Expats that live in Thailand have much different needs than those of tourists.
Tourists are busy asking a million questions about touristy things and locations.
Many are visiting Thailand for the first time or maybe they want to visit a new location for subsequent trips?
Whatever their reason, it is all about money.
Money, money, money.
Thailand has excellent tourist attractions and you are going to pay as much as you would in your own country to partake in them or even more.
Nothing is cheap in tourist locations.
Thailand tourist locations are no different than anywhere in the world.
Tourists save a pocket full of money to come see these attractions for a couple weeks or so.
Expats living in Thailand legally, well, I do not know too many that could handle the tourist attractions expenses everyday of the month?
Just like in your home country, you cannot afford to go to Disney everyday and the same is true here.
It is all about money.
The cost of tourist attractions is so high, people living here are faced with the same issues as tourists.
Maybe they can afford a 2 week holiday once a year.
If you think you are going to move to Thailand and live it up everyday doing touristy things, you better have a lot of money.
I think most people would agree you need at least US $1,000 a week for a holiday in the nice tourist areas. That is not even going to cover a nice hotel at the beach that might be US $200+ a night.
Maybe a nice recent and going out in the evenings might cost US $2,000 a week?