Thailand Books

Before I start, I should say that there isn't yet a good road map for Thailand. There are only a few map books available and none of them really had the detail that I wanted. Having said that, this is the best of the bunch and I use it every time I drive out of Bangkok. A few of the tourist attractions were wrongly located but at the end of the day I have to admit it didn't get me lost. In fact, after my map book got drenched when my hotel was flooded in Sukhothai I just went out and bought another copy of the same book.

I have been very frustrated many times trying to use maps in Thailand. When driving the difficult road signs and battling Bangkok highways and expressways can make navigating quite hellish. For anyone who wants to avoid getting lost on the way to a golf course- get yourself a driving map like this one which will show you where all the golf courses within a 2 hour drive of Bangkok city center are. There are about 60 courses listed and shown on the 2 maps (Bangkok and Pattaya) - there are loads of more courses not listed, but the main good ones are all on the map. Also has THAI on the map which is important if you have a Thai driver steering you about. Could be more comprehensive, but in the main its good.

I got alot out of this map- it fell apart in my hands after the 3rd day I used it to death! Its written and reviewed by a foreigner living in the city for many years so there is alot of local insight into Bangkok, Thai people, the way things work etc. I was happy to be prepared about all these places and things to do as well as those insider tips and top 10 things to do. Quite Funny as well in places. Thanks to the crew over there for makign what is a huge place seem easy to deal with. Ed C.

Well, "book is a reminder." I guess that's the most that comes to mind about this book. Whether you should purchase this book depends on what you're looking for. I purchased it in preparation for a vacation to Thailand, because I was going to be shopping for Thai style household items and wanted to get informed. Plus, I'm a sucker for a decorating coffee table book that everyone else doesn't already have. I visited the Jim Thompson House while in Bangkok, and so that's why the only thing that now comes to my mind is: the book is a reminder of what I saw.

Tepid impression now, I suppose. The book gives some background on Jim Thompson and how he revived the Thai silk industry, as well as information about the rare antique Thai treasures that he collected in his home, which is now a museum. If you're really interested in this aspect, in particular, this book may be for you. If you're interested in Thai style, I'm not sure I would recommend this book as a starting point. There are other Thai style books that I reach for again and again, while this book sits on a shelf, untouched. It's a nice book, but more of an expensive souvenir.

This is a beautiful book. Perfect for visitors to the region who are interested in visiting local temples ("wat") but do not know which ones to pick out from hundreds of them. This book is not all about temples, mind you. There are wonderful information on Lanna culture, history and places of interest for tourists as well.

In the centuries of interface with Thai cats and their origins, this is the first important work that brings the ancient Siam love of cats to the modern world. This book is a responsible and throughly academic account of Thai Cat breeds from ancient manuscripts. Bravo Martin!

After an historical overview of the upper-Mekong region this book provides four case studies that illustrate the growth in cross Mekong trade over the past decade. The case studies examine cross river boat operators, long distance truck and boat operators, long distance traders and the export trade in Lao timber. My favorite was the study of long distance traders, which illustrates how Lao women have come to play an important part in this trade. The study of cross river boat operators is also a detailed ethnographic account of life on the border. The theoretical perspective on regulation (while I did not agree with it at times) provides a productive new approach to the study of national borders. The author's claim that open borders can be more regulated that the closed borders they have replaced is bound to spark some interesting debate. This is a valuable book for those with an interest in the Mekong region, borders and the ethnography of northern Thailand and Laos.

This book was very informative about different foods that kids around the world eat and like. It is a great teaching tool! It's got great color photos and easy to understand text. It even includes recipes so that other kids can try some of the favorites.

A nice big coffee table book. Beautiful photographs as usual from Tettoni of traditional Thai-style architecture and interiors. A lot of dark carved wood interiors and peaked roof-lines so would be of less interest to those looking for a more Contemporary look. My main thought when reading this book was that it's good that the traditional (mainly teak wood) houses are being documented in books like this before they disappear, as they are. (I lived in Thailand for 10 years during the 90's.)

The classic work on Thailand's mammals with keys, descriptions and distributions for all species. Sadly limited to two printings of 1000 each and hard to get. Like all such books, somewhat dated as knowledge increases. Pertinent to adjacent countries to varying degrees.