Going to BKK in Aug '04..Does anyone have any tips on what to do or what not to do when traveling in Thailand? We plan to the whole tourist thing..shopping, sites and lots of eating! Like to see some pro kick boxers too

There are a lot of post on Bangkok in this forum. As for shopping, pull up my previous post on " great shopping guides in Southeast Asia." Happy Travels!

i am in the process of wrinting my trip report which appears not far below your message..you might find some info there, but not much on sightseeing...

tip. try not to fall in an an open manhole... it happens more then you'd think..

Make sure you get a Traditional Thai Massage. You can arrange this through your hotel, the Wat Pho School of Massage (my favorite) or spring for one of the upscale massages at the Oriental or Mandara Spa at the Royal Orchid. If you're interested, there is a recent massage thread on this forum.

In Bangkok, stay anywhere close to the river. They have river "buses" (not the tourist boat!) that will drop you at the skytrain station.

Stay away from tuk-tuks and unmetered cabs. Only use licensed tuk-tuks which we only found in Chiang Mai. It is similar to cabs here in the states, photo and license information will be on the back of the front seat or somewhere you can see it. Best bet - use the boats or have a hotel call a cab for you (your hotel or any hotel you happen to be near). If you get "scammed", be firm. They aren't out to hurt you, and will return you to you original location.

Don't talk to or trust anyone. If they start talking to you first, they are LYING to you.

gnr

Hi

My wife and I have been to Thailand and Bangkok on vacation a couple of times. I have posted my trip reports with pictures on my personal homepage gardkarlsen.com Maybe you can find some useful information there. Have a great trip

Regards
Gard
Stavanger, Norway