Sawasdee Khrup, TV CM Friends,

I'm disappointed this year; usually I have at least one guest from abroad during Loy Krathong. But, in two cases this year, friends of mine, planning to come over, were put-off by the flooding reports, even though I assured them that beloved Chiang Mai is high and dry. Maybe it was the fact their tickets went through BKK, and they could get a refund, or credit, that "tipped the scales" (I'm not clear on the ticket details) ?

I am curious if the usual hikes in hotel and guest-house rates for this Loy Krathong limnal time at hand have gone up, and also curious to know if anyone has observed any changes in air-fares, say from Singapore to Chiang Mai, etc. LA<=>BKK ?

And occupancy: are flooded-outs coming here in large numbers and occupying ?

thanks, ~o:37;

It is customary for hotels to charge high season rates usually starting in October to March for the tourist season.

Chiang Mai is dry, but there seems to be an awful increase in vehicles on the road this time of year--I have noticed many license plates from Bangkok. With the over abundance of hotels and guest houses here, it should not be difficult at all to get a room at all, but the rates are in high season mode.