Hi everyone
I am going top be in Thailand from 3rd February to 27th February 2006, i can't wait!
I planned to go to Pattaya for 4 days then Bangkok for about 3 days, i have read plenty about both these places and am looking forward to Pattaya especially.
Then i am going to Ko Samui for a few days and Ko Phagnan for the full moon party. I have not seem much information on these places, especially Ko Phangnan, are there many girls, what sort of price?
I will have about a week left after the above before i fly home, are there any other destinations you would recommed i visit? As this is my first time here i wish to see some of the sights as well as the hot girls?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated and i am travelling alone so if anyone is going to be there and fancies meeting for a few beers please drop us a line.
Also i see alot of you hire motorbikes, what is the law with regards this, i have a full uk car licence but not a motorbike licence?
I look forward to hearing from you all.

My two pence:

First, I don't think you're devoting enough mongering time to BKK and Pattaya. Only 7 days? Even if you do want to do some other traveling in the country, you should increase your allocation for those two to at least 12 days. That still leaves you 12 days for the other stuff.

Ko Samui does have a small girl scene, but the numbers and quality will be nothing like the big two. Many guys bring girls from BKK and Pattaya with them to Samui and play "honeymoon" at the nice resorts there. Ko Phangnan will have no girl scene at all. It really is a BYOG kind of place.

Since you'll be down there, you might want to look into Krabi, Phuket and so on. Chiang Mai is also nice for a cultural visit.

It's no problem renting scooters and motorbikes. No license required. The rental places will photocopy your passport (some will actually ask to keep your passport as collateral: do not give it to them - just say photocopy and they'll relent).

Last tip: start saving your money for the second trip, as your life will be forever changed. Southeast Asia is worse than crack as far as addictiveness goes.

I agree with Murasaki's last comment!! I got home from my first trip and immediately booked TWO return trips.

I went to Samui on my first trip for two nights. I do recommend it, I found enough girls there to keep me happy (of course, I choose attitude first and looks second, I'm not as hung up on "stunners" as some on this board). Smaller p4p, yes, adequate though. Massage places for daytime fun. It's a tropical paradise, I'm trying to tear myself away from Pattaya as I write to go there for a few days.

Murasaki and Hunterman thank you for your advice.

Although you're arriving in what is supposed to be the less rainy season, you might want to hang loose on travel arrangements to Samui and Ko Phagnan, and check the weather before making definite plans. I just bagged my Samui trip because it's supposed to be raining the rest of the week/weekend there. You can always book tickets in BKK or Pattaya, and there are many hotels to choose from (although I don't know if they tend to be booked ahead of time).

One thing to note is that overseas (at least asian) airlines don't fuck you over on price for last minute tix, like airlines do here in the States. So last minute planning isn't as big a deal. Now hotel availability in places like BKK can be an issue.