What are the coolest things to do and the best places to go in Thailand?

You start in Bangkok for a few days and you end there again for a day or two before you fly home. In between up to your personal research. In between you can visit Chiang Mai to see some of the real Thailand. Fly, bus or train down south for some beach time. From Chiang Mai you can visit Chiang Rai and local villages such as Long Neck Women. From Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Phuket you can get tours through local travel agencies on short notice. Local transportation in Thailand is pretty good and reasonably priced. Bangkok has excellent transportation. There is rail service even from the airport up to midnight and meter taxi service 24 hours a day. A hotel near the rail service will make it easier to get around the city. http://www.urbanrail.net/as/bang/bangkok.htm http://www.bangkokairportonline.com/node/52 Plan a budget out first and see how much you want to spend on a hotel room and ask for hotel recommendations on the below travel forums. On those forums read up on where to go, currency, scams, hotel suggestions, transportation, etc. No one is going to write a book for you - they already exist in libraries and book stores. Lonely Planet, Frommers and Fodor's are a few suggestions. Virtual Tourist http://forum.virtualtourist.com/forum-1943-1-Travel-Thailand-1-forum.html Trip Advisor http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g293915-i3686-Thailand.html Lonely Planet Thorn Tree Forum http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forum.jspa?forumID=51 A basic hotel in Bangkok starts around 600 baht for a room with air, HW, TV and private toilet. Something around 1000 baht is not too bad. Food is pretty cheap in Thailand unless you look for expensive places to eat at. Change you money to Thai baht after you get to Thailand for best rate. Airport bank currency changers available 24 hours. The type of visa you need depends on the country passport you travel with. Good luck.

play ice skating at Central World on Ratchaprasong road while the temperature outside is about 40 degree celsius.

In a month you will go to many different places - - you likely will not even get into too many real villages as there is nothing to do, no place to stay and no way to get around - cities are easy. The places I like most are not easily accessible for tourists - - waterfalls, forest wats, etc.. and small villages too. Go light, go easy and smile a lot - Thai love a smile.

You'll live like a king if you intend to spend a of that dough on a month long trip. Travel is the fountain of youth. Every day feels like a week. Visit Chiang Mai, Bangkok, hop over to Cambodia then go chill out in the islands. You've got plenty of time.

Chiang Mai has this place: http://tamarindcandy.hubpages.com/hub/Chiang-Mai-Zoo-and-Aquarium-the-Largest-Aquarium-in-Southeast-Asia Really, really cool and not to be missed. The aquarium is beautiful.

You can stay a year for that money, Go October, head back or north in April

Personally I would not bother with Pattaya or Phuket, they are both just like family holiday resorts with high-rises overshadowing the beaches. If I were you I would travel about for a bit. Head North if you want a bit of culture, trekking, chill out etc. Head South if you want beaches, partying, diving etc. I have not been to the North myself, so I can only give you advice on the South. I went to Phi Phi, Ko Lanta, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, then headed up to Bangkok and down the other side to Koh Chang. Koh Chang was really nice, not as touristy, but some good diving and trekking opportunities. Koh Tao is the cheapest place to learn to dive, and if you are stying in Thailand for 6 months and you are into that sort of thing, you could get your diving qualifications and then go off and explore other lesser know islands and dive some more? Koh Samui has some quirky attractions (Grandfather and grandmother rocks and a mummified monk) and some nice beaches, but is more of a retreat and holiday destination. It's only an hour or two on a boat from Koh Phangan so could be worth it as you have time. Koh Lanta is quiet and it's all about diving and spas. It can be the perfect stop after too many late nights on Phi Phi. Phi Phi is obviously very famous as the beach from the film with the same name. It is very touristy, but has a real charm about it. It is very beautiful, but has undergone a lot of development since the Tsunami flattened it, and it is pretty expensive. Most people really like the island though, so it is a must! There will be a number of full moon parties in Koh Phangan while you are there, and it's definitely something you should experience whilst you are in Thailand. Just be careful and don't drink too many buckets! With that much time on your hands, I think you should definitely go off to some of the neighboring countries like Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam. I spent a month in each of these which is plenty of time to explore these countries. Hopefully this can be of some use to you...