I've always wanted to visit the far east...the cities, people, cultures, jungles, mountains etc. Unfortunatley, my private jet is in the shop and my Swiss bank assets are temporarily frozen, so I'm going to have to be frugal.
I've yet to see any emails regarding Thailand mention prices. Hope I'm not breaking any rules by asking, but, how much are hotels? Nothing extravagant, but something with AC. Are there B&B's? Should I buy a rail pass if I want to travel around the country? Should I consider travelling to the jungles of Burma, Cambodia or Thailand itself? Let me rephrase that...I want to visit jungles as I did in Costa Rica, but Costa Rican jungles are a bit tamer as I would imagine. Will I need to take malaria and or yellow fever pills?
Are there good beaches?
Oh, yes I plan on leaving sometime late July.
I'm sure I'm trying people's patience with my ignorance and varied questions, but I just want to be prepared. thank you

An average 2-star hotel with a/c will cost about US$18-20, 3 star around US$ 30-50. The country is large, rail routes only serve certain places. Domestic air travel is fast and efficient. Domestic air fares are reasonable A 1 hour flight will cost about $110-150 return and that would get you north to Chiang Mai or south to Phuket. Bus travel would cost about $20-30 return. Plenty of jungle around!
You may like to start by checking this site, it has a great deal of local information.

http://www.sawadee.com

A quick note on health issues: I recommend reading the cdc website: www.cdc.gov/travel

There is no yellow fever in Asia. You'll want to have routine travelers vaccinations: Hep A, thyphoid, and boosters for tetanus, polio, etc.

There are only very limited areas of Thailand that are considered to be malarial risk areas. the cdc website will help you with this.

I don't know how long you have for your trip. If you have the time, a trip to Siem Reap, Cambodia, is highly recommended to visit the temples at Angkor. You can make this trip in, say, five days, giving yourself three full days at the temples (considered to be the minimum for seeing the major temples). Visiting Burma is a longer trip, travel is slow there, and getting visas and such take more time. You also are required to fly into Burma (to Rangoon or Mandalay).

Thailand is renowned for its beaches.

I'd suggest you start by picking up a good guidebook. Once you have an idea of where you want to go, come back and ask some specific questions.

By the way, I assume you know you will be traveling to SE Asia at the very hottest time of the year.

Just to let you know that Thailand is compeletly different than Costa Rica in every way.

Kathie:

SEAsia is the hottest place on earth all the time! I've been in hot elsewhere around the world and survived the "uglies" of NYC summers, but our trip last year, really kicked our butts!

Hammail:
That said, it was a great trip. Yes, to cover all the temples in Siem Reap, 5-days would do it, but you can cut back to 3-days and still get in most.

July, unfortunately is the rainy (monsoon) season, so some of the beach areas like Phuket will have more wet than say Ko Samui.

I agree to travel by air, which is reasonable at about $50+tax per leg, or check on a Thai Air Pass.

As far as the innoculations, every traveler regardless where they're traveling should be current and up-to-date; you might not have to get them all at once, unless you absolutely must, but get them.

Regardling the Malaria, sure the CDC mentions that Malaria isn't a problem in cities, i.e., BKK, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, but rather in more remote border locations. However, my feeling is that mosquitos fly and I'd rather be "safe than sorry". The recommended Malaria pill is Malerone or doxcycilin (Lariam no longer works in SEAsia) and these two don't have the side-effects that Lariam was known for.

Check the website listed, or do a search for other "tour operators in Thailand" to see what's offered and the prices.

I hope all who have replied read this. Thank you for taking the time to reply and so soon. There is more comfort in travelling , especially when you're alone, when you know there are helpful, good people doing the same.

Another good - and perhaps better airpass - the Discover Asia Airpass is offered by Bangkok Air. Their net site is bangkokair.com. However, you can't book the pass on the web site. You need to email them in Bangkok - the address is on the site under Contacts. They are very responsive. Don't bother with their toll-free number in the US. The reps are that knowledgable. In fact, they told me the flights I wanted to book were "sold out" for pass usage. However, when I contacted them in Bangkok via email the flights were in fact available for pass holders. You need to fly 3 legs with them to qualify for the pass.

you mentioned cost so i am not sure what prices you are looking for but i'd like to add that you can stay at a really great place for around $100/nite...that same place in the usa would be in excess of $200..(these prices are for bangkok...outside prices are much less.....
get yourself a good guide book soon and read it carefully about what to expect...also ask millions of questions on this forum....
with your kids a great hotel in bangkok would be the marriott resort and spa on the river.....great pool and american food available as well as thai, korean, chinese, pub including mcdonalds and burger king and american ice cream....there is a small mall attached and you would find that handy.....
some of the lower cost places might be offputting to you if you have not done asian cudget travelling before....there are also many in between places....try to be near the skytrain for convenience in bangkok...

hua hin, 2.5 hours drive south of bangkok might be nice for a few days...there is a marriott there as well as a hilton and a hyatt...also many, many smaller places....
www.asiatravel.com is a great hotel sight for you ....
you might like chian mai in the north where it is cooler...
don't plan to do too much each day as it is very very hot all the time--24 hrs a day....use a/c taxis which are very cheap even for short rides....starts at 25 or 35 baht per short ride ($.50-$.80)....