[Dottore]

+1 for heading north. Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai - and then into Vientiane and particularly Luang Prabang for a complete time warp and unforgettable experience. Asia as it was fourty years ago.

A really nice thing to do from Bangkok is to rent a converted rice barge - and have this towed upriver to Ayutthya by a small tug boat. These barges are very luxurious, the pace is slow, and you can either have meals served on board or stop at riverside restaurants. This is a very civilized way to travel. You see Thailand from the river - which is a great perspective. And this won't break the bank