just trying to extort money then…they know you are farang and "farang can pay"
 
did you describe the package as a 'gift' and value it at 20USD or so…and remove all price tags?

must be some heavy duty stuff in there.

My wife and I sent a package of gifts to my wife's family in Suratthani and the post office won't give it to them unless they 3000 baht. I already paid 90 Australian dollars to send this package. Is this a normal practice or are they trying to rip my wife's family off?

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I live here and I like Surat Thani a lot as it is not touristy and over crowded, there are a lot of things to do  depending on what you like, the dam is great, there are several caves around the area, Krabi is just down the road and you can hire a long tail to go out to the caves where the japanese set up camp during the war plus there are cave drawings from ancient times. There are also great seafood restaurants in the province, some great markets and of course the first monkey school, this is a great couple of hours watching how they train the monkeys to pick coconuts. A lot will depend on what you like to see and do, it is the gateway to the southern islands, you have night boats(sleepers) to the islands as well as the daytime barges. It is not a tourist destination as such and is more industrial/commercial, if you are after night life it isnt really up there, day trips around the province can be great, Trang is only a couple of hours away and you can do boat trips to the Emerald cave and the other islands and of course Phuket  is only 3 hours away with several closer places to visit. 

A boat trip on the Ratchaprapha dam is a must do... spectacular.
 
Have a look at these pictures.
 

Ratchaprapha Dam

 

Ratchaprapha Dam or Chieo Lan Dam, built in 1982, is a rock with fat-clay core dam that is 94 meters in height and 761 in length. The reservoir (lake) covers an area of 185 square kilometers and boasts an electricity generating capacity of approximately 554 million kilowatt / hour. The lake offers an incomparably breathtaking view of limestone mountains and over 200 small islands.

Accommodations near the dam are available from the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, Tel. 02 436-3179 or 77 311-364, 311-522. For those wishing to see the lake closer, boat rental service is also available. Contact 077 311522, or 02 2407405 ext. 5008 for more details. The dam is located 70 kilometers west from Surat Thani on Highway No. 401. Travel along the Highway, turn right at the kilometer 52-53 marker and proceed for another 12 kilometers along an access road until you see the extensive lake beyond the Dam.

I will be staying in Surat Thani for a few weeks in April and I'm just wondering if anyone know of any good places worth visiting?

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