I had a wonderful experience with Joke as a guide. We spent 3 days together, and we tailored a great experience after discussing what to see and do. He has a deep respect and good knowledge for Thai culture, and I learned so much. Sure, one can use a guide book (I usually tour solo and research everything myself), but Joke explained all the places we went in detail, and covered so much more that one doesn’t find in a guide book, like info about local politics, the economy, the day to day life of the average Thai, and so on.
Being a physician, he took me to 2 hospital complexes, where we stopped and chatted with various medical personnel, learning more about medical care in Thailand. Plus, since he knew I was interested in seeing local life devoid of tourist areas, we went through many back streets, smaller local markets, tried various street foods. He was equally wonderful on a day trip out of Bangkok, and arranged a long day catering to my interest in seeing wildlife, a nice forest trek at Erawan Falls, etc. Our 3 days together were truly a delightful experience, a far richer experience than using a guide book, and I wholeheartedly recommend Joke. I can honestly say what started as a guide ended up as a friend.
