Can anyone tell me where to start with Thailand?

[Scroobius]

We're looking at going to a wedding in Thailand in August. The wedding is on Ko Chang so we are currently looking at staying there for a week's beach type holiday (any advice on where is very welcome).
The thing is even though we will have a 5 year old and 10 month old I really don't want to go all that way just for a week long beach holiday. I reckon we will probably spend another week or so in Thailand after the beach holiday, any recommendations on where to go/what to do? Bangkok would be on the list but not sure what is possible to do with young children there/how long we would need there.

Have a look at the Rough Guide website - they have a useful section on Bangkok with kids.

Consider the weather carefully - August is rainy season. West coast will be very very wet. Bangkok will be humid with some downpours, but it's a city so plenty of indoor stuff to do. East coast is least badly hit so I"d stick to there plus bangkok (maybe a day or overnight trip to ayutthaya) Ko chang itself is quite large and has elephants and waterfalls etc to visit.

Thanks, I'll have a look at the Rough Guide. I have just read about the weather seasons, ideally we wouldn't go in August but that is when the wedding is.

I've been in September which is also rainy season, it's not so bad. The main thing is to avoid the west coast and carry umbrellas or pack a macs! Plus, don't be too ambitious in your plans.

find an elephant sanctuary and take your 5 year old (a good one which is for the elephants as opposed to the tourists), memories and pictures you'll never forget.

I was hoping to do this imokit but how do I find one that is definitely there for rehabilitation of the elephants rather than tourist amusement? Lots of them seem to call themselves sanctuaries when reviews of them make them seem anything but.

Go to the Elephant Nature Park it's fab, you can do a overnight trip. I've volunteered there with the rescue dogs and cats and it's very well known (they have around four hundred rescue dogs and cats and many rescue elephants). Their office is located in central Chiang Mai and they drive you to the sanctuary around an hour away. If you stay overnight you may be able to walk the dogs. The food is amazing. Nothing better than having breakfast on the patio area watching the elephants you get to feed them lunch as well.