Chiang Mai guide
 

Hello,
currently in the middle of our honeymoon in thailand. We're now at Yaang Come Village in Chiang Mai which is great (more when we get back)

Just wanted to recommend the guide we used this morning (had found him through positive reviews on tripadvisor).

His name is Itiphon (Pom) his email is [email protected]

He is 24 and only got his guide licence a few months ago. He was a monk in Chiang Mai from ages 12 to 22 (after finishing university he stopped being a monk). He speaks great english, knows a LOT about Chiang Mai and Bhuddism and is overall just a great guy.

We used him for a half day (7 to 12) to go to Doi Suthep, two other temples in chiang Mai and then the Wararot Market (fruit and veg). For two of us in his car (a Hinda Jazz) it was 1500 Bath.

A great find. This month he did a 17 day tour of the north with two german toruists and the day after tomorrow starts a 14 day tour with two brits so is alreasy in heavy demand. He works for a small firm (TIC Travel) where there are three of them alltogehter.

PS: part of the reason for our being so pleased is a result of the guide we had for Ayutthaya/Sukhothai/Lampang being so bad but more about her upon my return.

Happy New Year

brusselchap,
I have been anxiously awaiting to hear about your drive from Ayutthaya/Sukhothai/Lampang, since we have something similar planned. Did I miss it, or you busy having a vacation.

thanks for the recommendation - we are looking for a guide in Chiang Mai as opposed to a driver. Hope you are having a fab honeymoon!

connette - I think Brusselschap is not back from his honeymoon until later this week.

I emailed "Pom" using this email address. I got a this reply from "Beer". Is this really "Pom"??
Thanks!

How are you?? Firstly I have to say nice to meet you and HAPPY NEW YEAR;;; And also Welcome to THAILAND , whenever you want;;; For myself I'm a tourguide for 2 years and for my sevice is I can do everything you want ( I mean the tour !!!!) and I can also arrange the trasport,, Hotel booking ,,Plane ticket etc,, And for the rate is normal I will get about 30 - 40 us. per day ( company rate) this is the business price but we're friend So I will give you the special rate OK!!!! ( Enjoy first ,, Business later )

I want to know;;What is your plan??,, Did you have the program of the trip?? And How many exactly people?? Also when you want to come??? Because I have to know every detail so I can tell you the price;; Bec the tourism in THAILAND is the price depended on the season and also how big of the group!!! SO please sent me your detail and we will talk again OK!!!

Take care and hope to see you soon,, Please tell MR.BIll for me that I miss him very very much and hope to see him again too;;;

BEER;;;;;

stitch, I don't know if that is really Pom but it sure made me giggle! And now I am thirsty, too! Hmmm...

Hello, not quite home yet so no time to post yet (will do so, hopefully by Monday). Just to say that i don't know who BEER is (!!??) nor who the MrBill he is referring to is.

The email address is correct and there are three guides working at TIC Travel so maybe insist on dealing with Ittiphon (Pom). His phone number is +66/6/921.67.24.

At any rate Pom's emails to me were never so wishy-washy but a lot more to the point and "professional".

If you want I'll email him and ask who beer is!!

Stitch,

i just wrote to Pom at his address on [email protected]

he tells me he does not know anyone called BEER so perhaps doublecheck the address you've been using.

Hi, there is no such positive reviews on Tripadvisor other than the ones posted by the tour guide himself (under various nicknames).
He's also been spamming the Lonely Planet forum with his advertising.
I can't say whether his service is any better than the numerous other tour guides in the city, but he hasn't shown much respect for forums' regulations (and therefore for their readers). If all Chiang Mai's tour guides were to use such tactics, the forums would be a real mess.

Are you suggesting that brusselschap is in fact Pom also? He has a long history of posting here and this is a genuine post.

If you have a problem with the postings on tripadvisor/lonely planet - why not email the moderators to have them removed?

I would never suggest such a thing. The tour guide has an unmistakable way of writing english (the Thai way). I'm not saying he's a bad tour guide either because I don't know him. I just want to point out that his behaviour isn't correct. Lying is not a good start when the key is to build trust with your future customer.
As for the other sites mentionned, they deal with it their own way. On LP regular users are giving him a hard (well deserved) time. What's important is not that his messages are removed, it's that he fools nobody.

Do you have any tour operators that you have used or are familar with?

We booked with: http://www.cmmarvel.com/. "Dave" is reliable, responsive, provided us with an excellent guide and driver. The package he put together for us gave us a good overview of the Pai-CM-GT area. We met at least one other couple using their services for private tours of northern TL.

Really enjoyed the private tour. Gave us a chance to change our itinerary "on the fly". Able to engage the guide in extended conversations regarding points of interest.