Tong asking for Pay Pal??
 

I just received a message back from Tong. I have to say that it's a bit frustrating communicating with her as she's not timely with her return emails and when she does get back the questions that I've asked aren't always answered.

I'm sure that it will be fine in the end as everyone has raved about her and she seems very sweet in her emails. I think she needs a business manager! ;)0

anyhoo, in an email that I just received from her she asked if "I knew what her prices were" and "do you have pay pal" (answers were "yes, you and I have discussed price & I've visited your website", and "yes" to the pay pal question).

I've not heard on this site that people are paying with pay pal for their tours if that is in fact what she's referring to? I certainly wouldn't object to a deposit but I was just wondering what procedure has been for the people that have toured with Tong?

We paid her deposit by PayPal a couple of weeks before our trip. She told me via email how much of a deposit she wanted--I think it was $35 for each of our two days, and then an extra $35 for the fishing village. No problems...

She uses paypal as a way of receiving deposits. She used to book on trust but I think perhaps too many took advantage of that...It will be more than fine in the end - Tong is great, busy so bear with her in responding to email, but great!
BB

I'm thinking we paid $70 on Paypal for Floating Market and Fishing Village Tour and that was only after I asked her several times if she would like a deposit. I gladly sent the money as it made me feel like we had a reservation.

Maybe this is something new. I paid her cash, last Dec/Jan, at the end of the tour. Happy Travels!

OK...I'll wait to hear back to see if in fact she'd like me to send her a deposit.

I can certainly understand her wanting insurance in case of "no shows" as her time is valuable.

thanks!

18 days

just got back- had 1 and 1/2 days with 2 of tong's team, and we did not have to pay anything in advance- just cash at the end of each day

tong has been treated very poorly by a minority of her customers....some of us who know her suggested that she ask for a substantial deposit, like 50%....she said she could not do that, so she now asks for a small deposit...

she is a single person operation and has associates who pick up the slack....she works from about 4-5AM to late at nite day in and day out, so this is why she often does not return some messages as fast as we, in the west, would like....you can just imagine how many e mails she receives....people inquire, then ask more questions, then check back about this or that, then change things, then change again...this goes on day after day, 7 days per week...i don't know how she stands it....people contact her a year in advance, then 9 months and even more frequently as time grows nearer...just think how that must drive a person over a wall, but not her...she takes care of everyone, just like in a hospital emergency room---most serious problem first..

THE GOOD THING IS THAT SHE IS SIMPLY THE BEST....SHE LOOKS AFTER YOU WELL FOR A SMALL FEE AND REALLY CARES IF YOU ARE HAVING A GOOD TIME...

i know of only one or two persons who were not 150% thrilled with her service... one was 110% and the other was 92.75%....

Don't forget that there is another option- Ratt! Ratt does not require pay pal and she is the original- sadly many regulars here have moved away from using her service.

I echo Bob's thoughts (please forgive me). Tong has been stiffed by a small number of people. They book a day, she refuses others and she misses out on her income. $35 deposit is a small price to pay to reserve her or any member of her team for a day. We've had incredible days with her. Truly priceless.

Tong is outstanding, and well worth the paypal transaction. Frankly, in her position, if even a small percentage of visitors cancel, she is out of luck for those days and cannot get them back. A deposit - essentially to ensure that the tourist does not cancel - is certainly reasonable, I think. Have fun in BKK.

Just had a very lengthy email from Tong working out all the particulars...can't wait to meet her. She sounds like quite a character and lots of fun.

She didn't mention a deposit ...she probably knows that anyone that has been as "in contact with her" as much as I have won't be a no show...

I hope I didn't come off as one of those nudgie PITA tourist's....it's just the excitment and the unknown of a new adventure.

85% anticipation and 15% recollection.

thanks again all ya'll

Who discovered Tong originally?

i think the original as i remember was bluebella....she used to work for ratt but they had a falling out...

there could have been someone before bella but i'm not sure...

no, i think it was lori???

all of you have better memories than i do, who was it??

it was Lori definitely. After reading her post i remember thinking wow that Tong girl sounds great and wrote her email in my diary... that was in the May and hadn't got a trip booked to TH. But by some stroke of luck i managed to persuade Muffin and we finally met Tong in the November (it was an eventful trip as we met Bob and Andy that trip too!!!!!!!)

It was Lori not me! But Tong helped me organise my wedding in Thailand - wonderful lady!
BB

Offwego (Lori) was the primary Tong introducer to this forum. Her uproarious accounts of their time together spurred us on.

We had to pay a 50% deposit for our November day with Tong. She asked us to do Paypal. So I signed up and sent a deposit. The only problem is that I now get unsolicited emails from Paypal. BUT our day with Tong was really fantastic, so don't hesitate for a second.

you can unsubscribe from these emails DC - just moderate your account settings

Yes, I can't imagine having to deal with her e-mail load and in a language that's not her first language.

I remember my e-mail load when planning my Pasadena GTG and especially when questions were re- asked that had already been answered in my continuos group e-mail letters. Then combine that with working and regular life events. It's very tiring and non-stop. So, I really sympathize with her in this situation. Plus, she has a small child. Happy Travels!