The Thai that I remember was fantastic: Probably the one type you'd want on a desert island if you had a choice.

There used to be mostly two types: small sticks with greenish stuff, about 15 per ounce, and larger sticks with highly resinous stuff, with gold and other colors, about 7 or 8 stickes per ounce. The second type was the best.

I've heard that only people in very high places (rock stars, millionaires, etc.) can get Thai today, and it's extremely $$$$$.

I don't know if it can be grown outside of Thailand, or a similar environment.

Eventually, in the 80's, Thai was not sold on sticks - it came in ziplock bags like most other stuff.

Also, there was a darker type called "Chocolate Thai", which was popular in the 1980's.