I would like to know a little about Sukhothai and the area. I understand its a nice quiet place with rice fields and a easy pace of life. I am an American and do not how to speak Thai, would I have a problem with communication with the general population.

Nice place, Sukhothai, although the locals seem a little frosty. After you've done the old city, pop up north 55kms and visit Si-Sachanalai NP. A lot more atmospheric and without the typical crowds

Sukhothai Wikitravel

Si Satchanalai:

Hi. I can't tell you what it's like to live there but I can tell you what it's like to visit -> a bit of a let-down.

My wife and i visited briefly a year or so ago. We went to look at the ruins and to shop for gold jewelry as we had heard that Sukhothai was famous for both. We had a local driver to take us to all the local gold shops but were disappointed by what we found (in comparison to what is available here in CNX).

The ruins are generally well-maintained and well worth visiting. They need some serious help with interpretive signage (very old and illegible or not there at all). At the main historical park you can go on a tour in a small open-sided bus with a guide. There were only one or two other people - no greeting from the guide - in fact I don't think she even looked at us the whole time. You can also hire bicycles I think. We also walked around the main town and it was quite unremarkable, although there were a couple of interesting guesthouses and restaurants.

I would not recommend the Sukhothai Resort Hotel. This must certainly have been the pride of the region when it was first opened, but since then it has apparently not had one baht spent on maintenance and is VERY run-down. What is really shameful is that all the photos in the various hotel booking web sites must have been taken on opening day and bear little resemblance to what you will see when you arrive. It is also relatively isolated so very problematic if you don't have a car. Really sad because with owners/management who knew what they were doing, this place could be great.

- CB

I went there in 2005 with my study abroad class, we all took a great bike ride through the ruins. I highly suggest this. It was mid march and it felt quite nice, about 70-75F

Sukhothai it seems is famous and is a well known location as a toruist attraction. Yet few seem to know of the city of Kamphaeng Phet which is a town much richer in culture, parks, temples and cultural attractions. I heard that a farang works with the Tourism Authority in Sukhothai and that could account for the difference in being on the map of tourist agencies on a grander scale.

If you want to know anything about Sukothai just drop into Linda Bar on Loi Khro.

All the pretty little girlies that work there and will love you forever or until your money runs out are from Sukothai.

I've been to Sukhothai more times than I care to remember, usually to visit the inlaws. I'm not sure how to describe the place to you other than to suggest that if you love the small farming communities in the mid west you'll probably like Sukhothai. The Pai Lin (sp) hotel is the only half way decent hotel in town but the food there is dreadful - try Dreams Cafe for decent Thai food in a nice setting. Sukhothai is a farming community with shed loads of poor villages surrounding the town - no shopping malls, cinema's or similar and very little in the way of western entertainment, aka beer bars and the like. Culturally it's a very proper Thai town with loads of history that most of its residents are very proud of - the 100 year old history park is nothing to get excited about. Why not visit and take a look around but be warned, a few days in Sukhothai can seem like a long time.