India, Dec. 18 -- Beyond postcard cliches, the best cities to visit in Thailand are alive with texture and tempo, where history, culture, and daily life converge. Bangkok lies along the Chao Phraya River in the fertile central plains, while Chiang Mai sits in a moated valley in the northern highlands near the borders of Myanmar and Laos. To the south, coastal hubs like Phuket and Krabi hug the Andaman Sea, with limestone cliffs and islands sculpting their skyline, while Rayong and Koh Samui dot the Gulf of Thailand's eastern shores. Each stop reveals a different layer of Thailand's character: in Bangkok, tradition races with modern ambition; Chiang Mai shelters a throbbing creative scene behind ancient walls; Phuket and Krabi move at the ...