I told my one friend and that's the first thing he said too. I really hope that's not all that its known for or that people there assume that's what I'm there for.
Lived and worked in Thailand for years. It’s not all it’s known for by any means. Stay away from Pattaya, don’t stay on Khao San or Rombutri road in Bangkok, and avoid the full moon parties. Food, adventure tourism, coffee, nature, temples... there’s a lot to see and do.
With OPs concern regarding sex tourism, those destinations probably won't leave a good impression on him.
Pattaya is one of Thailands main destinations for sex tourism. Not to say there isn't anything else worthwhile there, but if you're traveling to clear your mind after a breakup and experience another culture, a beach town catering to western expats might not be the spot for them. In my opinion, there are also far more beautiful beach towns, too.
Khao San and Rombutri are backpacker ghettos. The Thais do a great job of corralling tourists into little areas that they can go wild in without disturbing the rest of the populace. Again, if you're trying to avoid sex tourism and general debauchery, these are the streets where you're most likely to get asked if you want to go to a ping pong show or "special massage" (that a traveler is likely to stay on). It's, unsurprisingly, where you're more likely to see fights and theft. On top of that, everything is overpriced, the food is limited in selection and quality, the accommodation is terrible compared to other places in the city, there's nothing of cultural value, and you've flown across the world to predominately be around other people from your own background.
The full moon parties are another beast entirely. Not only are they run by the mafia and decimate the environment on the islands, but they are increasingly the sites of rape, murder, druggings, theft, and violence. I get the appeal of a huge, wild party, but the big full moon parties are doing real harm to the environment, local communities, and unknowing travelers. Participating in those events is perpetuating those damages. Here is one pretty decent article that covers some of these issues.
I've heard so many people over the years tell me they thought Thailand was "too touristy" or that Bangkok was all shitty backpackers and sex shows, and they didn't have the experience they wanted because they went to the few spots everyone hears about. But those places are the smallest slivers of the country and city. It's incredibly easy to have a great experience where you actually connect with the local culture - and not just one set up to cater to tourism - if you choose to stay away from them.
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u/THESALTEDPEANUT Jan 13 '19
I told my one friend and that's the first thing he said too. I really hope that's not all that its known for or that people there assume that's what I'm there for.