Thailand ranks the number one hospitable place for a vacation, according to a recent survey done by hotel booking engine Zoover. More than 1,400 Brits took part in the survey and were asked to rank popular vacation destinations according to hospitality.

Thailand took a whopping 25% of the vote, Australia came in second with 19%, and Greece third with 14% of the vote.

This news comes as no surprise to those who've already visited Thailand, since charm and hospitality are among the country's many attractions. Since more vacationers from the UK come here than Americans, it's also no surprise that they agree.

Ultimate Thailand Explorers contestants Ben and Brian were kind enough to answer a couple of questions about the upcoming competition. From December 10 through December 15, they'll be exploring Pattaya and sharing their experiences in real time with people across the globe.

Suzanne: Where are you from?

Ben and Brian: We live in Orlando, Florida

S: What do you think about Thailand?

B&B: Neither of us have been to Thailand before.

S:So you must be really excited about the contest?

B&B: We are looking forward to learning about the culture, sampling the local cuisine and of course discovering the many attractions and beaches that Pattaya has.

Pattaya is quite popular with European travelers but most Americans don't know about this bustling resort city. Find out more about Pattaya here. Ben and Brian already have their blog up, check out how they're preparing for their trip to Thailand.

Remember to log onto Ultimate Thailand Explorers to cast your vote and enter to win some cool prizes.

The votes are in the the folks at the Ultimate Thailand Explorer contest have announced the five pairs who will compete for $10,000. As you may recall, the contest is sponsored by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Thousands of people posted Youtube video entries explaining why they should be chosen for an all-expense paid trip to Thailand where they'd blog, twitter and post videos about their experience. Check out the five final teams on the Ultimate Thailand Explorer website. The five teams will arrive in Thailand on December 8 and begin a week-long tour of one of five popular destinations in Thailand. They'll post updates on the website every day and viewers get to vote on the winner. If you log in and vote, you get a chance to win lots of great prizes, too.

The free seat sale is starting at Air Asia's website on November 11 for flights from May 2010 to October 2010. You'll only pay airport tax, so tickets for flights inside Thailand will cost less than $5! Flights from Thailand to other countries in the region are around $20. Seriously good deals. You have to act quickly as the free seats go fast. If last year is any indicator of what will happen this time around, there won't be any seats left by the end of the day.

If you're following the news in the region, you may have noticed that Thailand and Cambodia have been arguing a lot lately. At the heart of the dispute is some land surrounding the Preah Vihear Temple. The temple itself is in Cambodia, some of the surrounding grounds are in Thailand. The two countries have literally come to blows over this (and sadly for tourists, you cannot access the temple through Thailand right now).

To make matters worse, Thailand's exiled former prime minister (the one ousted in a coup a few years ago), has now agreed to be an advisor to the Cambodian government. Thailand reacted by pulling their diplomats out of Cambodia. Cambodia did the same. Who knows what will happen next.

The good news is that, at least for now, the land borders between Cambodia and Thailand remain open. This is great news for people who need to extend their visas. You can only extend a visa on arrival for 7-days from inside Thailand, but if you cross a border and return, you'll get another 30 days in the country (you cannot do this indefinitely, you can only stay for 90 days out of any 180 with such visas). The Aranyapratet/Poi Pet border between Thailand and Cambodia is where most go since the trip can be done in one day.

Just like clockwork, Loy Krathong and Halloween are over and that means cool season has begun. Here in Bangkok we can really feel that the weather has changed. As of this week, things have finally started to cool off. At 7 a.m. this morning when I took my dog for a walk, it was actually cool! Not cool like I needed a sweater, but cool like at least I wasn't sweating. It rained a lot at the end of the rainy season and the weather was just stifling so some dry, comfortable weather is welcome!

Cool season is a really beautiful time of year in Thailand and will last for the next couple of months before the temperature starts rising again. Though you'll enjoy Thailand at any time of year, this is the best time to visit in terms of climate. Read more about the seasons in Thailand here.

Nightclubs in Thailand are supposed to close at 2 a.m. but that's a rule that is often broken. Recently in Phuket officials have been seriously enforcing the law, particularly in popular club areas on Patong Beach. For now it might be tough to find places to hang out after official closing hours.

In general, higher end nightclubs in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and on the beaches had to follow the rules since they attract a lot of attention. But less well-known clubs and underground clubs would push the envelope, staying open till 3, 4 or even 6 a.m. Read up about nightlife in Thailand and top nightlife spots in Phuket before visiting and, if you're looking for after-hours bars and clubs, you'll need to ask around, as they change frequently depending on how strict authorities are enforcing the rules.

Haruna Ai took home the crown at this year's Miss International Queen beauty contest, held in Pattaya. The contest has been going on since 2004, hosted by Miss Tiffany's, the world's largest transvestite/transgender cabaret.

The 37 year old singer (that's not her in the photo) and TV host from Osaka prefecture in Japan beat out 18 other contestants from contestants from Thailand, the United States, Nepal, the Philippines.

Miss International Queen is a spectacular show, with plenty of singing, dancing and feathers, but the objective is bigger than just entertainment. Thailand has a large transvestite/transgender population and one of the most open and accepting cultures when it comes to alternative sexuality (it's not uncommon to see a "ladyboy" serving you coffee at a café, ringing you up at a shop, etc.). This beauty contest strives to bring that acceptance to the rest of the world.

My favorite Thai festival is starting in Bangkok on Friday, October 31 and today in other parts of the country. Loy Krathong is a gorgeous, fun festival and if you are in Thailand when it's going on, don't miss out. This year, there are big celebrations all over the country. The Tourism Authority Schedule lists the biggest ones but there will be celebrations all over Thailand over the next few days.

Rainy season is almost over but it seems like we're getting the worst of it right now. Here in Bangkok we've had some long bouts of rain over the past week. Many other parts of the country, including Pattaya have also been hit. That city's been been suffering from some serious flooding for about a week. In Bangkok the flooding hasn't been so bad but the city has just released a flood warning starting on Sunday, when more rains and high tides are likely to put some parts of Bangkok under water. If you're here, grab some galoshes and an umbrella and be prepared to get wet! Traffic can be a nightmare when rains are heavy, so plan accordingly.