Thailand - Camp Reunions (Venue/Accom advice for 10-20 people)

Malks · 9th July 2012, 12:24 PM

Hi there,
I'm after some recommendations having never been to Thailand as to the best places to visit (town/city wise) and also the best accommodation for an event im planning in July/Aug 2013.

the event will be a reunion / get together for counselors from the summer camp I went to in America, invited hundreds but realistically there will be 10/15 of us with a similar get amongst it attitude aged between 21 and 27.

We'd be wanting good partying, we'd be wanting to book out a number of rooms/bungalows/Villas. Swim up bar would be ideal, nearby beach would be good. Close to tourist attractions but not to close.

Potentially with cooking facilities although that's probably not necessary considering the prices over there.

We'd be wanting to be relatively budget conscious but not to worried.

I was thinking Koh Samui but ive heard its not great? What are our other alternatives?

Sorrow · 9th July 2012, 1:26 PM

Just re the self cooking, even the locals in thailand eat out a lot and dont cook. If you're eating in you resort though your're going to be paying more.

CoByau · 9th July 2012, 1:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sorrow

Just re the self cooking, even the locals in thailand eat out and don't cook at home as its far cheaper. If you're eating in you resort though your're going to be paying more.

lol many Thai people still cook at their homes... in fact it is the norm not the exception to cook yourself ..... (obviously if out and about you buy food, but that is no different to here)

From a Westerners perspective the food prices are ridiculously cheap however so you will find yourself buying all your meals from street vendors/restaurants anyway.

As for where to go ... well you need to divulge more information as to what sort of crowd you're looking to party with ........ Koh Samui has a lot of backpackers and people trying to hit up the Full Moon/Half Moon/Black Moon parties on Koh Phangnan (a small boat ride from Samui) However it is more expensive to get to as only Thai Air (Bangkok Air) have flights to their from Bangkok ...... Hopefully this will change soon as Thai Air are apparently creating a "Budget Carrier" under their umbrella. (losing too much business to airasia I guess)

Although personally I've been disappointed by Phuket the last few times I've been (too much scamming, ridiculous prices even when speaking fluent Thai, and just an overall uneasy feel to the place) it can still be a great place for what you described and I think overall would probably be the best place for your reunion ........ However I would recommend not staying in Patong beach as it shits me .... Stay on Kata or Karon and just baht bus into Patong when you want to party messily.

A few nights in Bangkok are a must also ... its my favourite place in the world

and I plan on moving there to live within the next 10 years ^_^

Source, frequent traveller to Thailand for the past 3 years ... Fluent Thai speaker/reader/writer ^_^

Malks · 9th July 2012, 3:10 PM

Thanks heaps for that man thats great advice. With some additional information if its any use i'd say this. I'm the organizer so i'll basically determine where we go, We're going to be a relatively large group with a good mix of people.

I think you're spot on with being in a little bit more of a quiet area would be better with the option to bus in / taxi in if we feel like a bender. Are things still very cheap over in Thailand or has that changed? Can we expect to eat out for dinner anymore for 5-7 dollars? Or is that a thing of the past?

Sorrow · 9th July 2012, 3:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoByau

lol many Thai people still cook at their homes... in fact it is the norm not the exception to cook yourself ..... (obviously if out and about you buy food, but that is no different to here)

From a Westerners perspective the food prices are ridiculously cheap however so you will find yourself buying all your meals from street vendors/restaurants anyway.

Oh well the guide I read when I spent a month there must have been wrong then.

Still not worth the hassle trying to cook your own shit.

Bigtosser · 9th July 2012, 5:57 PM

I've been to Thailand 3 times in the last 6 mths.
Spent around 2 mths there all up in the last 6 mths, have been going there for years.
My girlfriend is coming here on a 3 mth tourist visa end of month so looking forward to that.
I think Pattaya or Phuket are your best bets , or maybe Krabi.
Pattaya would be cheapest for the type of package you are after, swim up bar.
Agreed Patong is a shithole, Karon and Kata much better.
BTW you are also going in the wet season!

IMO city Thais eat out a lot, many rooms and condos have no or little cooking facilities.
It's cheap, easy and tasty.
Why would you bother cooking when you can get really decent street food for 30 -50 baht.
Or eat in the unpretentious restaurants for little more.

@ Cobyau I am very envious at your Thai ability, especially understanding Thai script!
How long have you been learning that for?

stevenx · 9th July 2012, 8:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigtosser

BTW you are also going in the wet season!

Only on the Andaman side. It's high season on the Gulf of Thailand side.

Re: Samui, Thai Airways also fly there from Bangkok, but not very frequently.

Your best bet is probably Samui, but not on Chaweng and maybe even away from Lamai - though within striking distance for big nights out.

Pattaya... well, Pattaya:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS7hZhO0ee8

It's also a good time of year to do some adventurey stuff in the north, like an overnight white water rafting trip with these guys: http://www.thairafting.com/information/index.html

White water in the jungle with no road access... yeah. Pretty cool. Plus you'll get to go to Pai and Mae Hong Son, and see a part of Thailand that isn't just beach.

CoByau · 14th July 2012, 2:18 AM

Thai air IS bangkok Air ... same airline ... similar to like Qantas/Jetstar arrangement

Been learning Thai for 3 years and have a Thai GF I've lived with here for 2 years roughly ...... speaking most days - if actually interested in learning ... use Benjawan Becker Thai for Beginners - Intermediate etc books ... best by far!!!
Took about a year before the clouds started to part and I actually could understand what the fuck was going on

Be very careful with any girl from Bangla Rd (phuket) or Pattaya ... more than likely just after your money (luv u 2 much!)

Pattaya is a fucking seedy scumhole ... fun for a few drinks and partying with your mates your first time .. but very bloody boring there-after! (unless you're somebody that can't get laid here in oz LOL)

re: Thais and no cooking facilities ... well when girls spend 80% of their nights sleeping in customers rooms ....... they are not going to have cooking facilities ....
the vast majority of "normal" thai people I know have cooking facilities at home and cook more so than not!

and yes ... most guides are written by people who hang out on sukhumvit road in bangkok .. or banghla rd phuket .. or pattaya ... so they know fuck all about what they are talking about!

stevenx · 14th July 2012, 2:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoByau

Thai air IS bangkok Air ... same airline ... similar to like Qantas/Jetstar arrangement

They code share but they're otherwise unrelated. Thai Airways own most of Nok, but they're otherwise completely unrelated. Bangkok Airways is privately owned - a guy named Dr Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth owns more than 90% of it.

Just looking at that Pattaya video again... it's amazing how many commenters don't seem to realise that it's taking the piss.

Nasty place. I'd lump Patong, Pattaya, and even Chaweng in the same group... and I kinda think the same of people who go there and love it

Bigtosser · 14th July 2012, 4:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevenx

I'd lump Patong, Pattaya, and even Chaweng in the same group... and I kinda think the same of people who go there and love it

And Soi Cowboy

Patpong etc.

CoByau · 15th July 2012, 9:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevenx

They code share but they're otherwise unrelated. Thai Airways own most of Nok, but they're otherwise completely unrelated. Bangkok Airways is privately owned - a guy named Dr Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth owns more than 90% of it.

Just looking at that Pattaya video again... it's amazing how many commenters don't seem to realise that it's taking the piss.

Nasty place. I'd lump Patong, Pattaya, and even Chaweng in the same group... and I kinda think the same of people who go there and love it

correct .. it would seem I was misinformed lol ... apologies

must've got mixed up because of the code-sharing I'd experienced in the past ^_^

and yeah ...... Pattaya etc. are for a "certain" breed of people ..... most people will get bored after 1 or 2 trips .. but there's others that sell everything and move there to live! lol oh well, to each's own, as long as they aren't hurting themselves or the bargirls they hang out with, good on them and may their business relationships continue LOL

9th July 2012, 12:24 PM	#1
Malks Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 454	Thailand - Camp Reunions (Venue/Accom advice for 10-20 people) Hi there, I'm after some recommendations having never been to Thailand as to the best places to visit (town/city wise) and also the best accommodation for an event im planning in July/Aug 2013. the event will be a reunion / get together for counselors from the summer camp I went to in America, invited hundreds but realistically there will be 10/15 of us with a similar get amongst it attitude aged between 21 and 27. We'd be wanting good partying, we'd be wanting to book out a number of rooms/bungalows/Villas. Swim up bar would be ideal, nearby beach would be good. Close to tourist attractions but not to close. Potentially with cooking facilities although that's probably not necessary considering the prices over there. We'd be wanting to be relatively budget conscious but not to worried. I was thinking Koh Samui but ive heard its not great? What are our other alternatives? Last edited by Malks; 9th July 2012 at 12:27 PM.

9th July 2012, 5:57 PM	#6
Bigtosser Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 725	I've been to Thailand 3 times in the last 6 mths. Spent around 2 mths there all up in the last 6 mths, have been going there for years. My girlfriend is coming here on a 3 mth tourist visa end of month so looking forward to that. I think Pattaya or Phuket are your best bets , or maybe Krabi. Pattaya would be cheapest for the type of package you are after, swim up bar. Agreed Patong is a shithole, Karon and Kata much better. BTW you are also going in the wet season! IMO city Thais eat out a lot, many rooms and condos have no or little cooking facilities. It's cheap, easy and tasty. Why would you bother cooking when you can get really decent street food for 30 -50 baht. Or eat in the unpretentious restaurants for little more. @ Cobyau I am very envious at your Thai ability, especially understanding Thai script! How long have you been learning that for? __________________ Some people call me the space cowboy.... Some people just call me.. A**hole

9th July 2012, 3:10 PM	#4
Malks Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 454	Thanks heaps for that man thats great advice. With some additional information if its any use i'd say this. I'm the organizer so i'll basically determine where we go, We're going to be a relatively large group with a good mix of people. I think you're spot on with being in a little bit more of a quiet area would be better with the option to bus in / taxi in if we feel like a bender. Are things still very cheap over in Thailand or has that changed? Can we expect to eat out for dinner anymore for 5-7 dollars? Or is that a thing of the past?

14th July 2012, 2:18 AM	#8
CoByau Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 33	Thai air IS bangkok Air ... same airline ... similar to like Qantas/Jetstar arrangement Been learning Thai for 3 years and have a Thai GF I've lived with here for 2 years roughly ...... speaking most days - if actually interested in learning ... use Benjawan Becker Thai for Beginners - Intermediate etc books ... best by far!!! Took about a year before the clouds started to part and I actually could understand what the fuck was going on Be very careful with any girl from Bangla Rd (phuket) or Pattaya ... more than likely just after your money (luv u 2 much!) Pattaya is a fucking seedy scumhole ... fun for a few drinks and partying with your mates your first time .. but very bloody boring there-after! (unless you're somebody that can't get laid here in oz LOL) re: Thais and no cooking facilities ... well when girls spend 80% of their nights sleeping in customers rooms ....... they are not going to have cooking facilities .... the vast majority of "normal" thai people I know have cooking facilities at home and cook more so than not! and yes ... most guides are written by people who hang out on sukhumvit road in bangkok .. or banghla rd phuket .. or pattaya ... so they know fuck all about what they are talking about!