I can answer some of your questions. The way I went to Thailand was on a Southeast Asia cruise 2 1/2 years ago with Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas. The Legend was doing a halfway around the world cruise itinerary then and you could pick out segments. I'd always wanted to go to Thailand, so I picked the Southeast Asia 2-week one. It started in Singapore, went to 2 areas of Malaysia -- Penang and Kuala Lumpur, 3 areas of Thailand (including 2 nights in Bangkok, plus Koh Samui and Phuket), Vietnam, and back to Singapore.

Royal Caribbean doesn't cruise this part of the world anymore, but some of the high end cruise lines do. It was a wonderful experience.

The language is very difficult, but if you learn just a few phrases, like the greeting, thank you, etc., they will really like that.

I have learned that the best time of the year to go is from about November to February (I went in early January). It's not quite as hot then, and it isn't the rainy season. You definitely don't want to go in the rainy season, as they have downpours and monsoons then. If you've seen the recent remake of Anna and the King. you've seen what the monsoons are like.

I hope this helps. Diana