dddave Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 Most tour guides aren't paid a salary, the get commissions on whatever people buy when they are herded into gift shops, silk stores and restaurants. Even tours arranged by travel agencies from the best hotels will treat you like the commodity that you are, a substantial portion of your tour will be at shopping venues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samak Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 i made a guided tour in bangkok on my first visit to bangkok nearly 20 years ago. it was plain shit! - guide was talking and talking about non interesting details of temples and history, without giving the "big picture" - try to bring me in one gem shop, one souvenir shop and to a massage place since then i always go on my own even in much more difficult places then LOS like China etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian2 Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 I quite enjoyed my first trip here with my first wife as a genuine tourist. We booked our tours through the hotel and it was all new and exciting, even the gem factory, silk shirt shop etc. Early one evening we were coming back to the hotel down Sukhemvit and I saw two girls getting into a taxi. They were about 20 years old and wearing hot pants and skimpy tops.... My life passed before my eyes as they say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 Genuine certified tour guides are few and have had to pass a tough test. They will have an ID badge to show who they are. Several of my students have earned certification. They told me they only get about 6,000 baht a month. However, they do nicely on tips from tourist - bringing their income to up around 20,000 baht/month. Most travel agencies are as has been said - trying to steer you to places that pay them a commission. I don't know where to contact the real ones, through the Tourism Authority of Thailand maybe. A nice trip on your own is the Chao Phaya River Boat Company's Sunday trip up river. Takes in some historic temples, some handicraft villages etc - and cost only about 300 baht. You can find it on line. They used to run another trip down to the Gulf, but apparently they have stopped it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 Most tour guides aren't paid a salary, the get commissions on whatever people buy when they are herded into gift shops, silk stores and restaurants. Even tours arranged by travel agencies from the best hotels will treat you like the commodity that you are, a substantial portion of your tour will be at shopping venues. Yeah ..is all about ..show me the money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dumsoda Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 I quite enjoyed my first trip here with my first wife as a genuine tourist. We booked our tours through the hotel and it was all new and exciting, even the gem factory, silk shirt shop etc. Early one evening we were coming back to the hotel down Sukhemvit and I saw two girls getting into a taxi. They were about 20 years old and wearing hot pants and skimpy tops.... My life passed before my eyes as they say. 55555555555555555 J2, farkn classic!!!!!!!! lol Been there,done that Cheers mate DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted March 22, 2008 Report Share Posted March 22, 2008 I took one tour to Auttaya, booked at the Shangri-La. It was quite nice and we only stopped at one "Thai clock" place. The buffet lunch on the boat back to Bangkok was great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WorldFun Posted March 22, 2008 Report Share Posted March 22, 2008 shygye, perhaps your stop was 'Nonthaburi'? The old house with a clock would be the city hall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted March 22, 2008 Report Share Posted March 22, 2008 Well, if they sell "Thai clocks" then that is the place. :grin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted March 22, 2008 Report Share Posted March 22, 2008 Guys, We should not slag off the OP, he is asking a genuine question the fact that we (think) we know the city is another thing. Mickey go and meet the guys at the friday evening meeting, they are a bunch of obnoxious assholes and I fit in very well with them, I joke great bunch of guys, hook up and you will be OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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