Thai: Availability of places to stay

Hey (=

I'm going to backpack my way trough Thaiand from mid-January to March, and I was wondering if anybody had first hand experience of staying in Thailand (both tourist Mekkas, and more natuaral areas) during these months.

I'm attempting to bind myself as little as possible, so i was wondering if all places are completetly full druing these months, or if it it possible to, as an example, jump on a bus and just find a place to stay when you get to whatever location.

I'm at least going to Ko Sumai, Bangkok and Chang Mai at least, and all these are, as I understand it, very full...

As a backpacker, we're talking as cheap as possible here, but not completely slum. Say 300-600 Baht.

Mvh: - Knut S.

The places nearest the ports and airports get busy but there is always somewhere to stay. I got a brick-built beach hut with aircon for 400 baht per night on Koh Samui; Boh Phut(sp).

Get the taxi drivers to drive you round a few places.

I'm not sure about Thailand, but IME taxi drivers are the same the world over.....unless Thai is an aberration, it's a bad idea to put your accommodation in the hands of a taxi driver....first, the hotel owner is probably going to be paying him a commission which limits your negotiating room. Second, in rare instances the driver will know that you're a first-timer, probably an inexperienced traveler, and thus a potential target (particularly if he knows how long you're staying). The latter would be very rare, but it's been known to happen.