Amazing Thailand

Advantages: Something for everyone
Disadvantages: So much to do, so little time

...I first went to Thailand in October 2001. I went on a two centre holiday there - Bangkok for 4 nights and Phuket for 10 nights. I have decided that because there is so much to put about all the things we (my husband and I) did and saw, I am only going to concentrate on our stay in Bangkok. Firstly, October is the end of the rainy season and so the price we paid was very good. I don't remember the exact figure but it was in the region of £1500.00 altogether. The booking was with Thomas Cook Signature Holidays, and included return flights to and from Manchester to Heathrow, Bangkok and Phuket, also included was private car transfers to and from the Thai airports and hotels and hotel accommodation (a three and a half star hotel in Bangkok - The Hotel Asia, and a four star hotel in Phuket - The Kata Thani Hotel and Beach Resort...

Esless 05.09.2002 · Read review
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Review of General: Thailand

Thailands Gateway

Advantages: Clear direction signs, unique sight of a golf course in the middle of the runways
Disadvantages: Long walks, uncomfortable seats

...The first sight people sometimes get when landing at Don Muang airport – code BKK - is the strange sight of people playing golf in between the runways. This is just the first of many quirks you will either love or hate about Thailand and Bangkok. The golf course is actually owned by the Air Force which shares the airport. Depending on your taxi route to / from the runway you will see the military planes and hangers. The airport is actually due to be replaced by a new airport - Suvarnabhumi - being built to the north east of Bangkok which is due to open in 2004. Well, the Prime Minister said it would, so it must be true! Transport The airport itself is about 25km north from the “centre” of Bangkok. It is easily reached by car, bus or train. There is no link to the BTS Skytrain but the new one supposedly...

ultras67 03.07.2003 (04.07.2003) · Read review
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Review of Bangkok, Thailand (BKK)

Amazing Thailand

Advantages: Has it all.
Disadvantages: Be aware of scams.

...Thailand for me has everything you could possible wish for. One day you could be partying until 7.30 in the morning then the next you could be wandering around a temple only hearing the occasional gong or wind chimes. With just a one and a half hours flight from BKK you can be on the Paradise Islands of Samui, Phuket etc. I would recommend leaving the usual tourist places for a while and traveling out to the more rural areas such as Chiang Mai, Isan etc. The people here are the kindest and most generous people I have ever known. Some people I have met have had nothing, but still managed to give me a gift to remember them by. Wherever you go people are always willing to help, give you a smile or a wave as you pass on by. All year round the weather is warm, only getting cooler in the north. Even during the monsoon season...

Scott 03.01.2001 (03.07.2001) · Read review
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Review of Thailand - Outside Bangkok

Profit from property

Advantages: Practical advice, well laid out
Disadvantages: none

...Profit from Property gives a practical guide to all noivce property developers on what to do and more importantly what not to do when developing a property for profit. Author, Sarah Beeny has had huge success from the Channel 4 show Property Ladder where she follows would-be property developers from the initial purchase of their property right through to the end of the renovation. Profit from property mixes case studies from the show, with Sarah's lengthy experience of property developing to create a step by step guide to developing property for profit. I myself follow the show religiously so when I saw that Sarah was bringing out this book it was a must have. I have always been very keen to go into property developing and felt that this book would be a grea starting point for real and practical advice. The book is split into...

EmBe 20.07.2006 · Read review
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Review of Profit from Property - Sarah Beeny

Countrywide Property Lawyers review

Advantages: Reasonably priced
Disadvantages: Incompetant

...I had the misfortune of using Countrywide Property Lawyers earlier this year. They were recommended by the EA Miller Countrywide. The incompetance was outstanding! The paperwork required to complete was lost twice after confirmation of receipt by them. They sent copies of confidential documents for the property I was buying to my purchasers. They sent me copies of mortgage statements for people in Wales twice. When I asked them where copies of my mortgage statements had been sent they said it was impossible for them to be sent to other people and I 'must be mistaken' !!! My completion date was delayed three times because of their incompetance and I eventually exchanged and completed within 24 hours as my seller threatened to pull out. All in all an extremely stressful experience....

Cazza210 19.09.2008 · Read review
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Review of Countrywide Property Lawyers

Countrywide Property Lawyers - Abysmal

Advantages: None
Disadvantages: Too many to list

...In short, if you value your health, your sanity, your hair, your sale or your purchase DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY! In future if any potential purchaser of a property of mine were to even think of using them I would withdraw immediately, I cannot envisage any circumstance under which a coach and horses would drag me screaming into having any, direct or indirect, contact with this firm ever again. In line with the vast majority other reviewers I have never experienced such utter incompetence nor lack of interest. Thankfully I, as well as my purchaser, quickly cancelled their 'service', much to the annoyance of the 'independent' Estate Agent who 'recommended' them. 60 reviews so far. Around 9 out of 10 reviewers rate their service as 'Very poor'. It is unfortunate that I have to award this company even 1 star. I've said it. Other...

Tabletop-Joe 28.07.2008 · Read review
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Review of Countrywide Property Lawyers

Tacky Thailand

Advantages: hot weather although dry heat
Disadvantages: as above

...Some of you may be surprised at this op, because, considering the oos and aas I got when I told people I was going to Thailand you would think it was a dream destination. We waited a long time to go, and didnt relish the fourteen hour plane flight, but thought that it would all be worth it. We noticed straight away that we felt more like "cattle" than we had done on our previous holidays, from the minute we checked into the hotel, also we noticed subtle differences in the attitude with the staff. We usually stay all inclusive in a five star and it was the same here, although I could not fault the standard, the staff seemed to have a slightly different attitude than we had encountered before, i.e. when we had finished our drinks the waitress beckoned for the glasses to be passed to her, ok it sounds a bit petty...

y2krosebuddie 01.07.2001 · Read review
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Review of General: Thailand

Why backpackers love Thailand

Advantages: Cheapish, convenient for backpackers, decent roads, great massages, solid nightlife
Disadvantages: Poor diving, littered with tourists

...My apologies to those who have read this before. Certain aspects of it were I now admit, rather crude making it unsuitable to have been posted on Ciao. Here?s the PG version. Having taken several holidays in Asia I?ve steadily become fascinated with the ?backpacker vibe.? Quite what the attraction is of strapping an unfashionably heavy bag on your back and a smaller but more important one onto your front and then spending the majority of your tiny budget on accommodation, travel and left luggage lockers, I?ve never quite managed to grasp. I managed to realise one thing completely when I went to Koh Samui and that was why so many backpackers seem to just pass though Malaysia and Singapore in a couple of days only to spend a seemingly endless amount of time in Thailand. The cost of living was always the obvious one but cost should...

Briz_Hatchings 11.11.2001 · Read review
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Review of Ko Samui (Thailand)

First trip to the south of Thailand

Advantages: Cheap, friendly people, nice and warm weather, great snorkling
Disadvantages: Many tourists, people trying to sell you stuff all the time, bight sun

...This trip contains information about my trip to Thailand (Phuket, Koh Samui and Bangkok) in September 1998. I landed in Bangkok on a Saturday morning and I met my girlfriend in the airport. We only stayed in Bangkok to the following day cause we really don?t like big cities. But it is strange with big cities?there is always something to do there and that attracts people. We spent the night at the Dusit Thani on Silom road. I booked this using asia travels (www.asiatravel.com) and that worked out pretty good. We just had a standard room and it was OK. The service at the hotel was very good. The following day we spent looking a bit around in Bangkok. When we arrived at the airport we booked a guided tour. It was only about 7 US dollars and it sounded great to start out with. We were taken to the golden buddha, the standing Buddha...

gard 05.07.2003 · Read review
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Review of General: South (Thailand)

Countrywide Property Lawyers Avoid!!

Advantages: None
Disadvantages: They are trading

...Very slow and frustrating to deal with. My wife and I were 1st time buyers and were pressured into using Countrywide Property Lawyers by Fulfords Estate Agents. It took 14 weeks to complete a simple purchase with no chain on either side of the transaction. I were chasing CWPL all the time asking for information that the call centre staff simply didn't know. I would not recommend them at all. The next time we move we will go into our local town and find a solicitor there. CWPL quoted one price then more searches were required and they would not proceed until they had been paid for them. I have since found out that some of the searches were not necessary. Sometimes I would be on the phone for 20 minutes before being answered. But as you are in a queuing system you are paying for the privillege. 2 weeks before we finally got to...

Lowlight 13.05.2007 · Read review
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Review of Countrywide Property Lawyers