Any Experience with personal guides in Thailand ?
Dec 25, 2010, 10:46 pm
#16
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: North Tustin, CA
Programs: United 1K MM, AA, Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Starwood Gold
Posts: 92
All suggestions welcome![/QUOTE]
My wife and I were in BKK for 5 days in October. One day with a personal guide - very helpful to get oriented and see many of the major sights.
If in the Siam Sq area we can recommend Ban Khun Mae restaurant, 458/7-9 Siam Sq., Soi 8, Pratunam - not expensive, but excellent food, some entertainment.
Also we just loved the Salathip restaurant on the river at the Shangri La hotel, outstanding in every respect. Somewhat more expensive but not by US standards.
One day we took a tour out to the Summer Palalce and the ruins at Ayutthaya, coming back on the river, we enjoyed this day a great deal. Enjoyed the Jim Thompson house and shopping at the River Center next to the Royal Orchid Sheraton hotel. Enjoy!
My wife and I were in BKK for 5 days in October. One day with a personal guide - very helpful to get oriented and see many of the major sights.
If in the Siam Sq area we can recommend Ban Khun Mae restaurant, 458/7-9 Siam Sq., Soi 8, Pratunam - not expensive, but excellent food, some entertainment.
Also we just loved the Salathip restaurant on the river at the Shangri La hotel, outstanding in every respect. Somewhat more expensive but not by US standards.
One day we took a tour out to the Summer Palalce and the ruins at Ayutthaya, coming back on the river, we enjoyed this day a great deal. Enjoyed the Jim Thompson house and shopping at the River Center next to the Royal Orchid Sheraton hotel. Enjoy!
Jan 2, 2011, 10:19 pm
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: ORD
Programs: AA Platinum, PC Plat, Hertz 5*
Posts: 350
No response from tour guide
Well, Jan has been unresponsive for the last few weeks and is not answering her phone so its pretty dissapoinint that we might have to cancel our tour with her. I have just sent an email to Tour with Tong but based on the responses here and the reviews I do not know if they will contact us before we arrive in BKK.
I figure I will try the Be Tours people once I reach and hope they have a spot free for us.
thank you all again for your responses!
I figure I will try the Be Tours people once I reach and hope they have a spot free for us.
thank you all again for your responses!
Jan 2, 2011, 10:31 pm
#18
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: ORD (formerly ORD>SFO>AKL)
Programs: AA PPro, QF Gold, DL Plat, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Platinum
Posts: 363
I was in Phuket last year and we hired a driver for one of the days we were there. We gave him a list and he took us where we wanted to go and we pre-arranged him to take us to the airport too. If you want his info, let me know. He was very nice and very knowledgable too.
Jan 4, 2011, 7:24 am
#19
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: most of them
Posts: 3,283
Well, Jan has been unresponsive for the last few weeks and is not answering her phone so its pretty dissapoinint that we might have to cancel our tour with her. I have just sent an email to Tour with Tong but based on the responses here and the reviews I do not know if they will contact us before we arrive in BKK.
I figure I will try the Be Tours people once I reach and hope they have a spot free for us.
thank you all again for your responses!
I figure I will try the Be Tours people once I reach and hope they have a spot free for us.
thank you all again for your responses!
Jan 6, 2011, 8:24 am
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: ORD
Programs: AA Platinum, PC Plat, Hertz 5*
Posts: 350
well, it is high season and freelance guides can end up being very busy. that doesn't excuse a complete lack of communication, but most of these folks are 1-person operations. If she's out on a tour somewhere without easy access to communication systems that may be the problem. If you have confirmed plans with her though you might not need to worry too much.
Jan 11, 2011, 4:07 pm
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: ORD
Programs: AA Platinum, PC Plat, Hertz 5*
Posts: 350
It turned out well, we got in a few massages, shopping at the MBK, ate out on the streets almost all the time without getting sick, went to the airport using the train and back, not too shabby.
Jul 18, 2012, 3:27 pm
#23
Join Date: May 2010
Programs: AA EXP, PC PLT, SPG GLD
Posts: 306
Any Experience with personal guides in Thailand ?
A friend of mine is heading to Thailand in a week and the guide she had arranged bailed out. Any recommendations for a Bangkok guide, perhaps one that can drive them as well? Thanks in advance for any input
Jul 26, 2012, 8:30 am
#24
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: wurtulla,queensland,australia
Programs: hh diamond,Qantas club life,AA EX-explat.SPG plat.
Posts: 1,431
We have used a lovely young woman called Gift-in fact going with her on a tour of private gardens in Bangkok tomorrow.We have her services plus car and driver.
http://privatetourthailand.com/
http://privatetourthailand.com/
Dec 15, 2012, 9:25 pm
#25
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Detroit
Programs: NWA, AC., SWA, AA.,UA, HH
Posts: 165
My wife and I are in Bangkok for 8 hours on the 23rd. Would you recommend this guide for such a short time? What does she charge.? Thank you
If someone else has anyone they can recommend for us we would appreciate it.
Thank you
If someone else has anyone they can recommend for us we would appreciate it.
Thank you
Jan 16, 2013, 10:04 am
#26
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 2,976
We have used a lovely young woman called Gift-in fact going with her on a tour of private gardens in Bangkok tomorrow.We have her services plus car and driver.
http://privatetourthailand.com/
http://privatetourthailand.com/
Jan 18, 2013, 11:52 am
#27
Join Date: Jul 2004
Programs: Priority Club Platinum & Ambassdor, Hilton Honors Diamond, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 505
Wife and I were in Thailand over the Holidays. We booked full day city tour with Tour with Tong. Full day tour was 1,500 baht ($50 US) and private boat ride was 900 baht ($30 US). We did the Temples, 1 hour long tail boat ride of the river, and about an hour in the markets. Our guide, Chai, was excellent. Definitely recommend him!
Jan 18, 2013, 11:55 am
#28
Join Date: Jul 2004
Programs: Priority Club Platinum & Ambassdor, Hilton Honors Diamond, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 505
Wife and I were in Thailand over the Holidays. We booked full day city tour with Tour with Tong. Full day tour was 1,500 baht ($50 US) and private boat ride was 900 baht ($30 US). We did the Temples, 1 hour long tail boat ride of the river, and about an hour in the markets. Our guide, Chai, was excellent. Definitely recommend him!
Last edited by canesfan; Jan 18, 2013 at 12:00 pm
Jan 18, 2013, 5:43 pm
#29
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYZ/MGA
Programs: AA 1MM Lifetime Gold, AA Platinum, WS Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 7,607
I use Chob Panma. Well, not him as I have never met him, but his guides on four trips in 18 months. Once you get past the canned tours (a few of which are excellent), for 2000 Baht for a full day having someone who knows Bangkok and is bilingual in English and Thai is invaluable. My companion is Thai and she really enjoys the tours and the history and of course she is completely enamored by the wats.
He can be found online and the service and value is unparalleled.
The longtail boat price quoted above for an hour on the klongs and Chao Praya is far too much and a guide should get a price 1/2 or less of that.
He can be found online and the service and value is unparalleled.
The longtail boat price quoted above for an hour on the klongs and Chao Praya is far too much and a guide should get a price 1/2 or less of that.