Bangkok B&B, driver

For our stay in Bangkok, Thailand, during an independent trip to Southeast Asia, my husband, Earl, and I followed the recommendation of an ITN reader (“Woman Driver in Bangkok,” April ’12, pg. 32) and contacted Rat of Rat Service (phone [66] 08 9108 2170, email rat_bkk@yahoo.com). 

Rat now owns a B&B (747/3 Soi Sudprasert 8, Chareun Rat 8 Rd., Bangkok 10120; phone 02 675 2170 or the Rat Service number), where we stayed Nov. 22-26, 2012. We paid THB1,200 (near $40) per night for the two of us, which included a cooked-to-order breakfast.

The B&B is in a neighborhood convenient to walking to the Asiatique shopping mall and public transportation. On some days, Rat gave us instructions on how to use the river taxi, subway, Skytrain or tuktuks to visit local attractions, such as the Grand Palace. We also had her drive us on excursions. 

We had outings to Kanchanaburi (for the bridge over the River Kwai), Ayutthaya and the Tiger Temple (where we petted tigers). 

We also went to the Maeklong Railway Market in Samut Songkhram. At this farmers’ market, produce is laid out on mats next to the railroad tracks, with customers walking between the rails. Several times a day, a policeman blows a whistle and waves a flag, the signal for shoppers to move and for merchants to fold back the awnings and move some of the fruits and vegetables back a little until the train passes, then activity resumes.

For Rat’s services as a driver/guide in a sedan, but not including gas or admissions, we paid about $90 per day for the two of us. For the ride from the airport to the B&B, she charged us $25.

BARBARA McINTOSH

Roseville, CA