Tong's team
 

We've been in touch with Tong about a day tour (floating market and secret place) but sadly she is not available the days we're in BKK.

She has suggested we do the tour with one of "her team".

I understand from all the posts here that a large part of the value/charm of the tour is being with Tong herself... any ideas of what her other guides might be like? Has anyone experienced any of them?

I just came from Bangkok and used aone of Tong's team guides for 2 days. Her name is Pook and I was really happy with her services and happy face!

She was also very knowdgeble , sweet, very flexible and helpful. I highly recommend Pook and don't regret a minute not having had Tong as our guide!

We spent two days with Tong team member "Jerry." He was terrific. No complaints or regrets whatsoever.

while tong is preferable, i do know she screens and trains her guides quite well...

We just returned from Thailand and had two days with Tong and 1 day with one of her team named Q. Basically, I completely agree with rhkkmk, Tong is preferable but we had a great day with Q as well. She really does handpick those on her team and trains them VERY well. Q was excellent, and had incredible knowledge and just did a lot of little things throughout the day that I know he learned from Tong, such as knowing where all the good "Happy Rooms" (bathrooms are), buying us drinks or ice cream when we looked like we were going to fade!!

We also spent a day with Q, and would do so again. We met Pook and Jerry at the Tiger Temple, and they seemed great, too!

Hi

doing a search on google i came across this report of a tour with Tong. I notice a number of people here asking/wondering about the "visit to orphanage" as mentioned in Tong's website. The attached report is quite detailed and was unable to fins similar descriptions in any Fodor post.

http://p099.ezboard.com/feuropetogof...icID=250.topic

this bit was written by lori carlson, the founder of the ponheaby ly foundation, which is often spoken about on fodors....

we also went to that same block of orphanages outside bkk....we only went to one....there were aids kids and lightly challenged kids and normal kids.....all about 3-7...

it was a highlight of our trip....we had bought their dinner for them, diapers and other items which tong purchased for us, plus we gave a donation of cash...

the kids were very receptive and were fun....we watched them eat, talked to them, played with them, both inside and outside....we must have spent about 1.5 hours there...

i would encourage you to do the same...

I am traveling to Thailand mid May, can someone give me Tong's website or email address?

Thanks!!

www.tourwithtong.com
[email protected]

Thanks so much, I have viewed her website (looks exciting) and just sent her out an email with my itenernary/request.

Thanks again for your assistance.

Now I have to research Chiang Mai, have any info for that area?

We've had good luck with Sergeant kai who can be reached at ChiangMaiTours,com. We've used him twice.

We used Poon, Ratt's younger sister, who is a guide/ driver for 3 1/2 days in CM. They do NOT have licenses in CM. She was very good, always there before scheduled time, knowledgeable, extremely helpful. Her English is pretty good. The only thing we had to do was ask her to slow down her speaking to fully understand everything.in 2006 she was 2800Baht for any 10 hours in a day and she did not watch the clock.
We would use her again. She can be booked through Ratt in BK.

I love Poon and have used her twice and will be using her again. However, she really isn't a guide. She will take you wherever you want and provide some information and also let you get to know what is so wonderful about thai and buddhist culture. She has become a friend and I can not recommend anyone more highly -- she's gentle, kind, conscientious.She will never take you someplace you don't want to go and definitely not to shop so she can get a % (again unless you tell her to) Just a wonderful woman. But if you want a guide (and I personally don't think you need one) she isn't one.

I will be in BKK from 11/23/08 -11/27/08. We would like to take 2 day long individual tours on 11/24, 11/25, or 11/26. I've emailed Tong but I am afraid that it will be too late for her to help me. I only emailed her yesterday and it is too soon for her to reply.

We were hoping to do a day long tour of The Tiger Temple and other sites in that area and a day long tour of Local Benjarong / Floating Market / Royal Thai Handicraft / The Grand Palace & The Royal Temple of The Emerald Buddha / Wat Pho. (Info from Tong's site)

I think we can do the in BKK tour with a tour guide we can get from the hotel, although I'm not sure about that, and I'm really not sure about the other tour. We don't want to get stuck with a guide who takes us to bad tailors or bad jewelry stores. Any suggestions? We'll be staying at the Shangrila Hotel in BKK. Thanks!

In Bangkok there is no need for a guide. The major sites are easily accessible (get to the Grand Palace/Emerald Buddha/Wat Po via the water taxi you can catch near your hotel). I don't use guides in Bangkok, but if you want either a driver or a guide, I wouldn't get one from your hotel.

If you want to spend some time outside of Bangkok such as the Tiger Temple (I assume you know there is considerable contraversy about this place), then hiring a guide or a driver makes sense.

I just did a web search. The danger and animal cruelty makes me less inclined to go now. Can you suggest a good day trip out of BKK that would be interesting? I'm not interested in the Bridge over the River Kwai especially. I'll be going with my wife and my Mom (who is 78 but active). Thanks! Joan

Kathie - Forgot to ask - where would you get a guide and/or driver?

Another driver recommended here is Ratt. See www.ratservice.com Your mother may especially appreciate an air-conditioned cat at her service!

I don't know how much time you have in Bangkok, or where else you are going, or what your interests are so it's hard to make recommendations.

A few general comments... I love Bangkok, it's my favorite city and I could spend weeks and weeks there and never finish my list of places to go, things to do, restaurants to try, etc. I've been there 20+ times on my trips to Asia as I use it as my gateway to other places.

For a day trip, you might consider a trip to Ayutthaya - the ruined capital. It's an interesting day, and while I love ruins, I have to say that coming back by river boat was the highlight for me many years ago.

A half day trip to the Prasart Museum, a private museum of wonderful Thai arts and artifacts might be of interest.

Take a look at our photos www.marlandc.com for lots of photos of Bangkok (and many other places in Asia) and some photos of the Prasart.

very few people have seen any problems at the tiger temples...it seems its most freak animal activists who make all the noise...

Bob, have you seen the reports by reputable agencies investigating the tiger temple? I have to say that the reports I've read have convinced me.

I'm not what I would refer to as an animal rights freak, but maybe you would refer to me as such, I don't know.

The Tiger Temple is an idea that I am very uncomfortable with, both for obvious safety reasons, and because being a tourist attraction can't possibly benefit the tigers. A rescue and refuge would be better, in my opinion, to solicit donations rather than exploit the animals they profess to save. This place just screams tourist trap, and the recent reports just serve to enforce what was my initial gut feeling about the place.

i have seen some but mostly they come for animal groups and i feel that they are biased....

i also trust tong's judgement, and she is an animal activist....she says there are some things that are not just right but this is the case at most zoos and other captivity places....nothing is perfect....but the animals seem happy and that is good enough for me....she is there almost every day...

I contacted Tong and was able to arrange 2 day long tours with a member of her team. We'll be doing a floating market and grand palace, wat po and royal temple tour one day and a tour of Ayutthaya the other day. I decided not to do the tiger tour because of the controversy and safety issues.

Well I have been called an animal and a freak just never with the word rights in between :)

Something smells very funny with the Tiger Temple......looks like its all about the money to me.

Maybe we should have a lawyer look into it and totally ruin it ;)

Aloha!

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