A week from today we'll be on our way to Chiang Mai and our trip. I really still can't believe this is happening. My beloved seems to think that we will be in much better shape if we pack so that we can carry on what amounts to a weekender suitcase, since we will be flying in and out of the 5 stops we're making. It's a three week trip, and the bags he wants to take keep looking smaller and smaller. I understand I need to be frugal in what I plan to take, but what's your experience of baggage handling on the local flights of Thai, BKK Air, and Viet Nam Air? Would it be so terrible if we had to check our bags? I'd appreciate some feedback. Thanks, Sharon

I have never had a problem with checked bags on any airline in Asia and I've flown all three that you will be taking. I have had lost bags, though always got them back, with Air France, British Airways and Qantas. There is always a chance that something can go wrong with any airline but I don't think your chances are any worse with the ones you are flying. While it's nice to pack light, I don't think taking a weekend size suitcase is such a good idea for three weeks. I know I could never do it but everyone is different.

A lot depends on the flights, that is the aircraft you are flying on. For example if you are flying Bangkok Airways on an ATR 42/72 you are going to find the carry on overhead space far smaller than you would say on your long haul 747/777 flight as an example.

It also depends if you are back-tracking at all, for example if you are say going to Chiang mai from BKK and then going back to at least overnight in BKK you can take the minimum with you and leave the rest at your BKK hotel ( pressuming you would be going back to same hotel ).

You want to travel 'light' but do remember the available space for carry-ons is not that great. Also appreciate that places where you are arriving into a country you have to wait the time going thru immigration and usually the hold bagge is there waiting by the time you have cleared immigration.

If you can tell us route and airline it will help a great deal.

Another factor going for carry on is that at security your items will usually be checked/searched and the larger your baggage the longer all that will take.
Personaly when I travel around I take just what I 'need' as carry on and the rest I leave to the airline, I can't think of any time within recent memory I have had to wait for baggage when on an international sector, maybe a short while on a domestic but that's because de-planning has been quick anyhow.
Do remember you will no doubt be doing lots of shopping so that baggage will get bigger and bigger, you migth end up having to buy another suitcase(!)

Tell us airlines/routings and hopefull we can give a better judgement.

In my experience, the decision has nothing to do with flights and everything to do with gender. Without trying to generalize -- no, wait, I will try to generalize -- Type A personalities (is that the right term?) want to maximize the time in each place by taking the 6.30am flight and having only carry-ons to avoid the extra 10-20 mins waiting for bags. Type X personalities (okay, I have no idea what letter it is) want to maximize their enjoyment by taking a flight that lets them sleep a bit later, by not having to rush, and by not having to exclude this or that from their luggage. Unfortunately for Type X people, they also tend to shun confrontation, so they're more likely to give in to the Type A's plan. And unfortunately for the Type A people, the Type X person is going to kvetch about getting up early and not being able to take everything she needs.

Alas, other than the wistful hope that age and experience might eventually bring some wisdom, I have no suggestions for a solution.

forget carry on....check your bag...its not like a business trip....they are very efficient...remember labor is cheap in asia so they have plenty of baggage handlers and you will find that you cases come out quite fast...unless you are changing airlines enroute, you will probably find no problem with receiving your luggage....just look at the tags on your luggage as you are checking them to make sure they have the correct tag on them and make sure you have your name both inside and outside of the case....
we have never lost one piece of luggage in asia..

and yes the inside overheads on some planes are quite small within asia

I've never had a delayed bag on any of those airlines. Your luggage won't be a problem (though you may well regret that much moving around!).

When traveling ANYWHERE by plane, I always pack either a 19-inch or 22/23-inch carry-on suitcase with everything that I need to survive my trip. Then I check another suitcase with extra things. I've had more lost luggage horror situations,in the last 30-plus years,than you can ever imagine.Happy Travels!

carry on only for the trip over. All you need to do is have your bag show up late (or not at all) once in a lifetime and you'll never check bags again.

I'm willing to check bags on the way back, however - only containing items that I'm willing to lose (clothing, toiletries, etc.). And, in fact, we did lose something on our way back from Thailand two weeks ago - my husband's shaver was mysteriously missing following the check bag inspection at the airport in Chiang Mai. Everything else was intact. And no, I'm sure it didn't just fall out of the bag.

I'm with your husband all the way on this one.