It's just a matter of booking early enough to get the better ones I reckon. I went to Bangkok in December and both ways (from Manchester, with Qatar) I only had about a 2 hour Doha transit time.
Very soon I'm booked to go again, this time with Emirates, and again I've managed to get only a 2 hour transit time each way at Dubai.
All my flights are cattle class on cheapest possible tickets.
But I always book early and take time to check around. The short transit time flights always sell out fastest.

I do think that if you are trying to fly to Phuket from the UK (ie not Bangkok) though you may have a bigger problem. Qatar used to have a lovely VERY short Doha transit time flight which also did a very short "dropoff" of passengers at Kuala Lumpur - but that flight seems to have vanished now.
Maybe consider buying a ticket on the Thomson direct flights London/Phuket might be a solution if that's your destination.

Hi Bill, we have been to Phuket via Abu Dhabi (Etihad & Air Berlin) and Koh Samui via Abu Dhabi & Bangkok (Etihad & Thai Air) both stops at Abu Dhabi were 2 hrs and a very short 45 mins at Bangkok. We have been looking for next year but as I mentioned, only seems long waits available. I thought it may have something to do with the direct flights you mentioned ? As we are up here in the northwest London flights don't appeal, as you know after 12 hrs flying you want to get home asap.....thanks Keith