My husband and I are traveling to Bangkok this October for the first time and we really could use some advice. My questions are as follows:
Is Phuket the best "beach" destination in Thailand?
Is 12 days(10 with time change) enough time to see Bangkok and Phuket?
Instead of Phuket or other beach destination are we better to try another nearby country?
Is Thai Airways, Premium Economy Class really any different than "regular coach"?

We travel Europe quite a bit,and decided to "get out of our box" and see the rest of the world. Any and all advice is much apprecited!

Congratulations on your decision to expand your horizons. Thailand is an excellent choice for your 1st venture into SE Asia.

Phuket can be rainy during October so maybe your idea of trying something else isn't a bad one. Given that you only have 10 days on the ground, I would suggest Bangkok plus either northern Thailand (Chiang Mai or the Golden Triangle) or Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Keep in mind that either way you will lose a 1/2 day flying each way - thats just the way it is when you travel in this part of the world.

I am sure many others will chime in with more specific ideas but this will get you started.

There have been many, many reviews of Thai Premium Economy on this forum. The consensus is that it is much better than coach.

October is a difficult time for beach destinations in Thailand as it is the only month when all of teh major beach areas (Phuket-Krabi, Koh Samui, Hua Hin) are rainy. If a beach stop is not obligatory, consider other options: a stop in Northern Thailand (I'd recommend the Golden Triangle are - stay at the Anantara) or a visit to the temples at Angkor (Siem Reap, Cambodia). There are obviously dozens of other choices, but those are the two I'd recommend most highly for a first trip.

Choosing two destinations for 12 days on the ground in Asia will give you the time to slow down and experience some of the culture.

Spend some time reading posts here about Thailand. There are numerous trip reports to read, as well as people asking specific questions about places ot itineraries.

Have you bought a guidebook yet? Buy a good general guide to Thailand and buy the Nancy Chandler map of Bangkok (so much more than a map!). These will get you started.

I will say yes Phuket is one of the best, most of tourists like to go there.
10 days is enough if you like the beach you may stay for 6 days, 4 days in Bkk should be enough. It's depends what you like to see in Bkk. Temples, Shopping??
Kabi, Samui, Pangnga are also beautiful white sand beach. Other country nearby they don't have beautiful beach.
About the Thai Airways may be it just a little bit different. I don't know I had regular coach before and it's not bad.

Just a quick comment on Thai Premium Economy - If you have ever flown in United's Economy plus, you know that all get is a few more inches of extra leg room. However on Thai Premium Economy you get the extra legroom (42" pitch versus 36&quot plus a wider seat (20" versus 19&quot. Seating configuration is 2-3-2 in PE and 2-4-2 in Economy.

That being said, its definitely not Royal Silk (business) Class where the 2-2-2 configuration lie flat seats are much wider (21.5&quot and there is much more pitch (60&quot. Hope this helps.

S-skip the beach. Two reasons, the first is that while Thai beaches are great, they tend to be Thailand-lite, they are designed for tourists and there is a much smaller exposure to Thai culture. The second is that October is an iffy month for weather at all the beaches.

For an alternative, I suggest that you consider one of the following:

Northern Thailand-Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai offer a very different experience than Bangkok.

Angkor Wat-these temples are unique. They are an incredible group of ancient ruins. This would be a good choice if you're antiquity people.

Luang Prabang, Laos-this is the old center of Laotian culture.

The airlines between Bangkok and any of these destinations are quite good. Way better than any US domestic carrier.

i find phuket the least desirable of the places to visit in thailand....it is the most touristic friendly or unfriendly depending on your view...it is big...

take a look at hua hin just south of bkk....it is fantastic if you want beach and a lovely hotel....plus no expensive flight....take a look at the hyatt...

BUT - Hua Hin, too has 10 inches of rain in October. October just isn't a great time to visit the beach in Thailand.

If a beach is not mandatory for your vacation, I would second choosing between northern Thailand and Angkor Wat, Cambodia. Both are easily accessible via short flights on discount airlines. Read about both in an online guidebook and decide which you would prefer to see best. You would need a visa for Cambodia, but it's very easy and cheap, and it's available online electronically.