Chiang Rai Travels Agents

[dindong]

Looking for a new travel agent as my favourite one, Melody Travel seems to have closed down.

Pity, as they were by far the best in Chiang rai and always went out of their way to get the best deal for you.

I went into the new one on Main Street near Thai airways, they looked up the price, told me it was the best and had to be booked today or it will be 10,000 baht more tomorrow.

I told her she was a liar and left.

[skybluestu]

You don't know she was lying! I was looking at flights recently on the actual airlines websites (often cheaper than agents) and there were often fluctuations of 5-10,000 baht from one day to the next, couldn't you have just left without calling her a liar?

[dindong]

You don't know she was lying! I was looking at flights recently on the actual airlines websites (often cheaper than agents) and there were often fluctuations of 5-10,000 baht from one day to the next, couldn't you have just left without calling her a liar?

because she could only be bothered to checked one flight and quoted a price which was nearly 12,000baht over the on-line price with, as I said an indifferent attitude.

Edited January 9, 2010 by dindong

[mcgriffith]

dindong,

The way the pricing structure works now, is through something called traffic flow management software.

Back in the olden days, one did an advanced purchase; got a discounted price. Simple.

The way it works now (Air Asia, Thai Air Asia is a perfect example) is that you shop a fare online.

If you are months away from your departure, you generally get a very good deal.

As you get closer to the departure date, and many seats have been booked, the price goes up.

A day or so before the departure, if the airline still has a lot of seats....the price goes down. Counterintuitive, under the old regime, I know.

If you can post on a forum, know how to navigate the internet....really no reason to not utilize this system.

Zillions of sites out there. I did actually use a travel agent in CM for my last trip back to the US in August 09. Unbelievable deal roundtrip CNX-BKK-LAX return. So yeah, travel agents still can be heroes, sometimes. But when you understand how the booking system works (it is basically a fluid marketplace, with a constant pricing fluctuation, based on current bookings) you will not feel that what this agent said was untrue.

I waited 1 day, to buy a return booking from BKK-CNX....price went up 20% in one day.

That's just the way it works.

[kandahar]

OP, I don't have a recommendation for a TA in CR. Never have needed one here. However, I do use a company in BKK and have used them for several years with no complaint. I just e-mail a woman named Jane and tell her what I'm looking for. She replies, sends me some info, I commit to the plan I want and I'm on my way. She has gotten me around the world pretty nicely.

I do find a lot of the booking sites to be a pain and a time waster. That's why I don't use them. I much prefer to let someone else do it quicker for me. I have bounced some of the fares she has given me against the web offered fares and find that she does quite well by me.

If you want, I'll PM you with her e-mail address and you can see what she offers. I have e-mailed her from a variety of countries and she gets me on my way.

Here's an edit: I wanted to add that I have often had to change to my plans during trips and an e-mail to her has always smoothed my way without any fuss. She does a good job and has never gotten aggravated at me about my changes.

Edited January 9, 2010 by kandahar

[dindong]

dindong,

The way the pricing structure works now, is through something called .

Back in the olden days, one did an advanced purchase; got a discounted price. Simple.

The way it works now (Air Asia, Thai Air Asia is a perfect example) is that you shop a fare online.

If you are months away from your departure, you generally get a very good deal.

As you get closer to the departure date, and many seats have been booked, the price goes up.

A day or so before the departure, if the airline still has a lot of seats....the price goes down. Counterintuitive, under the old regime, I know.

If you can post on a forum, know how to navigate the internet....really no reason to not utilize this system.

Zillions of sites out there. I did actually use a travel agent in CM for my last trip back to the US in August 09. Unbelievable deal roundtrip CNX-BKK-LAX return. So yeah, travel agents still can be heroes, sometimes. But when you understand how the booking system works (it is basically a fluid marketplace, with a constant pricing fluctuation, based on current bookings) you will not feel that what this agent said was untrue.

I waited 1 day, to buy a return booking from BKK-CNX....price went up 20% in one day.

That's just the way it works.

Thank you for the lecture.

I have been booking both on-line and using travel agents for over30 yrs so I know a litlle bit about the business and in another lifetime I had a shareholding in a small travel agency.

The flight I looked for, was BKK- LHR in late April, which I have flown approx.30 times, was quoted at 47,000 baht, rising to 57,000 baht if I didn't book immediatly.

The current on-line price for the same flight is

€ 776.46 Price breakdown converted at 1 EUR = 47.7271 THB = 37,058.17 THB

Price per person R/T (Taxes included)*1 PassengerOUTBOUND Saturday 17 April 2010 Bangkok (Bangkok ... 08:45London (Heathrow) United Kingdom & N. Ireland 18:15Etihad Airways Economy1 Stopover Bangkok (Bangkok ... 20:35London (Heathrow) United Kingdom & N. Ireland 07:20

(+ 1 day)Etihad Airways Economy1 Stopover INBOUNDThursday 29 April 2010 London (Heathrow) 09:10Bangkok (Bangkok ... Thailand 07:15

(+ 1 day)Etihad Airways Economy1 Stopover London (Heathrow) 21:20Bangkok (Bangkok ... Thailand 18:45

(+ 1 day)Etihad Airways Economy1 Stopover

I have reasons to book this with an agent, but this one wasn't very good.

[dindong]

OP, I don't have a recommendation for a TA in CR. Never have needed one here. However, I do use a company in BKK and have used them for several years with no complaint. I just e-mail a woman named Jane and tell her what I'm looking for. She replies, sends me some info, I commit to the plan I want and I'm on my way. She has gotten me around the world pretty nicely.

I do find a lot of the booking sites to be a pain and a time waster. That's why I don't use them. I much prefer to let someone else do it quicker for me. I have bounced some of the fares she has given me against the web offered fares and find that she does quite well by me.

If you want, I'll PM you with her e-mail address and you can see what she offers. I have e-mailed her from a variety of countries and she gets me on my way.

Here's an edit: I wanted to add that I have often had to change to my plans during trips and an e-mail to her has always smoothed my way without any fuss. She does a good job and has never gotten aggravated at me about my changes.

Hi.Thanks for the offer of help.

I will try to get a new local agent as I have some other requirements

[kandahar]

Okay. Good luck.

[sceadugenga]

Yeah, I suppose I'll miss Melody Travel as well.

I found the place across the road from the Old Dutch, or thereabouts, to be very similar in pricing.

I rarely resort to name calling when I'm transacting business, the people involved are usually only staff following company policy.

[mcgriffith]

dindong, didn't mean to preach, or ruffle your feathers.

Hard to tell sometimes when someone posts a query; some are newbs, some old hands.

I also have some 4 decades of travel experience. Used to do about 100K miles a year back in the 70's, and continued same to a lesser degree later.

Hope you find a new agent in CR, and let us know here!

[Limbo]

Many people including myself are in general satisfied with the services of the Indian gentleman with the nickname 'the turban'.

Also his staff is fluent in English and really knows how to find alternatives, special offers, the best possible connections, etc etc.

Very helpfull, both he and his staff.

It is rumoured though that these two are the most helpfull people out of the total of three 555!

Where?

Let's say you had this healthy kind of buffet at the Hotpot inside Api Square.

You go out, just cross the street, go twenty meters to the right and then, ten meters

around the corner to the left it is.

I think he was the first travel agent of Chiang Rai and remained the only one for many years.

So he knows which button to push.

Limbo

[mumbojumbo]

Many people including myself are in general satisfied with the services of the Indian gentleman with the nickname 'the turban'.

Also his staff is fluent in English and really knows how to find alternatives, special offers, the best possible connections, etc etc.

Very helpfull, both he and his staff.

It is rumoured though that these two are the most helpfull people out of the total of three 555!

Where?

Let's say you had this healthy kind of buffet at the Hotpot inside Api Square.

You go out, just cross the street, go twenty meters to the right and then, ten meters

around the corner to the left it is.

I think he was the first travel agent of Chiang Rai and remained the only one for many years.

So he knows which button to push.

Limbo

Think the name of the place is P&P Travel-used many times.

[chang35baht]

Before I started booking online I always used this shop. Gave lots of alternative airlines to let you choose from. There is no "by far and away the best TA in Chiang Rai". There are though the best ones that we`ve used.

PP Travel Mumbo. you were nearly right.

[dindong]

Before I started booking online I always used this shop. Gave lots of alternative airlines to let you choose from. There is no "by far and away the best TA in Chiang Rai". There are though the best ones that we`ve used.

PP Travel Mumbo. you were nearly right.

Thank you Mumbojumbo,Limbo and Chang 35 baht, good local info.without the sermon.

I shall contact the Indian gentleman.

[skybluestu]

Before I started booking online I always used this shop. Gave lots of alternative airlines to let you choose from. There is no "by far and away the best TA in Chiang Rai". There are though the best ones that we`ve used.

PP Travel Mumbo. you were nearly right.

Thank you Mumbojumbo,Limbo and Chang 35 baht, good local info.without the sermon.

I shall contact the Indian gentleman.

But if you're going to call him a liar don't tell him who recommended him to you.

[dindong]

Before I started booking online I always used this shop. Gave lots of alternative airlines to let you choose from. There is no "by far and away the best TA in Chiang Rai". There are though the best ones that we`ve used.

PP Travel Mumbo. you were nearly right.

Thank you Mumbojumbo,Limbo and Chang 35 baht, good local info.without the sermon.

I shall contact the Indian gentleman.

But if you're going to call him a liar don't tell him who recommended him to you.

Well you haven't recommended anyone so what's it to you.

All your contribution seems to be about is knocking me for calling a liar a liar and not putting up with bad service.

Why would I call the Indian gentleman a liar???????

[skybluestu]

Before I started booking online I always used this shop. Gave lots of alternative airlines to let you choose from. There is no "by far and away the best TA in Chiang Rai". There are though the best ones that we`ve used.

PP Travel Mumbo. you were nearly right.

Thank you Mumbojumbo,Limbo and Chang 35 baht, good local info.without the sermon.

I shall contact the Indian gentleman.

But if you're going to call him a liar don't tell him who recommended him to you.

Well you haven't recommended anyone so what's it to you.

All your contribution seems to be about is knocking me for calling a liar a liar and not putting up with bad service.

Why would I call the Indian gentleman a liar???????

I always book directly with the airline I want to travel with via their own website as I've always got cheaper prices that way than through agents so I can't recommend a specific agent to you, sorry. If I do hear of anywhere I'll be sure to let you know though.

And I didn't knock you, I just pointed out that the lady you called a liar could well have been telling the truth as prices often do change on a regular basis, often even in the space of just a few minutes, and so didn't deserve to be called a liar. But if that's how you do business then so be it, hope you get a good deal.

[soap]

This thread seems to have narrowed down to PP Travel and calling lady travel agents liars.

Up to 6 years ago i booked many times with the Indian Gentleman (Mr Songcran i think his name is)

First i would check the price of the ticket i wanted with a couple of Travel Agents in Chaingmai

there was never 500Baht difference in the price then i would go and see Mr Songcran at PP Travel

who would always match the price from Chaingmai.

The last time i called into PP Travel about 6 years ago Mr Songcran was not there and his wife dealt with me

i asked her for the price of the same ticket that Chaingmai had quoted.

her price was 3,000Bhat more than what i had been quoted by 2 Chaingmai agents but when she checked availability

she said that there was no availability for my return leg in the January (this was August when i asked ) but for 5,000Baht more

she could get me on the flight.

Those who know me know i am to much of a Gentleman (ha ha) to call any lady a liar so i just said thank you

and booked the next day for the price and availability i wanted with Travexnet .com who have a office in Chaingmai

with a excellent web site.

[dindong]

This thread seems to have narrowed down to PP Travel and calling lady travel agents liars.

Up to 6 years ago i booked many times with the Indian Gentleman (Mr Songcran i think his name is)

First i would check the price of the ticket i wanted with a couple of Travel Agents in Chaingmai

there was never 500Baht difference in the price then i would go and see Mr Songcran at PP Travel

who would always match the price from Chaingmai.

The last time i called into PP Travel about 6 years ago Mr Songcran was not there and his wife dealt with me

i asked her for the price of the same ticket that Chaingmai had quoted.

her price was 3,000Bhat more than what i had been quoted by 2 Chaingmai agents but when she checked availability

she said that there was no availability for my return leg in the January (this was August when i asked ) but for 5,000Baht more

she could get me on the flight.

Those who know me know i am to much of a Gentleman (ha ha) to call any lady a liar so i just said thank you

and booked the next day for the price and availability i wanted with Travexnet .com who have a office in Chaingmai

with a excellent web site.

again thanks for the info, I'll check them out.

[mcgriffith]

For what it is worth, there is also a P&P Travel in Chiang Mai.

I believe they may possibly be the same enterprise mentioned above. Owned by Indian-Thai people.

I have used them here. They are very good, with an honest reputation.

Their CM number is: 053 272 545-7, fax 053 279 261.

Hope this helps.