Thailand Guides
 

Any suggestion for a personal guide for hire in Bangkok to use in the city and also tours to Ayuthaya and Chiang Mai for a group of 5 to 6 people?

As ever-smiling as Thais are, they take great delight in scaring the bejesus out of you by letting fireworks off at your feet, particularly during the annual Loi Kratong festival.

I'm not sure what thom is writing about. In my travels to Thailand, I've never experienced people setting off fireworks at my feet, and I've often been there during Loy Krathong.

In any case, thom's post doesn't address the OP's question.

Frankly, some1, I don't recommend guides in Thailand. There is really no need. In Bangkok, use a guidebook and take local transport - it is very easy. You can likewise go to Ayutthaya on your own via train or bus. For Chiang Mai, you will want to fly there, but again, no need for a guide. If you get somewhere and find you'd like a guide, your hotel can help you arrange one.

Thank You Kathie for the information.

There are some expensive private guides available for Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Ratt and Tong are two that show up often. Google them up.

Bangkok is a big city! In Bangkok you can get around the city on your own pretty easy. Some hotels are convenient for using city rail service too. Meter taxis are cheap if you know what to do. But tight for 4 people and maybe impossible for 6 people in same taxi. City rail service link:
http://www.urbanrail.net/as/bang/bangkok.htm

Some things you can reach on your own, such as shopping, restaurants and some city tourist sites. There are shared tours you can sign onto in person through local travel agencies near your hotel or even tour desks at the hotel. Select a tour one day and leave following morning from your hotel. Ayudthaya, like River Kwai is a common tour easy to sign onto in Bangkok. (But it depends on how much time you have!)

Five or six people, someone should be able to do some research on what to see and do in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Even if it means buying a travel guide or borrowing a book from your hometown library.

Chiang Mai is not a day tour from Bangkok. Too far away. You can arrange your own flights to Chiang Mai and like Bangkok choose a shared tour if you want. Popular with visits to Chiang Mai is side trips to Chiang Rai, local villages and temples. (Google search what to "see and do" in Bangkok and Chiang Mai.)

What you can see depends on how long you will be in Thailand. Try not to encourage more people to join you. Big groups harder to move around and also sometimes not as easy to get everyone in the same hotel.

http://www.fodors.com/world/asia/thailand

Up to you.

I prefer tong's group for Bangkok... best to telephone her directly to make arrangements.