Aijaz Zaka Syed of Arab News said in this travel article that he was surprised at the genuine warmth and welcoming nature of the Thai people. He said that many Middle Estern tourists have begun traveling to Asian destinations such as Malaysia and Thailand because of the bad reception many claimed to receive in the United States and Europe after Sept. 11, 2001, and that Arab tourists "have virtually taken over Bangkok."  Also, he said that Thailand is seriously challenging neighboring Muslim countries in its push for medical tourism.
Arab News