Gay guide from BKK to River Kwai

Hi all,

We are two gay guys from London visiting next month. Can anyone recommend a friendly, cute, English speaking Thai who would be willing to act as a gay guide for a day trip to The Bridge over the River Kwai?

Also can anyone recommend the best way to do it? Train or private car? How much should we pay?

All recommendations/tips welcome.

Many thanks

Tim

Going by car is straightforward. The roads are very good. And you need a car there especially if you want to visit Hellfire Pass (which you should) as it's some way out.

Quote from Wiki:

There are no longer any trains running on this stretch of the line. The nearest railway station is at Nam Tok, where trains of the State Railway of Thailand can be taken for a trip over the famous Whampo Viaduct and across the bridge over the River Kwai to Kanchanaburi, which is the nearest major town and tourist base. Visitors to the museum usually base themselves in Kanchanaburi. It is possible to roll into one day a trip to the Erawan Waterfall in the morning, followed by a visit to Hellfire Pass and its museum in the afternoon, and then catch the train back to Kanchanaburi to cross the famous bridge around sunset.

There is a museum co-sponsored by the Thai and Australian governments at the site to commemorate the suffering of those involved in the construction of the railway. It was opened by the then Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard. As a part of the museum experience, it is possible to walk through the cutting itself and along a section of the former railway track bed. An audio tour including recorded memories of surviving POWs is available at the museum.

[ceejay]

I used this guide for a trip to the Kwai Bridge:

http://www.thailandhorizons.com/tours

Oat is gay (had some useful information on the bars around Patpong for example) and he's a really nice guy.

You'll pass through Kanchanaburi on the way. Visit the allied War Cemetery there. It is a moving experience.

[fedssocr]

I can recommend Phil in Bangkok
http://www.philguidebkk.com/bridgeovert ... _kwai.aspx (http://www.philguidebkk.com/bridgeovertheriver_kwai.aspx)

He's a nice guy, very organized, university educated, licensed guide who knows a lot about a lot. He is an expert in Thai culture and plants. His English is excellent and he spent some time living in Switzerland. He's arranging a tour for me to Sukhothai for Loy Krathong for several days that I am really looking forward to.

There's also the old stand-by Purple Dragon tours which has day trips and 3 day trips
http://www.purpledrag.com/thailand/kanchan.htm

[lonelywombat]

This guide was recommended to me. It appears to be the same guy that ceejay posted about but a different link

http://www.dragoncastle.net/community/oats-tours

[TrongpaiExpat]

You can take a train from Bangkok Noi Thonburi railway station to Kanchanburi. The ChaoPraya river boats stop there.
Tour and hotel touts will be at the station in Kanchanburi, often cheaper than what you can arrange in Bangkok.

The bus from Bangkok leaves from the Southern Bus Terminal and is faster but less fun and scenic then the train.

There's also mini van service from Kao San road, not recommended.

You can also rent a car in Bangkok and drive yourself. Find a boy that your compatible with off him for a few nights and just take off. Good luck finding the right boy and one that wants to travel.

Erawan National Park/waterfalls is a must. Forget the cheesy museums in town, hellfire is the exception but you better be fit to make the climb down and back up. Fitness required at Erawan too to make it up to the 7th level. Level 1 to 3 are not so strenuous.

I have been to this area many times. Just recently I bought some discounted room vouchers for someplace called Duenshine Resort. I have never seen the place in person but the display photos at the travel fair looked nice and was a good discount. Anyone know of this place?

Duenshine Resort (http://www.duenshine.com/)

Thank you all for taking the time to post.

Tim

[lo-so]

.....and without prejudice

http://www.tigertemple.org/Eng/

yum yum yum...

In vino veritas.