The real dark side of Thailand: Why travelers can’t seem to go home

People always feel sad when vacations come to an end, a mental state that, in fortunately rare cases, can grow into suffocating depression. The term “Thailand Blues” is often touted Myth or reality?

Vacation Blues is normal, but is it real or just a tourism hype in the case of Thailand? A drop in dopamine levels when transitioning from a vibrant, carefree, friendly and affordable lifestyle to dull routines and familiar gloom is common.

But why are there no “America Blues” or “Singapore Blues”? Why is it that foreign tourists who have spent time in Thailand are the ones suffering from the supposed mental condition the most?

Articles on websites and AI responses to inquiries confirm that visitors to Thailand are the most vulnerable, the biggest group of sufferers by a long shot.

There are plenty of first-hand accounts posted in numerous forums and platforms. Comments that followed such posts are also abundant, saying that the original posters are not alone in being overwhelmed by the “I miss you, Thailand” syndrome.

Google AI stresses that while “Thailand Blues” is not an official medical term, it’s prevalent enough and well-known among tourists who have come to the Land of Smiles.

“(Such) feeling is a widely discussed phenomenon among foreign travelers, particularly in online forums and social media, with many people sharing their personal experiences of missing the country. While not a formal psychological diagnosis, the feeling is common enough that it has been widely recognized and named by the traveler community,” it said.

Some shared experiences online have similar click-bait headlines.

“Visiting Thailand ruins my life” is a Reddit title whose content and comments talked only about why one could not go back to their earlier lives after a journey to the Southeast Asian nation. “Don’t go to Thailand” is another popular hook headline on TikTok, with posters always proceeding to speak about traps of charms and unforgettable hospitality.

“I recently spent a month in Thailand; mostly Bangkok,” began one Reddit post.

“I’ve been back home in the USA for six weeks but I cannot stop thinking about Thailand and how much fun I had. Since I arrived home, I’ve watched about 100 YouTube videos to remind me of the places (in Thailand). … “I made a bunch of acquaintances while I was there, and I miss them sorely. I’m sure I miss them more than they miss me. The food was so fresh and tasty there, by comparison, everything here in the USA tastes like ****; especially chicken.”

The post ended with “I keep looking at the pictures I took, over and over. I feel like I’m obsessed. This is torture.”

He or she is not a one-off. Comments basically said “Welcome to the club”. You are experiencing the Thai effect popular among tourists and expats, they said.

TikTok has been flooded with “I love Thailand” clips. One American male videoed himself driving in his home country in search of food and failing to find it. He said there wouldn’t be a problem even if it were 3 am in Bangkok. He looked sad but he did not shed any tears.

Many girls sobbed in front of cameras, though, while talking about the country they could not forget. “Please tell me what to do (to get over Thailand),” one English girl said. Several comments offered the only advice there is: book a flight for a trip back.

One Polish girl could not stop crying. The owner of the @louisesolotravels account said: “I was gone for three months and I thought it was just another vacation. It was not. It changed me forever. How do you get back to a normal life after visiting Thailand? If you know, let me know.”

A group of American girls were videoing the scenery from a 'Song Taew' pick-up truck when they caught one of their friends suddenly breaking down. They asked her why she was sobbing out of the blue. “I don’t want to leave,” she said. “I want to stay longer. These are my real tears.”

From content and comments, there are many reasons why Thailand is special. The food (the taste, its cost and convenience in finding it), the hospitality, the scenery and the sabai sabai (carefree) Thai lifestyle combine to become a big crush.

And don’t underestimate the relatively cheap cost of living. Even a poor man from a rich country like Germany can live like a king in Thailand. These farang can do what they can’t in their homelands – have great food, meet great people and go to great places.

German Tim Thorer has set up his Youtube channel “Tim Travel Taste” to help beginners enjoy travelling in Thailand and says post-Thailand blues is quite normal.

"Expect to be devastated after your Thailand trip. You’re not happy. You feel broken, but you're not alone in this."

He cited freedom, warmth and vibes of Thailand as the main reasons that visitors feel sad when leaving. "Thailand doesn’t feel like vacation, it feels like paradise. It feels like the best version of home."

Yet all these four factors – aka Thai soft power – have been recognized universally for a long time. One more factor is newer but is fast climbing up the ranking. “Safety” was not always mentioned in the past, but it has become a standout, particularly after the BBC released a documentary saying there is a dark side to paradise.

Former visitors to Thailand and current expats came out against the BBC. The post “Dark Side” phenomenon still persists, with travelers using their TikTok or YouTube channels to say how safe they feel walking on dimly-lit and lonely Thai alleys at night.

Is Thailand really “dangerous”? That depends on how you define “Danger.”

One man said on TikTok he had laughed at several warnings on the platform that coming to Thailand was “dangerous to your heart.” Those drama queens, he told himself, only to get a first-hand lesson later after three months in Thailand.

“I’m feeling sad. It’s just so terrible,” he said in his clip. “I’m thinking of Thailand every day. I’m thinking of going back there every day. This is the real dark side of Thailand.”

One western woman videoed her seven- or eight-year-old daughter running into a 7-11 store by herself, saying she would never allow that in her own country or elsewhere.

What Thais do all the time (letting small children roam in seemingly-friendly areas alone) is a jaw-dropping activity that many Western mothers could never have imagined.

Comments were divided, though, with some criticising the poster for being too trusting. These kind of comments appeared in various pro-Thailand content. Bad people are everywhere, they basically said.

Veteran expats caution that resettlement and tourism are different beasts. But such a reality will give you a headache, not sadness.

Thailand does have one truly sad place though, according to many foreign visitors. The departure lounge at the Suvarnabhumi Airport, they said without exception.