Product Description

Welcome to two of the world's most fascinating and seductive places. Going far beyond the standard eat-sleep-sightsee-history-culture-budget approach to travel, The Treasures and Pleasures of Thailand and Myanmar introduces you to the richly rewarding world of travel-shopping.

Designed for discerning travelers who enjoy exploring roads less traveled, meeting local talent, and discovering the best a country has to offer visitors, this guidebook literally takes you on an adventure of a lifetime. Indeed, it may well change your life as it has hundreds of others who have used the authoritative books in the Impact Guides series.

Charming, colorful, and chaotic, exotic Thailand and Myanmar are filled with unique treasures and pleasures that will touch your life forever. Visit these neighboring Southeast Asian countries and you'll discover intriguing lands of exceptionally friendly and gracious people, talented craftspeople, bustling cities and towns, picturesque countrysides, idyllic beaches and villages, colorful festivals, exciting cuisine, gorgeous hotels and resorts, fun activities, and fascinating cultures.

Thailand and Myanmar also are shopping paradises where you can literally "shop til you drop" and still want to come back for more.

Representing the first "how-to" travel-shopping guide for these destinations, the book unravels in enormous detail the many hidden treasures and pleasures of Thailand and Myanmar.

Focusing on the "best of the best" of Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and nine other locations in Thailand, as well as Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan, and Inle Lake in Myanmar, two seasoned travel-shoppers explore key markets, shops, factories, department stores, shopping centers, studios, and homes for acquiring quality arts, antiques, furniture, jewelry, textiles, clothes, handicrafts, and home decorative items.

Combining great shopping with fine restaurants, hotels, sightseeing, and entertainment, this insightful book represents the ultimate lifestyle adventure. Like a personal local guide, the book introduces you to quality products, outstanding buys, and talented, interesting, and friendly people.

Special highlights of this guidebook include:
- 24 key shopping rules (14 for Thailand, 10 for Myanmar)
- 12 rules for effectively bargaining
- Tips for buying gems, jewelry, and tailoring services
- Savvy shipping methods and shippers
- Scams, rip-offs, and commission games
- Popular cosmetic surgery services in Bangkok
- Approaching "politically incorrect" Myanmar
- Fortune tellers in Yangon to discover your "good luck"
- Shopping for illegal goods and using the black market

Jam-packed with seasoned strategies, tips, advice, and detailed contact information complete with the names, addresses, phone/fax numbers, e-mails, websites, maps, and photos of the best places to shop, dine, and relax this rich and reliable resource will become your special passport to places that will forever enrich your life!

Foreword by William Warren, a leading authority on Thai history and culture. 11 maps, 39 color photos, and 185 black and white photos.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #463727 in Books
• Published on: 2004-12-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 27
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Review
"...An absolute 'must-have' for international travelers looking to obtain quality goods or souvenirs from Thailand at a reasonable price." -- Midwest Book Review

About the Author
Ron and Caryl Krannich are two of America's leading career and travel writers who have authored more than 80 books. Their career books focus on key job search skills, military and civilian career transitions, government and international careers, travel jobs, and nonprofit organizations. As both career and travel experts, the Krannichs' work is frequently featured in major newspapers, magazines, and newsletters as well as on radio, television, and the Internet. This book is another volume in their Impact Guides series.

Customer Reviews

An absolute "must-have" for international travelers
The Treasures And Pleasures Of Thailand And Myanmar: Best Of The Best In Travel And Shopping is an absolute "must-have" for international travelers looking to obtain quality goods or souvenirs from Thailand at a reasonable price. Intended as a supplementary resource and not a general-purpose travel guide, The Treasures And Pleasures Of Thailand And Myanmar focuses specifically upon obstacles, negotiation techniques, and tips and tricks for those interested in shopping for everything from gemstones to textiles to artworks and much more. From learning how to walk away from the "touts" that try to lure tourists into overpriced stores (overpriced because the store must pay the tout a 10% to 40% commission for the service!), to a step-by-step introduction to the art of haggling, to knowing how to avoid paying thousands of dollars for what might be a cheap knock-off gemstone, to why even the locals may not always obtain the best deals (some shopkeepers can give tourists a lower price than their repeat local customers - who would expect the same bargain every time they walked through the door) to dealing with cultural differences and much more, The Treasures And Pleasures Of Thailand And Myanmar zeroes in on exactly what the money-conscious tourist in Thailand needs to know.

Excellent antique shopping aid!
My partner and I just went to Thailand( Bangkok and Chiang Mai) for some hardcore antique shopping spree to decorate our house and expanded our collection. The information given was very useful and of course along the way we found more little shops not covered in the book. But the book definitely directs you to the right neighborhoods as far as antique goes(what we were after)
I highly recommend it to people who are after quality goods wether it's jewelry or furniture or antique or whatever. and Thailand has SO MUCH to offer!!!