I live in Chiang Mai and have my sister and elderly mother coming to visit the first 2 weeks of June (low season).
I am looking to find them a reputable and certified tour company that can provide them with a private guide and driver/car for an itinerary that commences in Bangkok (3 days) and then slowly travels north and visits places such as Ayuthaya, Sukhothai, (monkey city) etc. Their main focus is cultural and historic sites. They have never been to Thailand or out of the country.
I want to avoid tour companies with high pressure gem factory visits, etc!
The tour will end in Chiang Mai allowing them 5 days here with me.
Hotels (4-5*) incl in the entire price would be ideal and as this is low season looking for something very cost conscious but not bottom barrel.

As they are 2 women traveling along safety and security are my main priorities for them.

If anyone can advise such operators or guides they have had experience with who are trustworthy and cost effective it would be greatly appreciated. I tried searching the forums and did not have much luck.

Thank you all in advance.

Moon,

Why don't you check with a local Chiang Mai tour operator and arrange the trip from there? Even if you find somebody in Bangkok the car and guide, after they finished with your sister and mother, will have to return to Bangkok. It make sense to find somebody in Chiang Mai, perhaps even talk or interview with them first, and send them to Bangkok to pick up your relatives and begin the tour from there.

Not sure whether my suggestion is a professional as you may want but in January we engaged a guy to take us from Central Bangkok to the Ancient City, crocodile farm etc and he was excellent. Spotless air conditioned van and he really looked after us and let us do our own thing staying as long or as short a time as we wanted.He and his brother run their own company and will go anywhere you want for what period you want. He charges 1800 bht per day normally and 2000 bht if it is in Chiang Mai or the northern areas. There was no comparison between what he charged and what other companies wanted. I travelled with a Thai friend who is really particular about service and he said that the guy was very polite ( he only spoke Thai). However his brother speaks excellent English. If you are interested , the brother's name is Jaloonsuk (nickname Dum)and his phone number in Thailand is 0813730269. In the absence of a better offer , you might like to try him? Good luck!

greatly appreciate both your replies.

You might also check with East-West Siam. They were the in Thailand servce we used on our first trip to Thailand.

i think i would go over to the chiang mai airport and talk to some of the drivers who wait there for clients and see who might have experience with similar trips and who had the best english and seems like someone your relatives would enjoy travelling with...

Forgot to say that those prices I quoted don't include the cost of petrol.