Thailand forum

Nine days in Bangkok is a long time just for Bangkok! You could take a few days in Chiang Mai as well or even take a 2 hour bus to Pattaya where the hotels and transportation are cheaper.

You don't have to book tours ahead of time. In Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Phuket you can get tours from local travel agencies. There are a lot of travel agencies with a menu selection of tours to choose from. Tour company picks you up at your hotel and will return you there at the end of the trip. Find a tour one day and leave the next day. Sometimes find an afternoon tour or evening dinner cruise in the morning and leave the same day.

Sign up for tours as you need them. Sometimes you can do many things on your own. Tours are easy after you get to Thailand. Take the time now to get suggestions for hotels (mention price range) and decide on what area to stay at in Bangkok.

Up to you!

"But it is always better to bookyour trip ahead of your visit as it saves time and you can get gooddeals"

I disagree. I meet people all the time here in Chiang Mai where I live, who have pre-booked their Thai holidays at some Bangkok agency where they paid way too much and were given travel documents that either proved worthless or far short of what was promised. Thailand is very much a pay-as-you-go destination. Just get here and check it out, and pay/book as close to the source as possible. If you do use agents, compare 2 or 3 before booking to get a fair shake.

In my experience daytrips out of Bangkok are too rushed and superficial. Since you have 9 days I would say go spend a couple nights in Kanchanaburi and visit the local sites by day. Also maybe a couple nights in Ayutthaya to visit the ancient ruins, or a couple days on Ko Samet for some nice beach time. Any of these options are easy to arrange on your own, but again if using agents compare a few upon arrival to make sure you know what prices should be.