the visa situation for Thailand and think I'm right in saying that you can enter for 30 days there and then with a UK passport.

My problem is that I have a criminal record and got 12 months for ABH in 2004. I've been looking at going to other places like USA and that has been a big problem for getting a visa.

Thailand Visa Waiver Program:

2. Nationals of the following countries may enter Thailand without a visa in accordance with Ministry of Interior's regulation for a maximum stay of 30 days for purpose of Tourism only:-
www.thaiembdc.org/consular/visa/visa.htm#Special%20requirement
1. AUSTRALIA
2. AUSTRIA
3. BAHRAIN
4. BELGIUM
5. BRAZIL
6. BRUNEI
7. CANADA
8. DENMARK
9. FINLAND
10. FRANCE
11. GERMANY
12. GREECE (Helenic Republic)
13. HONG KONG
14. INDONESIA
15. ICELAND
16. IRELAND
17. ISRAEL
18. ITALY
19. JAPAN
20. KOREA, Rep. of
21. KUWAIT
22. LUXEMBOURG
23. MALAYSIA
24. NETHERLANDS
25. NEW ZEALAND
26. NORWAY
27. OMAN
28. PERU
29. PHILIPPINES
30. PORTUGAL
31. QATAR
32. SINGAPORE
33. SOUTH AFRICA
34. SPAIN
35. SWEDEN
36. SWITZERLAND
37. TURKEY
38. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
39. UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND
40. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
41. VIETNAM
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USA Visa Waiver Program

Currently, 27 countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program, as shown below:
travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html#countries
Visa Waiver Program - Participating Countries.
Andorra Iceland Norway
Australia Ireland Portugal
Austria Italy San Marino
Belgium Japan Singapore
Brunei Liechtenstein Slovenia
Denmark Luxembourg Spain
Finland Monaco Sweden
France the Netherlands Switzerland
Germany New Zealand United Kingdom
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The following visitors will NOT qualify for the Visa Waiver Program and MUST apply for a visa:

* Persons who have ever been arrested or convicted of any offence (excepting certain fixed penalty driving offences that did not result in a conviction). Note: The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act does not apply in respect of US immigration law - if you have ever been arrested or convicted of any offence, no matter how long ago it was, you must apply for a visa before travelling to the US.

* Persons who have ever overstayed in the US, been refused entry or not complied with the rules of the visa under which they were present in the US

* Persons who have certain serious communicable diseases or condition.