'I travelled around Thailand - it's surely the happiest place on Earth'

In the crystal-clear water ahead there was a hive of activity as a troop of Samae monkeys excitedly swam towards the vessel.

For the next 10 minutes, we tossed segments of watermelon towards the hungry macaques, with each scrambling to get their hands on a juicy tea-time treat, before looking up at us with adorable red-tinted smiles.

Despite the current trepidation surrounding travel to Asia, most holidaymakers didn’t seem that concerned. “There are worse places to be stranded” or “we’ll happily take another couple of weeks here”, were two sentences I heard regularly.

I flew to Thailand with Norse Atlantic Airlines, and their 12-hour direct route from Manchester to Bangkok, avoiding a connection in the Middle East, gave me peace of mind.

My haven in the chaotic Thai capital was a one-bedroom suite at Oriental Residence Bangkok, where I would sit with coffee in the morning, looking over the city’s spectacular skyline, before chilling out beside its Play Deck pool.

The food and beverage at the hotel is first class, particularly that at Café Claire, where I enjoyed breakfast, lunch and three of their signature evening dishes – tuna tartare, traditional French onion soup and crispy duck leg.

But, best of all, is its Claire & Her Chocolate Fantasy afternoon tea, an Instagrammable ‘journey into a world of pure imagination’.

The location of Oriental Residence Bangkok, in the heart of the embassy and business district, is perfect for exploring the capital.

From here, you have the option of jumping in a Grab (Thailand’s cheaper version of Uber), flagging down a taxi, tuk-tuk or moped, or walking.

I visited some of the places I missed on my previous stay in Bangkok – the Wat Satek Buddhist temple, the Grand Palace and the Chang Pier waterfront.

With its bright lights, pungent street-food aromas and incessant traffic, the city can be an assault on the senses.

On day three, craving a dash of greenery and fresher air, I made a beeline for Lumphini Park. But as I strolled around the large ponds between the trees, I realised I was not alone.

One of the park’s many resident monitor lizards, seemingly with a scaly smirk on its face, was basking a few feet away on the grass.

Bangkok’s nightlife is legendary, but if you want a break from the cheap beers and the intensity of Sukhumvit Road, Soi Cowboy and Khao San Road, then head to one of its spectacular rooftop lounges.

After a cocktail at Sky Bar at lebua, made famous by its role in The Hangover Part II, I sat down for a memorable five-course taster menu at Breeze on the 52nd floor.

The following day, leaving Bangkok behind, I took a two-hour ride down the Gulf of Thailand coast to another of the properties belonging to the ONYX Hospitality Group, Amari Pattaya.

A cocktail in the Club Napha Executive Lounge on the 19th floor, was followed by a seafood pizza, as good as any I’ve tasted in the Mediterranean, at Prego.

Throughout the day, there is plenty to do at the hotel resort, with adults lounging by the pool or popping into maai spa, while the young ones burn off energy in the mini water park.

Outside, I found the Pattaya seafront considerably easier to navigate than the concrete jungle of Bangkok.

I’d heard all about Pattaya’s notorious nightlife before arriving and it didn’t disappoint. Even as a solo traveller, it was easy to embark on a bar crawl down Beach Road, and I often found myself on a bar stool, sharing a few Changs or Singhas with whoever I happened to drop on.

During the days, I took a steady walk up to the Sanctuary of Truth, and jumped in a Grab to Ocean Marina Yacht Club ahead of a cruise with Once Yachting.

Over the space of eight hours, I joined Brandon from Pittsburgh and his Bolivian girlfriend Maria Andrea for a snorkel around Koh Bamboo Island, a spot of fishing off Rin Island and the feeding encounter with the grinning monkeys of Koh Ped.

Following a few hectic days and late nights in Bangkok and Pattaya, I was grateful for some serenity at Amari Bangsaen.

A couple of hours by the pool and a massage treatment at Breeze Spa courtesy of therapist Jay meant my batteries were fully recharged. I sat down for a Pad Thai lunch at Aloha Beach Café, and devoured a hollowed-out coconut filled with fried rice and prawns at Amaya Food Gallery.

The town of Bangsaen is an authentic Thai seaside destination. I witnessed their annual kite festival, and took a stroll to the fascinating Wang Saen Suk Monastery Garden, aka the ‘Hell and Heaven Temple’.

Here, you have the choice of meeting hundreds of terrifying painted figures depicting gruesome punishments, or a visiting a blissful pagoda with smiling statues.

For me, the latter seemed most fitting for Thailand, surely one of the happiest places on Earth.

The local people, holidaymakers, monkeys, lizards and statues make everyone feel welcome in the Land of Smiles.

Richard Jones was a guest of ONYX Hospitality Group (onyx-hospitality.com), and stayed at Oriental Residence Bangkok (oriental-residence.com), Amari Pattaya (amari.com/pattaya) and Amari Bangsaen (amari.com/bangsaen).

To find out more about Thailand, go to fanclubthailand.co.uk Richard flew direct from Manchester to Bangkok with Norse Atlantic Airways (flynorse.com) on their new weekly service.

Manchester Airport offers car parking options to suit every budget, while 1903 is the airport’s premium lounge visit manchesterairport.co.uk