Every ranked list on DTV Thai — cooking classes in Bangkok, Muay Thai gyms in Phuket, and all our other city guides — is built the same way. This post explains the method, so you can judge how much weight to give the rankings.
Where the data comes from
We collect Google Maps rating and review data for each city, then rank providers by rating first and review volume second. Ratings are what most travelers check anyway, and review volume is the best available signal that a business has a sustained track record rather than a handful of early five-star scores.
The collection date is printed on every guide, and it currently reflects September 2026. Ratings change, businesses close and new schools open, so always check the provider’s current listing before you book.
Why we filter by review count
A 5.0 rating from eight reviews is not the same as a 5.0 rating from three thousand. Our guides apply a minimum review threshold (100+ for cooking schools and gyms) so every entry reflects meaningful, sustained feedback.
When a city does not have enough genuinely high-rated providers to fill a list, we publish the honest shortlist instead of padding it. Pattaya’s cooking class guide, for example, lists only the schools that actually qualify — and says so.
What we deliberately exclude
- Businesses whose Google Maps category is not the activity in question (restaurants that are not cooking schools, fitness gyms that do not teach Muay Thai)
- Duplicate listings and shop or retail entries that appear in search results
- Any provider we cannot link to or identify reliably
What the rankings are not
Our guides are not visa advice and not a guarantee of quality. They are a starting point that saves you the hours of cross-checking we already did. For the Destination Thailand Visa side — including how cooking courses and Muay Thai training can support a soft-power application — see the DTV Visa Thailand guide.
Corrections
If a school or gym has closed, moved, changed its documentation practices, or if you spot an error, email [email protected]. We verify and update quickly.