Ideal three weeks in Thailand?

[michaelmartins]

We're going to Thailand for three weeks in January and would really appreciate some advice on the best places to visit and the best route around the country.

Which methods of transport would be best? Would it be best to book transport and all hotels before we go?

Ideally we'd prefer to not spend too much time travelling so we're thinking flying within Thailand may be best.

What's the best way to take money, cash or card?

How would your ideal three weeks in Thailand be spent?

Thanks for any advice you can give.

Mike, John and Lisa

[michaelmartins]

Thanks for all your help. The pictures are great!

Here's our planned itinerary:
day 1: Arrive at Bangkok in the afternoon
day 2: Get the train to kanchunaburi and spend 5 nights there
day 8: travel back to Bangkok for one night
day 9: fly to phuket and spend the next 9 days visiting various Islands/sunbathing/partying
day 18: fly back to Bangkok for three nights
shop and do touristy things
day 21: fly home

How does this sound to you experienced Thailand goers?

We're planning on not booking the train to Kanchunaburi and just getting tickets on the day, would this be ok?

We're also not planning anything between arriving in Phuket and leaving for Bangkok. We'll book the first few day's hotel in Phuket then wing it after that as we're not sure on where we'll want to go and we'd like a bit of freedom with that. Would this be ok in January? Will hotels be booked up or easy to find?

Thanks for any more help you can give!

[michaelmartins]

So it's looking like 5 days in Kanchanaburi is going to be too many. So if we were to do 3 nights there then travelled to Ayutthaya for a night or two, then took a boat trip back to Bangkok, do you think this would be a better option?

Is there anywhere else not to far from Kanchanaburi and Bangkok we could visit for a day or two?

again, thanks for the help.