Malaysia is '400 times more beautiful' than Thailand, professor says

Professor Datuk Dr Md Amin Md Taff, vice-chancellor of Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI), argued that Malaysia's nature is "much more beautiful and preserved," news site World of Buzz reported.

"Malaysia's Port Dickson is more beautiful than Thailand's Ao Nang Beach. The islands in Langkawi are more beautiful than those in Krabi. The water in Redang, the Mersing islands and even Pulau Kapas is clearer than Ko Phi Phi."

Md Amin acknowledged, however, that "the souvenirs in Thailand are much cheaper," while in Malaysia they are "more expensive with limited choices."

Explaining why many Malaysians holiday in neighboring countries, he cited lower costs, cheap food and a wider variety of activities as key draws.

His remarks ignited a debate on social media.

Some users agreed with his viewpoint.

"He's right, actually," one netizen wrote.

"Finally someone realizes this and is voicing it out," another said.

But others pushed back.

"How did he pick the number—400x? Why not 10 or 100? As a frequent traveler across the provinces of southern Thailand, I clearly see the distinction between Thailand and Malaysia. Thais naturally prefer traveling within their own country because it suits their lifestyle and preferences, while at the same time Malaysia continues to attract many foreign travelers. It is not a win-lose situation, but rather a balance where both destinations thrive in their own way," one commenter wrote.

"Guess he hasn't been to the Land of Smiles," another quipped, using a tourists' nickname for Thailand.

"400x???? Don't think he knows what he is saying," a third added.

Malaysia was the most visited destination in Southeast Asia in the first half of this year with 21 million arrivals while Thailand welcomed 17.5 million.