Need Recommendation For Reputable Pattaya Travel Agent

[topt]

GM Tour and Travel in LK metro.

I used them in Feb on advice of a Thai who uses them a lot. Had to change my return from UK and using them appears to have saved me quite a lot on the airlines normal charge for changes.

I have to say they weren't the most responsive when replying to emails however.

[just_another_guy]

I would never use a travel agent in Pattaya, just asking for trouble. Book yourself over the web.

I agree with Chris2004. Don’t bother with Travel Agents in Pattaya. Either buy on-line or at the airline office. There are no safe guards that I know of and it isn’t fun to find out at “check-in” that your “printed ticket from the Travel Agent” is fake.

It’s been 8 or 9 years ago but there was/is a travel agency that claimed to have 21 offices in the Pattaya area---I don’t remember the actual name of the company.

I booked a ticket for Thai air (paid cash) and they gave me the printed ticket and even included the fancy Thai purple envelope. Arrived at the check-in counter at Thai Air a few days later and was told this ticket is no good.

Several phone calls later I finally get the lady who sold me the ticket and she says “sorry but you farang and have money so you can just buy another ticket at the airport and when you come back to Pattaya, we will send your money to your bank account."

Needless to say it was over three weeks before they deposited my money into my bank account but not before I called the manager 2 times at 3 in the morning waking her up------ before she got so angry she finally deposited my “stolen money” into my bank account.

Luckly this was a domestic flight and I was back in Pattaya within 4 days. I cannot imagine if this had been on a return flight overseas and finding out the ticket issued by the travel agent was fake.

CAVEAT EMPTOR

[mike2011]

@just+another+guy

could that have been joy travel? I walked into their office near the intersection saisong and pattaya tai. Well, never ever booked with them. Was around the time of your adventure.

[Beardog]

I use Srithong travel (formerly Joy travel) on Pattay Klang around soi 14 on Pattaya klang. I have used the company when it was Joy & now the new owners- 6 years. They are excellent & automaticaly try to get you the best deals they can. I go to the states every year. I wanted to chang my flights & had a question & left a message for them & they took care of the change (which on EVA it's free) & then called me back while I was in the U.S. EVA air is real hard to get a hold of in Sanfranciso....They only take calls from 10pm till 12 pm. This year they got me the flights I wanted.Same flight as always for the arrival times & theey were able to get me 5300 baht off the usual price! I was stoked while everyone is going up they found the obscure flight for less. EVA didn't offer on the website. A lot of times the web is convenient but a travel agent has the inside IATA codes on the Saber system & get different figures than the major websites that would rather not tell you the best deal. Here they make so little on commisions that it is almost a bad decision to go on the web when they do all the legwork & can save you money on booking. The owner owns the condo next door so they are there all the time. Impressive that they would call the U.S. for me. No one else will go the extra mile for customers like that.

I used to work as a travel agent many moons ago & there is a huge difference in the blocks that are alloted to each company. so if the agent is just punching a clock you wind up with the same orbitz-expedia- chaep air etc. price whereas a smaller non web agency will try harder to get better deals to get your business. I use both in the U.S. I use the web. No difference in price there since they made it a straight up to $50.00 a ticket.Does not matter if it is a 16 segment ticket or a one way $50.00 max but in Thailand for the 200-300 baht I let them find the deal & it always comes out to the same price or less that I would get online.