Emdee,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts as a result of your trip; they make for sad reading. Thailand has always been "on the edge" - the short-term nature of thinking you often encounter in Thailand permeates from tour operators right up to government level. It seems as if the recent bout of riots has brought them ever closer to the civil war that is simmering under the surface, but most worryingly it has got the message out to tourists that Thailand is a bit of a no-go area. I am sure that will settle and the riots will be forgotten as the peak season comes around, but it no longer looks the bargain it once was, especially in tighter times.
It never ceases to amaze me when hoteliers/operators put their prices UP when there is a lull. Makes no sense at all!
Thailand does have a lot to offer, and I wouldn't want this thread to put anyone off visiting the Land of Smiles - in fact, that's exactly what they need right now.