times. Quite a bit different than Nana though!

I do love Bangkok...but hard to explain it being ranked higher than HK or Kyoto. Unless you are looking for girls!

Not at all Bangkok is way better than HK and I'm not looking for girls or boys.

And a few years ago I would have said it's better than Kyoto too.

HK is definately behind in terms of shopping, food, facilities and local feel

Come on, how can a croissant in one of the cafe's in the leafy suburbs of Paris compare to watching rats running across greasy Sukhumvit Road? The ranking makes complete sense.

Come on, how can a croissant in one of the cafe's in the leafy suburbs of Paris compare to watching rats running across greasy Sukhumvit Road? The ranking makes complete sense.

The leafy suburbs of Paris .... You made my day lol very funny .

OK quick geography recap here :

Yes Paris has a few "leafy" suburbs mainly in the West / South West, ie Versailles area which is where the King used to live, where Nicolas Sarkozy (our modern King) used to be mayor (Neuilly) and basically where all the super wealthy live.

It is like as expensive, sometimes more than Paris, has good infrastructures and facilities but let's face it, represents a tiny proportion of the actual reality of a Parisian suburb which is :

- Rough

- Held by gangs: ie Gangs actually ask you ID to enter some residences

- has no transports or just buses but it is a cut throat for bus drivers and you don't want to go out at night

- multicutural which in France means you have put there all the people coming from all over the world with no education, no job and no future;

- Or if it's not rough, it is seriously dull, like these "dormitory cities" where everything is made for you to go and work in Paris everyday, so you have no life, no activities, it could be "leafy" but the only café you would find would not be leafy but banked up in a shopping mall, because that's where you are supposed to spend the money you worked so hard for during the week.

Come on, how can a croissant in one of the cafe's in the leafy suburbs of Paris compare to watching rats running across greasy Sukhumvit Road? The ranking makes complete sense.

The leafy suburbs of Paris .... You made my day lol very funny .

OK quick geography recap here :

Yes Paris has a few "leafy" suburbs mainly in the West / South West, ie Versailles area which is where the King used to live, where Nicolas Sarkozy (our modern King) used to be mayor (Neuilly) and basically where all the super wealthy live.

It is like as expensive, sometimes more than Paris, has good infrastructures and facilities but let's face it, represents a tiny proportion of the actual reality of a Parisian suburb which is :

- Rough

- Held by gangs: ie Gangs actually ask you ID to enter some residences

- has no transports or just buses but it is a cut throat for bus drivers and you don't want to go out at night

- multicutural which in France means you have put there all the people coming from all over the world with no education, no job and no future;

- Or if it's not rough, it is seriously dull, like these "dormitory cities" where everything is made for you to go and work in Paris everyday, so you have no life, no activities, it could be "leafy" but the only café you would find would not be leafy but banked up in a shopping mall, because that's where you are supposed to spend the money you worked so hard for during the week.

Ouch...... that comment really hurt you.... were you dumped by a French ex-husband?

Come on, how can a croissant in one of the cafe's in the leafy suburbs of Paris compare to watching rats running across greasy Sukhumvit Road? The ranking makes complete sense.

The leafy suburbs of Paris .... You made my day lol very funny .

OK quick geography recap here :

Yes Paris has a few "leafy" suburbs mainly in the West / South West, ie Versailles area which is where the King used to live, where Nicolas Sarkozy (our modern King) used to be mayor (Neuilly) and basically where all the super wealthy live.

It is like as expensive, sometimes more than Paris, has good infrastructures and facilities but let's face it, represents a tiny proportion of the actual reality of a Parisian suburb which is :

- Rough

- Held by gangs: ie Gangs actually ask you ID to enter some residences

- has no transports or just buses but it is a cut throat for bus drivers and you don't want to go out at night

- multicutural which in France means you have put there all the people coming from all over the world with no education, no job and no future;

- Or if it's not rough, it is seriously dull, like these "dormitory cities" where everything is made for you to go and work in Paris everyday, so you have no life, no activities, it could be "leafy" but the only café you would find would not be leafy but banked up in a shopping mall, because that's where you are supposed to spend the money you worked so hard for during the week.

Ouch...... that comment really hurt you.... were you dumped by a French ex-husband?

lol funnier and funnier I am asexual, never been married and I have not approached a French man since 2004 ... and I am always amused by the fascination and all the preconception people have about Paris

Come on, how can a croissant in one of the cafe's in the leafy suburbs of Paris compare to watching rats running across greasy Sukhumvit Road? The ranking makes complete sense.

The leafy suburbs of Paris .... You made my day lol very funny .

OK quick geography recap here :

Yes Paris has a few "leafy" suburbs mainly in the West / South West, ie Versailles area which is where the King used to live, where Nicolas Sarkozy (our modern King) used to be mayor (Neuilly) and basically where all the super wealthy live.

It is like as expensive, sometimes more than Paris, has good infrastructures and facilities but let's face it, represents a tiny proportion of the actual reality of a Parisian suburb which is :

- Rough

- Held by gangs: ie Gangs actually ask you ID to enter some residences

- has no transports or just buses but it is a cut throat for bus drivers and you don't want to go out at night

- multicutural which in France means you have put there all the people coming from all over the world with no education, no job and no future;

- Or if it's not rough, it is seriously dull, like these "dormitory cities" where everything is made for you to go and work in Paris everyday, so you have no life, no activities, it could be "leafy" but the only café you would find would not be leafy but banked up in a shopping mall, because that's where you are supposed to spend the money you worked so hard for during the week.

Ouch...... that comment really hurt you.... were you dumped by a French ex-husband?

lol funnier and funnier I am asexual, never been married and I have not approached a French man since 2004 ... and I am always amused by the fascination and all the preconception people have about Paris

an asexual vegan. aren't you a hoot.

Come on, how can a croissant in one of the cafe's in the leafy suburbs of Paris compare to watching rats running across greasy Sukhumvit Road? The ranking makes complete sense.

The leafy suburbs of Paris .... You made my day lol very funny .

OK quick geography recap here :

Yes Paris has a few "leafy" suburbs mainly in the West / South West, ie Versailles area which is where the King used to live, where Nicolas Sarkozy (our modern King) used to be mayor (Neuilly) and basically where all the super wealthy live.

It is like as expensive, sometimes more than Paris, has good infrastructures and facilities but let's face it, represents a tiny proportion of the actual reality of a Parisian suburb which is :

- Rough

- Held by gangs: ie Gangs actually ask you ID to enter some residences

- has no transports or just buses but it is a cut throat for bus drivers and you don't want to go out at night

- multicutural which in France means you have put there all the people coming from all over the world with no education, no job and no future;

- Or if it's not rough, it is seriously dull, like these "dormitory cities" where everything is made for you to go and work in Paris everyday, so you have no life, no activities, it could be "leafy" but the only café you would find would not be leafy but banked up in a shopping mall, because that's where you are supposed to spend the money you worked so hard for during the week.

We spent 2 weeks in Paris and LOVED it. We stayed up near Gare St. Lazare and routinely walked to the Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Left Bank, Latin Quarter, Marais, etc. Even at night. Never was worried and had a great time stopping in at various places for a drink. I guess we were lucky we weren't in one of those "leafy" suburbs!

Other than Versailles. That palace is pretty amazing.

lol funnier and funnier I am asexual, never been married and I have not approached a French man since 2004 ... and I am always amused by the fascination and all the preconception people have about Paris

Explains why tourists have a completely different outlook on things as the last post by craigt3365 so eloquently explains.

BTW I love Paris also.

Yermanee :jap:

an asexual vegan. aren't you a hoot.

Mmmm not sure what a hoot is and my friend Wiki does not help

• Hoot (torpedo)
• Hoot (comic book)
• Hoot (novel), a novel by Carl Hiaasen
  • Hoot (film), a 2006 film based on the novel

  [*]The Hoot, a student newspaper at Brandeis University[*]Hoot (EP), a 2010 mini-album by South Korean girl group Girls' Generation

  • "Hoot", a song by Girls' Generation from the mini-album

  [*]Hoot-n-holler, a communication device[*]Bob Gibson's nickname

Come on, how can a croissant in one of the cafe's in the leafy suburbs of Paris compare to watching rats running across greasy Sukhumvit Road? The ranking makes complete sense.

The leafy suburbs of Paris .... You made my day lol very funny .

OK quick geography recap here :

Yes Paris has a few "leafy" suburbs mainly in the West / South West, ie Versailles area which is where the King used to live, where Nicolas Sarkozy (our modern King) used to be mayor (Neuilly) and basically where all the super wealthy live.

It is like as expensive, sometimes more than Paris, has good infrastructures and facilities but let's face it, represents a tiny proportion of the actual reality of a Parisian suburb which is :

- Rough

- Held by gangs: ie Gangs actually ask you ID to enter some residences

- has no transports or just buses but it is a cut throat for bus drivers and you don't want to go out at night

- multicutural which in France means you have put there all the people coming from all over the world with no education, no job and no future;

- Or if it's not rough, it is seriously dull, like these "dormitory cities" where everything is made for you to go and work in Paris everyday, so you have no life, no activities, it could be "leafy" but the only café you would find would not be leafy but banked up in a shopping mall, because that's where you are supposed to spend the money you worked so hard for during the week.

We spent 2 weeks in Paris and LOVED it. We stayed up near Gare St. Lazare and routinely walked to the Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Left Bank, Latin Quarter, Marais, etc. Even at night. Never was worried and had a great time stopping in at various places for a drink. I guess we were lucky we weren't in one of those "leafy" suburbs!

Other than Versailles. That palace is pretty amazing.

I used to live 100 m from St Lazare Metro Europe, rue de Berne 8eme, off boulevard des Batignoles which is between Place de Clichy and Courcelles.

I prefer Bangkok anytime

It is the world's best city...for some things...and not for others!

I prefer Bangkok also. Cheaper, warmer, etc...but Paris has some great sights and some great restaurants. Fantastic city for a tourist...with some money.

lol funnier and funnier I am asexual, never been married and I have not approached a French man since 2004 ... and I am always amused by the fascination and all the preconception people have about Paris

Asexual? Or celibate? Or just not horny?

I prefer Bangkok also. Cheaper, warmer, etc...but Paris has some great sights and some great restaurants. Fantastic city for a tourist...with some money.

Right Money is the key word ... and also in Paris if you want to experience any real decent french food you have to pay quite a lot as opposed to here Thai food is affordable for everyone.

Same goes for clothes shopping, nights out etc ...

But even money aside, Parisian are quite re-known to be specifically unfriendly, constantly stroppy and unhelpful and for example people would be offensive when queuing behind me if I fiddle too long with my change or could not find the right coin at the ticket machine in a tube station. And here at BTS I had some people offering me missing coins (which I eventually found).

In shop it's even worse, if you say "excuse me" to get the shop assistant's attention, they come pulling faces and say BONJOUR !!! (which translates = you are an impolite turd, for not saying hello and how dare you disturb me from chatting with my colleagues)

They also pull a face 24/7 as opposed to the Thai smile (and no I care what is actually behind the smile) I prefer that any day!

Also if you are a single woman you have to look at the pavement and not smile when passing a man otherwise it is considered as an invitation to be hassled

Here I can hold my head up and smile to anyone which is a big plus and sometimes people do smile at me too and it does not involve further harassment !

an asexual vegan. aren't you a hoot.

Mmmm not sure what a hoot is and my friend Wiki does not help

• Hoot (torpedo)
• Hoot (comic book)
• Hoot (novel), a novel by Carl Hiaasen
  • Hoot (film), a 2006 film based on the novel

  [*]The Hoot, a student newspaper at Brandeis University[*]Hoot (EP), a 2010 mini-album by South Korean girl group Girls' Generation

  • "Hoot", a song by Girls' Generation from the mini-album

  [*]Hoot-n-holler, a communication device[*]Bob Gibson's nickname

hoot

· n.

1 a low musical sound made by many kinds of owl. a similar sound made by a horn, siren, etc.

2 a shout expressing scorn or disapproval.

3 an outburst of laughter. (a hoot). informal: an amusing person or thing.

Sophon

an asexual vegan. aren't you a hoot.

Mmmm not sure what a hoot is and my friend Wiki does not help

• Hoot (torpedo)
• Hoot (comic book)
• Hoot (novel), a novel by Carl Hiaasen
  • Hoot (film), a 2006 film based on the novel

  [*]The Hoot, a student newspaper at Brandeis University[*]Hoot (EP), a 2010 mini-album by South Korean girl group Girls' Generation

  • "Hoot", a song by Girls' Generation from the mini-album

  [*]Hoot-n-holler, a communication device[*]Bob Gibson's nickname

hoot

· n.

1 a low musical sound made by many kinds of owl. a similar sound made by a horn, siren, etc.

2 a shout expressing scorn or disapproval.

3 an outburst of laughter. (a hoot). informal: an amusing person or thing.

Sophon

Oh I get it !

It's one of these comments "life without sex or meat is not worth living"

Cheers Sophon !

lol funnier and funnier I am asexual, never been married and I have not approached a French man since 2004 ... and I am always amused by the fascination and all the preconception people have about Paris

Asexual? Or celibate? Or just not horny?

I just lost interest all together.

People often ask me where is the best place that I've lived, and I don't think I have ever said Bangkok.

But then, a chap who was going travelling to the States asked me "Where's the best place go in the US?"

"Well," I said, "the most fun I had was in Albuquerque, but..."

(I've told this story before, haven't I?)

Anyway, to cut a long story short the chap was quite abusive, next time I saw him, and told me he'd never got so bored, so quickly, in his life, as he had in Albuquerque.

"I can see that if you didn't get invited to a skinhead punk gig in somebody's front room, and then chased away by the police, it might seem dull" I said.

It's not where you are its what you do there that makes a place interesting. I don't think I'd have liked to stay another night in Albuquerque, though...

SC

Edit: general tidying up for clarity

Check the news section-was covered recently. To save you the time here's a summary. 328 posts; conclusion: bs.

Yep. As most any conceived poll, survey, or rating can be suspected.

BS.....usually, nothing but.

Check the news section-was covered recently. To save you the time here's a summary. 328 posts; conclusion: bs.

Yep. As most any conceived poll, survey, or rating can be suspected.

BS.....usually, nothing but.

I suppose the trouble is that we generally don't take the effort to interpret our data adequately to understand it, and to extract information from the data.

But the ignorance is in the analysis, not the data.

Take as little from it as you can be bothered to... Others might be grateful that someone else has gone to the effort of collecting the data, and might try to understand and interpret it for themselves, if they had the wit and intellectual discipline to do so.

Like you, I prefer to ignore such surveys, as I lack the wit and discipline to interpret them, but at least I feign sufficient humility to keep my own arrogance to myself.

SC

To James...before posting this thread, I did a TVisa subject search for the key terms...and came up with the 2010 thread and comments, and the prior years results as well...and a backhand reference to the 2011 results in a thread about a planned rail line to Pattaya... But nothing specific about the latest 2011 year survey results...

Nonetheless....it was a "hoot" to return and find this thread had digressed, as most ThaiVisa posts do, into a discussion of asexuality....which sounds like stuff we used to discuss in high school biology class... But happy to help keep everyone entertained.

I did like the verbal imagery of comparing Paris with a rat scurrying across/along Sukhumvit Road....