Bangkok Travel Forum

My mother and sister in law are going to Bangkok next month, staying in Kao San and want to organise a temple tour. Both are Vietnamese and only sister speak some english and fluent Chinese (mandarin). Trying to find a tour around the temples with reliable (ie not taken to too many shops)
Jonny

Hi Johnny--I see your always helpful giving advice for people travelling to Vietnam. Anyways, please advise your mom and sister that if any tuk tuk driver should offer their services for a tuk tuk tour for the cost of 40+bahts, that these are a SCAM. These are the ones that end up taking travelers and tourists to stores giving them a kickback/commission. And quite frequently they say that Wat Pho or Wat Phrae Keow/Royal Palace is closed.

Anyways, if your family is staying near the KSR area, I'd suggest the Rambutri Village Inn because it's clean and good value for money (also has a swimming pool). It's on the side street also called Pra Athit annex/lane. There's a travel agency in the shops right next to the Rambutri called Mr. Thai Travel Agency (no I don't work for or with them) and although he's Thai, he and his family speak fluent Mandarin. They offer the standard tours around BKK and are generally reliable.

BTW, the KSR area is not that far a walk from the Royal Palace, Wat Pho, or the Gold Temple on the Mount so it's very easy for them to tour themselves. Likewise, they could take the Chao Phraya Express Boat from the Pra Athit Pier to the temples as well as Wat Arun/The Morning Temple (but would have to transfer boat) and it's very inexpensive.

Let me know if I can help in other ways since I visit Thailand regularly. Hope your family has an excellent time!

That is great info, just what this forum is all about, many thanks Seagypsy
JonnyVN

Travel agencies are the brokers for tour companies. Temple tours and tours to other places are pretty common. Have your mother and friend check out some of the tours offered at the nearest travel agency. Tour companies pick you up at your hotel and safely return you there at the end of the tour.

I would have advised your mother find accommodation in the Siam area or elsewhere. Khao San Road is okay for kids, there are lots and lots of young people there. A hotel near the Skytrain route would make it easier for your mother to get around town. No Skytrain in the Khao San Road area.

If your mother needs a taxi, tell your mother to take meter taxi cabs and to wave a moving taxi down. Tell the driver meter only! Only pay the meter price and the ride will be cheaper. Meter taxi cabs are safer and cheaper than tuk-tuks. Avoid taxi cabs parked outside hotels, usually they want to bargain the fair, meter taxi cabs are air conditioned too!

Some tuk-tuk drivers "kidnap" their passengers and take them to various shops where they get commissions.
http://customsholidays.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_tuk_tuk_scam

Like I said, temple tours are pretty common and easy to get. (Check on an evening dinner cruise too!)

Good luck.

Oh yeah, there are lots and lots of travel agencies all over Bangkok! They will have a menu list of available tours and the prices too! You are free to check out one place and compare the prices at a different place and choose the one you want to use.