Hello TELFinKrabi

i have been reading lots of reviews to try and get advice on my trip, as i am coming with my mother. i woudl usually be more relaxed and just see how things go when out there, but am nervous of making sure she is happy. If you are able to help i would be v grateful - it seems you are in the know-how, but i am happy for advice from anyone. Ive booked in for our first 3 nights at Railay Bay Resort. All sorts of mixed reviews though. Do you know if construction work is finished? We are coming in Feb. Or would you suggest Ao Nang over Railay Beach? (quieter better for my mum, but she is not THAT old). Is anywhere more reasonably priced? As nowhere seems that cheap! After Railay we are thinking to head to Koh Lanta looking for some decent beach hut bargains...is there none of this on West side Railay? Thanks.

Hello TELFinKrabi

If your mother is into laying on the beach all day then Railay would be great but if she enjoys walking around a small town with the option of a beach or a massage or a cafe then Ao Nang would be a much better idea. In the evening she would probably enjoy it more with the choice of restaurants and shops.

vb

Hotels in Krabi????

Im stuck on deciding which hotel to choose in Krabi, can anybody recommend anything for me, I will be looking at a nice 3 1/2* to 4*. Close to the beach and resturants etc...

All feedback would be much appreciated.

thanks

claire

Hotels in Krabi????

Current favouties of mine, in Ao Nang, are Pakasai (because of the lovely staff and the new outdoor buffet set in the garden that they%26#39;re doing 3 times a week), Duang Jai (a new resort but well laid out and peaceful) and the Ayodhya Suites (when it opens!).

Krabi

Arriving on Dec 22nd for 8 days,Would like to know how the weather will be as never been before,Also what are the chances of getting a really good suit made while we are there,dont have anough time to get one made in Bangkok ,as ive been told Better tailors

Krabi

Weather should be hot and sunny. Currently we%26#39;re getting a few fabulous thunderstorms in the afternoons to clear the air but they last 15-20 minutes only.

As for the tailors, there are plenty to choose from and mostly run by only one or two families so the quality is pretty uniform.

lips

Departure tax

How much is the departure tax? When do you pay for this? Alongwith your ticket or at the airport?

Departure tax

Hi my guess is that you are talking about departure tax when you are leaving bangkok.

Departure tax is paid at the airport when you depart.

It used to be 500 Bat but I heard that it has increased to 700. Not too sure about the increase.

Departure tax

The current situtation is:-

International departure tax is 500 Baht. Paid in Thai Baht.

It is paid at the airport BEFORE you go through immigratation, there are kiosk with big notices in the Departure Hall.

Domestic currently is included in the ticket.

BUT TIT next year (March) it is reported that it will go up to 700 Baht international and I believe 50 Domestic Both to be collected at the airport.

It is also reported that the Taxi Tax will also increase to 100 Baht at the same time.

Hope this clears it for you

so am i safe to say that it will still be 500 till the end of the year?

spear

You should be ok till the end of the year but TIT.

The projected date of increase was March 07 but I%26#39;ve not seen anything since the initial news release

International departure tax is 700thb from 1st February 2007. Thai Airways have included it in their ticket price if flight booked after 1st November 2006. Others may follow suite. If not included you pay in cash prior to deparure as you do the 500thb now.

Up to 31st. Jan 2007 Thailand Airport Tax for International destinations is payable to the Airport Authorities in Thailand upon departure. (500 Baht).

International departures from 01st. Feb. 2007 onwards, the Airport Tax will be included in the Total Amount Due payable when a booking is made via any of our booking channels. (700 Baht).

Bookings made as of 4th. September 2006 for 01st. Feb. 2007 onward travel, the Airport Tax has been included in the Total Amount Due.

There are no changes for the payment and collection for domestic departure as the Airport Tax has always been included in the Total Amount Due.

Thanks mosegrisen

It seems that my memory is only so so as I couldn%26#39;t find the origonal report.

I am sure all airlines will do it but as I always say TIT.

Thanks everyone.. since we travel back on 1st jan 07, i am assuming we would pay 500 baht each and though we re travelling thai airways it might not be included in the air fare yet...

One day in BKK with kids - where to stay?

Hi all,

After a week in BKK, we%26#39;ll be going to a beach, then returning for one day, since our flight out is at 6am. I%26#39;d like to stay somewhere more interesting than an airport hotel, since traffic shouldn%26#39;t be a huge issue the morning of our departure. It doesn%26#39;t have to be in the city, but should be someplace where we can walk around or do something with the kids. A decent restaurant would be nice too.

Thanks,

temple

One day in BKK with kids - where to stay?

Sukhumvit area is always my choice. There are ample restaurants, shopping, a park, access to Skytrain. Depending on how much time you have on the last day and what might entertain the kids, Silom is also an option. My suggestion is choose a mid price, or even less expensive hotel, since you will not be in the room much except to sleep and will not even eat breakfast at the restaurant.

I always stay at the Regency park on Sukhumvit 22, about 40-45 USD booked through a website. There is a park with a playground for my son, shopping for my wife, a cigar star and plenty of places for a beer for myself, all within 5 minutes walk. There are dozens of other suitable hotels though.

Day Tours

We are reaching Bangkok in the late evening of Dec 10. We have only 3 days in BKK. Do you think we should book our tours in advance or reach there and decide?

Which is a better model, line up places one wants to visit and use public transport to get around or hire a car and a guide for the full day?

Thanks

Sanjay

Day Tours

If you want to book a tour, I would simply visit the hotel tour desk. I do not think you will save any money to book in advance.

I am very willing to make my own way using public transport or taxis. If you will use a taxi, ask a hotel staff member to write down your destination in Thai, since many taxi drivers will not understand english.

cat

Adaptors

Hi,

We are stayin at the Horizon Karon, do big hotels like this normally have western adaptors so we can charge our digital camera batteries? If not is there somewhere in phuket we can buy an adaptor?

Ta :)

Adaptors

Yes to both questions, but a universal travel adaptor always comes in handy.

Adaptors

DeeCait, I took Cathy%26#39;s advice and have bought an adaptor for AU$11 and will take a power board with me so that we have plenty of outlets for charging camera%26#39;s etc. If you are not sure which adaptor to take Cathy has a photo of it on her travel pages. Its a round plug with two round prongs.

Thanks for that Wells, if you are anything like us it comes in handy to have a small powerboard as we take, cameras, mobiles, dvd player, etc.

The type of adaptor is on link below.

Cathy

members.virtualtourist.com/m/b3082/160bcd/

Hi,

we are travelling from the UK so its handy to know that we need to get the rounded 2 prong adaptors, and not the flat ones that are used in the states. Can anyone confirm what the voltage is - we use 240 in UK but I know most adaptors are 110, which means that if we get a basic 110voltage adaptor, it may not be able to carge our mobiles / cameras etc without a voltage convertor?

Hi,

we are travelling from the UK so its handy to know that we need to get the rounded 2 prong adaptors, and not the flat ones that are used in the states. Can anyone confirm what the voltage is - we use 240 in UK but I know most adaptors are 110, which means that if we get a basic 110voltage adaptor, it may not be able to carge our mobiles / cameras etc without a voltage convertor?

Voltage in Thailand is 220v.

which is excellent for my straighteners! ;) It takes hours in the US to heat them up!

I am a bit confused about the voltage thing..... Can any Aussies tell me if our stuff (hairdryers, straightners, mobile ph charger, camera charger etc) with a normal adaptor work with the voltage?! Do I need to check voltage on my stuff?!?!

How does that all work? YES I am blonde and braindead from my last exam today!!!!!

Emjay, Everything will work fine with the normal adaptors.

Cathy

So what is all the voltage talk? Is Oz and Thailand on the same voltage or it just doesnt matter?! :-)

Fisherman's village

I%26#39;ve heard a mention of Fisherman%26#39;s Village. Does anyone have any information on this?

Fisherman's village

There would be one at just about any area or province near the sea.. are you asking about Samui... or?

Fisherman's village

Some where that can be reached on a Bangkok to Kanchanaburi tour. That%26#39;s all I know.

Kids Clubs in Phuket

What hotels have great kids clubs with organised activities. We are not able to stay at Holiday Inn, as it is booked out !

Kids Clubs in Phuket

hi chris

You can try the Movenpick Resort at Karon Beach. They advertised they have the biggest Kids Club in Phuket. We are looking at booking this hotel because the kids club have different ages groups right up to 17 years old with internet, playstations, etc. Sounds good to me - happy kids happy parents.

Good luck.

lips

flights from thailand to cambodia

can anyone help i am travelling in thailand during xmas and the new yeardoes anyone know what airports in thailand i can fly direct to phomm penn to cambodia please

flights from thailand to cambodia

Air asia flies from Bangkok to Phnom Penh (www.airasia.com).

Honeymoon in Thailand

We are thinking of spending our honeymoon in Thailand. We will have about 17 days in winter of next year. We will arrive in Bangkok, spend a few days there, and than its on to other destinations. What would you recommend? Phuket, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai, other? We are both 26, so nightlife is somewhat important. But so is seeing the beauty and culture of Thailand, and relaxing in some of the best hotels.

Thank you for any feedback.

Honeymoon in Thailand

Last year for Part 1 we did

Bangkok

Chiang Mai

Hilltribes

Sukhotai

Kanchanburi

Penang

Langkawi

KL

Melaka

Singapore

and going to Phuket for 2 weeks in Easter to complete the trip!

web server software

duangjitt resort

hi guys,my wife and i are going to phuket april 07 and was wondering if anyone knew what duangjitt resort was like, thanks in advance.

duangjitt resort

also from Aust. We, 8 adults ranging in age from 18 to 52, booked at Duangjit also in April, but we cancelled as their pool is only open from 9.30am to 6pm. We thought it a bit hot early evening and thought we would enjoy a few coldies around the pool. We have changed our reservation to Royal Phawadee Village.

duangjitt resort

also from Aust. We, 8 adults ranging in age from 18 to 52, booked at Duangjit also in April, but we cancelled as their pool is only open from 9.30am to 6pm. We thought it a bit hot early evening and thought we would enjoy a few coldies around the pool. We have changed our reservation to Royal Phawadee Village.

Booking on line

We are looking to book a hotel in Phuket. Could anyone recommend a good, safe website that offers great deals? Thanks

Booking on line

Hi Showponi,

Find a hotel that you like and them e-mail the hotel directly. That is what we did and we got a better deal than those other websites that offer various hotels.

maybe someone can give you a name of a site. I looked at Asiarooms.com and from what a found through this %26amp; other forums, it was not a very reputable site if you have to cancel and get your money back.

Hope this helps somewhat

Cheers

T4

Booking on line

It depends on hotel policy, some hotels (such as the IC Group which includes Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inns, Intercontinental etc) guarantee to be the cheapest on the net so its worth booking direct. However this is not the same for all, we have booked the Pathumwan Princess (Bangkok) %26amp; Banthai (Phuket) for January and for these hotels it was cheaper to book through sawadee.com as the rates were cheaper and offered free breakfasts etc and a better room for the money.

So basically I would contact the hotel and then check the online sites too. The good thing about sawadee.com is that you only have to pay a deposit when you book and the balance 2 weeks prior to departure (asiarooms.com has to be paid upfront, to be fair though I have never had a problem with them).

Good luck.

sawadee, sawasdee, res24, precisionreservation, hoteltravel,bestthaihotel, asiarooms,asiatravel, bangkokian, circleofasia, morethailand, Worldres, holidays2thailand, planetholiday, asiabesthotel, atsiam,directrooms, farangs, thailand-hotelguide, asiareservations.net, asiahotels.net, thailandhotels.net, www.resorthotel.net,

Hi,

Before you try any of the others ring Qantas Holidays direct 131415 and get their quote as they are very competitive with the others. For instance 9/10 nights at the Merlin Beach in Deluxe room in April only $495 each including buffet breaky. All the internet price where higher as it is a holiday at that time of year and in high season so we scored very well. We booked Asiarooms.com for the Pathumwan Princess and get buffet breakfast for only $2.80 extra compared to qantas holidays. Just surf the web and try them all plus Qantas and compare.

Hope this helps

Pauline

Perth

With the exception of our first trip we have always made our reservations directly at the hotel.A lot depends on the establishment itself. Many hotels have special internet rates and-as someone mentioned-large hotel chains (Starwood,Marriott,etc.)have lowest price guarantees.

What was decisive for us is the fact that most agencies require deposits-in some cases even prepayment-whereas paying at the hotel means that in most cases you can cancel without penalty on 24 hours or a week%26#39;s notice.

Laundromats?

Are there places for self-service laundry in Phuket? Debating whether or not to plan for it. I dont want to pay through the nose for laundry at like a hotel or anything. But I%26#39;d rather do laundry so I dont have to overpack for our 3-wk trip. Please advise!

Laundromats?

Hi Ektk, I have never seen a laundromat in the Kata Karon areas maybe there is one in Patong. The thais have a great laundry service away from the resorts %26amp; very cheap. What i do is buy a small packet of laundry powder from 7 11 %26amp; wash out underwear %26amp; costumes,boardies in the bathtub. The rest we take a bag of washing every couple of days to the laundry lady %26amp; pick up the following day. If we are running out of t shirts we would just go %26amp; buy more. Three weeks in thailand wow you are very lucky. Have fun. CJ

Laundromats?

Depending on the area you are staying will be the price you pay for getting your laundry done. Hotels charge per item. There are many places on the street that charge per kilo. We payed 50bht in Kata and they do a very good job. Don鈥檛 waste your time in Thailand doing the washing theirs better things to do.

hi there

we used to take laundry powder with us to Phuket then we discovered the ladies outside the resorts that do the washing

for you at a very cheap price. Just look for the signs everywhere

advertising laundry, you will quickly find a favourite to keep going back to. It really is not worth even washing your smalls as their

so cheap. washing comes back clean and sweet smelling.Oh to have someone at home to do this job!

But seriously go out to the street they are a lot cheaper than the hotel laundry services. And you you don%26#39;t have to sit and watch

your washing going round and round.

We stayed at The Sheraton Grande Laguna and on the beach in a little hut is a laundry service-cost per item.

Very cheap, beautifully clean and back to us in two days all ironed pressed and folded in bags.

It was lovely to go home with hardly any dirty laundry and clean clothes you could put straight away.

As people have said there are better things to do on holiday than the laundry and the prices on the beach are at least a quarter of the price that the hotel charges.

Hi

We stayed at the Holiday Inn at Patong and In the markets behind called the big O Patong was a lady who did washing for 10baht a piece of clothing. It all came back clean and pressed and sealed in a plastic bag.Her clothing shop was near the circular bars.

TElfinKrabi your advice!

We travel to Krabi in February so may be the Sofitel Krabi is already opened and tested by other guests!

Please tell me: is the beach near the Sofitel really good to swim and walk? Or do you suggest another one nicer?

We are lso thinking of renting a car to drive around but is it safe or is it better to use a cab with a local driver?

Thanks for all!

Clara

TElfinKrabi your advice!

By Feb it should be more Guest-friendly as I guess the work will be more focused on inside the rooms than the exterior. The beach is, sadly, nothing like the photos and advertising. At high time it%26#39;s lovely to walk along it but at low tide it%26#39;s rocky and I would%26#39;nt want to walk out to sea unless I had special reef shoes on!!! That said, the beach at the Sheraton was like this too and they spent a lot of money taking the rocks out so maybe SSpfitel will do the same.

Driving around is very safe and easy, but then I%26#39;m from the UK and we drive on the same side of the road. Many people rent small motorbikes but if that doesn%26#39;t suit you then it%26#39;s quite easy to hire a driver. Hey......if I have no students booked that month you can hire me!!!!!!!!

lips

Quieter place in Patong - Any recommendations?

My partner and I have 9 nights booked in March 2007 and are having trouble deciding where to stay.

I%26#39;ve read through the patong-to-stay-or-not-to-stay forum (which was great -thank you all) and think we could only stay in Patong in a hotel/resort away from the centre of town and noise etc.

Can someone recommend somewhere quiet; not too pricey; where the beach is close and not crowded; walking distance to the main action (views a bonus)?

Or is Karon a better option? - Thanks in advance - K

Quieter place in Patong - Any recommendations?

Try the Horizon Beach Hotel in Patong. Close to the beach , not to pricey , and whats even better is that if you%26#39;ve had enough of the noise etc. of Patong you can relax by the pool and the outside seems to be a million miles away.

Enjoy

Quieter place in Patong - Any recommendations?

hi,

check out this hotel

';ban boa';

its in the end south side of patong just on the beach (over the rd)

WWW.ALLABOUTPHUKET.COM

try the Patong Merlin, easy access to everywhere, but down the quieter end of the beach, three good pools to relax by

Thank you to you all. I%26#39;m also looking for somewhere in Surin or Karon/Kata that%26#39;s more for couples with less children. Any tips?

Hi

I%26#39;m staying at the Seaview Patong in February; it%26#39;s at the extreme southern end of Patong beach, with just a road in front. I chose it mainly for the same reasons you have stated - and I REALLY wanted a sea view, not be overlooking a pool with (possibly!) hundreds of noisy kids!

Check out the views, rooms etc at www.seaviewphuket.com.

Also check it out on the TA hotel reviews

Cheers

Kathleen xx

single middle class parent

Best time of year for diving in Krabi

We are going to Thailand next year. I am getting a bit confused as to the best time to go.

We are going to Krabi, my husband is a diver and what I would like to know from other people%26#39;s experience of diving, what time of year is best for visibility and not raining. Is there any problems with the currents?

Best time of year for diving in Krabi

January through to April when the sea is calm and the visibility good. Either side of that and you might only see sand being blown around!

Best time of year for diving in Krabi

G%26#39;Day from Aonang. I worked here for 2 years as an instructor - and to be honest, any time apart from September is good. The local diving in our low season (April - August) is awesome - and there would be no reason to go to Phi Phi.

Enjoy!

Wedding in Samui but what about the Honeymoon?

Hi, we are getting married in Ko Samui next April and naturally plan on having our Honeymoon after the wedding and flying from Bangkok to our honeymoon destination

A few options we like the idea of are

Bali

Hawaii (although I am not sure about flights from Bangkok)

Mauritius (again not sure about flights from Bangkok)

Java

Obviously Bali and Java are nearer but if anyone has any advice, tips on a destination within reach of Thailand that they could recommend that would be really helpful!

Cheers.

Ben%26amp;Sarah

Wedding in Samui but what about the Honeymoon?

May I ask why you don%26#39;t honeymoon in Thailand? If you are coming all the way for the wedding why not honeymoon here. From Koh Samui you can honeymoon in several different places across Thailand such as Koh Lanta or Koh Lak.

Personally I am not a fan of Bali nor Java.

Mauritus is beautiful and prefered it to Hawaii.

Other suggestions would be Fiji or New Caledonia which are closer to Australia.

Otherwise if you are willing to go London - Thailand - Hawaii why not go to an island in the Bahamas?

Wedding in Samui but what about the Honeymoon?

It really depends on you budget and how many flights you are prepared to take.

well i dont have 10%26#39;s of thousands but dont mind going that extra mile (scuse the pun) for a great location. Is Mauritius accessible from Bangkok?

May I ask why you didnt like Bali and Java?

I disagree about Bali, it%26#39;s great, however, like the previous poster has said, if you%26#39;re getting married in Koh Samui why not honeymoon there too? there are some lovely hotels, have a look at the Sala Samui, or Poppies .

If you don%26#39;t want to stay in Koh Samui why not try Phuket or Krabi?

You can find some lovely places to stay.

You are spoiled for choice weatherwise in April, good luck!

I think it is a bit crazy not to honeymoon in Thailand. We just got married in Samui and after the wedding etc, all we wanted to do for a little while was relax. I don%26#39; t think I would have wanted to get on a plane elsewhere - and I would definitely avoid going anywhere where you are going to get further jetlag.

I think Bali is lovely - not sure about the weather in April though - and there are some amazing resorts. Another alternative is somewhere like the Datai in Langkawi, Malaysia or Pangkor Laut Resort in Malaysia. Beautiful hotels in Ko Lanta in Thailand if you want to stay on a beach but go to another place in Thailand. Another option is to stay in one of the resort hotels in the north - take a look at the Four Seasons, Chiang Mai, the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Devi or the Anantara in Chiang Rai.

You didn%26#39;t say where you are getiing married in Samui but Tongsai Bay Seaview Cottages are so romantic! I would honeymoon in Samui or at least for part of the holiday. There is also Sila Evason which is aprt of the evason hideaways group. Amazing place and perfect for that honeymoon retreat but a few days there is probably enough. gorgeous though. I have just returned from both hotels!

Hello, sorry for not replying sooner, hectic with work and the wedding allready!

We stayed at Rocky Resort (www.rockyresort.com) this August for 2 weeks in a Jr. beach front bungalow, we were knocked out by the quality and privacy of the resort, its not as large, contemporary and expensive! as Tongsai, which we visited on our wedding venue research and not as %26#39;stuck in the middle of it%26#39; as Poppies (Chaweng), which in all honesty I think may be a little over rated.

We loved Rocky%26#39; so decided that was the venue for us. So to answer your questions we have had 2 weeks on Samui already so hence going somehwere else around that part of Indonesia would be ideal.

Can anyone recommend a short haul flight from bangkok? i.e 3/4 hours? Or a luxury resort on the nearing Thai islands?

The Bali flight from BK seems too long, but what about Java, Borneo, Cambodia? Are these quicker to get too? Sorry so many questions!

Thanks for the invaluble feedback as ever.

Ben%26amp;Sar :-)

Borneo is fantastic for an adventure packed trip you can do excellent trekking there, but I am not sure that is what you are after.

You could head to Malaysia as suggested by the other poster maybe Tanjung Jara Resort is my favourite resort in Malaysia www.tanjongjararesort.com/location.htm. I could suggest catching a Berjaya Air flight Koh Samui to Kuala Lumpur and spend a few nights in Kuala Lumpur staying at the Shangri-La which is my hotel of choice there and then catching a flight to Terrenganu where this resort is. It is just amazing!!!!

Shangri-La if it is affordable for you I would stay on the Horizon Club Floor the service, rooms and breakfasts are unbelievable!

Tanjung Jara is an amazing resort and very intimate. You can get bungalows that overlook the crystal clear sea. The service is very personalised the head chef comes out every night and cooks anything of your choice no menu! In addition the beach bbq is very romantic where you pick what you want and they bbq it infront of you. Just a fantastic place and option if you want to head to Malaysia. It is a very quick flight. Another plus Kuala Lumpur has excellent shopping.

Also very good diving and snorkeling here.

Flight to Bali is only 4 hours, and would be a good contrast to Samui.

Electical appliances in Ko Samui

This has probably been covered before, but I didn%26#39;t find it. What kind of electrical plugs do I have to take to Ko Samui? I have read articles saying that both the 2 prong round and the two prong slit will work. But also that the 3 prong will work. What is correct? We are staying at the imperial boat house and I have German appliances. Thanks!

Electical appliances in Ko Samui

Hi, I live in Spain and the plug situation in Thailand is the same as here - I used my normal 2 prong round plug - you can buy these in the local supermarket very cheaply. Have a great holiday.

Klong Prao Beach + Klong Prao Resort?

Hi!

Any info about Klong Prao Beach (I think it is the next beach to south from White sand beach)? How is the water here? Clean? Clear? Nice and blue? is it very deep or shallow/save to swim?

And how is the ocean in July? very strong waves/currents?

Is there any shops + tailors + restaurants near Klong Prao?

Any comments about the hotel Klong Prao resort?

Klong Prao Beach + Klong Prao Resort?

In July it depend son the weather. One day it%26#39;ll be calm the next there will be metre high waves. It can be rough and people drown off Koh Chang in the rainy season every year, mainly due to the cirrents which arent noticeable from the beach.

There are often strong currents off Klong Prao beach, but the beach slopes gently into the sea so tou can feel the current on your legs when you walk into the water as the water is shallow, no sudden drop off.

Probably not too blue in July as if there ahve been stomrs at sea then it will be murky. ( Now the water is very clear.)

There are a couple of shopping plazas with snall shops, tailors, supermarket, tour agencies, restaurants etc at the north enf otg Klong Prao beach 10-15 minutes walk from Klong Prao Resort.

Go for the VIP Rooms or new bungalows at KP Resort.

Klong Prao Beach + Klong Prao Resort?

Have stayed at Klong Phrao Resort - not bad at all. The sea is very rough as a rule june - oct. it rained non-stop for eight days when we were there. i now go to Chang every dec/jan.....when the weather is perfect.

I stayed at KP Resort over a year ago (Aug) and I won%26#39;t be going back. I had been a regular customer of theirs; my brother got married there, with all the extra guests that involved.

Later I booked 2 rooms in August 2005 and set off to stay there. On the way there, the agent in Trat rang to tell me there was building work going on and if I wanted to cancel that would be OK. I explained that we would be arriving at 6 pm and unless she had somewhere in mind I would have to stay there for the night and as we were only staying 2 days there wasn%26#39;t much chance of finding another place without wasting the hole break.

Now the reason she had rung me is that I%26#39;d made a reservation directly with the hotel and they hadn%26#39;t informed me of the building work in progress. As a regular I%26#39;d asked for a discount and they offered me 50 baht...as it was the wet season but still without mentioning the building work. Now the agent in Trat obviously recognised my name as a regular and as soon as she realised who it was rang me to tell me, but even she didn%26#39;t point out the extent of the ongoing work. On arriving, the place was a total shambles.

There were buildings going up everywhere, excavators on the beach, machinery being operated everywhere

When I asked for a further discount as we couldn鈥檛 move out I was told that I鈥檇 already been given the maximum discount.

Whet irks me is that the hotel knew full well at the time they rented me the room that the whole place was running building site yet they felt perfectly justified in not telling me and charging nearly the full wet season rate, and to a regular customer.

BTW, when I say regular, I probably booked 18 rooms in as many months.

The trouble with Klong Prao is that so long as you don鈥檛 have a problem you will be OK but if anything goes wrong, there is little chance you will get it sorted. My room that time had several small faults...no TV, locks not working, but there was no chance of getting any of this fixed.....once you have paid that鈥檚 it....you gets what you get.....it may be OK but if something goes awry...you鈥檙e on your own.

I might add that the old charge in the wet was about 1800 to 2000 baht; as soon as they decorate, they told me they were going to charge 3500. This kind of pricing makes Koh Chang just about the most expensive destination in Thailand.

People coming from Europe think that this is cheap but if you compare like with like, KC is the worst VFM by far in the country.

So I will visit Koh Chang from time to time,....I鈥檓 extremely disturbed by the rampant overdevelopment of the place but I have friends who live there....

Oh yes...they did offer me compensation....they said next time I stay they would give me 1 night free.....so they spoil 2 nights, prove to be the kind of people I don鈥檛 want to do business with and then expect me to stay there again??? It鈥檒l be a cold day in hell before I stay at K Prao again....

Whilko,

We had a bad experience there too which came back to mind when reading your post. We stayed there about four years ago (maybe three). A friend who had raved about the place when staying at songkran, told us all about the wonderful buffet breakfasts/seafood buffet dinners,great staff and so on. Well, when we went in august,low season obviously, on our way to that ';island'; restaurant they have, I stopped by to see the manager and asked if the buffet was on and he curtly informed us that we could ';choose from menu';. We had already paid for our meals in advance from BKK. There were about three main courses to choose from and they were buiding a new block just behind (yes at dinner time). That and the rain made us leave earlier than planned. But as i said before, we actually liked the room that have a sea-view at the front and the lagoon/mountains backdrop behind. Whew...long paragraph. Anyway, we also decided never to stay there again and I agree with your comments on Chang in general, though I do like the northern ends of both white sands beach and khlong phrao.

B.Gas

Yes...the breakfast buffet at low season....mine was so bad I took photos!

It is the attitude that they don%26#39;t have to tell you that they are running with half the facilities, and once they have your money they don%26#39;t give a tinker%26#39;s cuss that really annoys me.

khao jai!