I like asking questions on here as you are friendly and gentle with me
Have booked our flights for Bangkok for April, we have 4 nights at the Rikka inn on Khao san road. then taking internal flights going to Phuket for 10 nights staying at centara karon resort, Karon beach.then back to bangkok for a night before returning home, (that hotel not booked yet).
what are our transport options when staying around Khao san road area, I dont think we are near the sky train or underground?
Are we pretty safe if we book a tour when we are out there from shop front tour agencies? I am imagining this will be a bit like turkey
Any recommendations for the best market to go to? I like looking at bags, t shirts etc, doesnt have to be biggest but good variety.
We would also like to attempt to travel around on the river, any suggestions as to wher we can do that? I would quite like to go to chinatown.
We had wanted to do Elephant trekking and tiger temple but after reading of possible cruelty, we wont be putting our money into those activities. On the same kind of note, i read about the fishy pedicures! thought it may be an idea then read somewhere its cruel, so thats knocked on the head now too :(.
Once we get to Karon i am dumbfounded, are there plenty of places to get food? can we get taxis to different areas. i had even considered changing our hotel so we could stay in patong, which doesnt really appeal but sounds as though there is variety.
I am really excited we are doing this, I am quite nervous of getting a tummy bug out there, but that had been my fear in egypt and I was fine, Im just cautious, staying away from the unknowns.
Sorry if I have garbled any help really is appreciated.
hugs la
Use the tourist bus for your first day- a bit more expensive but I think its worth it. You can easily access a lot of spots, including Chinatown, Grand Palace and Temple of the Dawn. As Sunbear has also said, you can access the skytrain at Central Pier to reach other places. 
