Product Description

Part of the "Travel Survival Kits" series, this guide covers history, language, culture, accommodation, sights and cuisine.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1496297 in Books
• Published on: 1997-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 800 pages

Amazon.com Review
What makes Thailand so special? For one thing, it is the only country in Southeast Asia that has never been colonized by a foreign power. Though certainly influenced by the West, it has never had its culture or its political systems run over by outsiders--a fate suffered by all of its neighbors, from Vietnam to Indonesia. Thus Thailand is a curious mixture of Western entrepreneurial spirit, tough-minded Thai individualism, and a deep reverence for tradition. All this makes Thailand an ideal place to visit, a country bursting with natural beauty, famous for the hospitality of its people, and equipped with all the modern conveniences: a national transportation system, up-to-date urban centers, and an exciting cultural milieu, from historical sites to a booming nightlife. In fact, there's so much going on in Thailand that a good guidebook is absolutely essential, and Lonely Planet Thailand is one of the best.

Written by a former Peace Corps volunteer to Thailand who is deeply conversant in the country's language, culture, and history, Thailand offers travelers the most up-to-date information about which places to go and which to avoid, how to get there and get around once you're there, and how to keep yourself healthy and safe. Thailand tells you everything you need to know for a rewarding tour of a fascinating land.

Customer Reviews

very useful guide to a unique Thailand experience
Thoroughly dissatisfied with our original travel guide we were lucky enough to get Joe Cumming's "travel-bible" as a present in the middle of our journey. It really made a huge difference and turned our holidays into a unique experience. The descriptions of accommodation facilities turned out to be amazingly accurate and the numerous tips regarding means of travel were extremely helpful indeed. This truly comprehensive and well written guide provided us with very useful recommendations regarding travel routes, accommodation, and sightseeing while at the same time offering a thorough insight into the country's political, socio-economic and cultural background. However, one should not mistake it for a scientific essay but take it for what it is: A practical travel guide. Going by "Tuk Tuk" in Bangkok is a great experience but take Cumming's warning seriously and beware of drivers trying to guide you to cheap "promotion outlets" since these are nothing but tourist traps! The LP is an essential guide to getting around and finding interesting spots in Thailand and leads you safely to cheap but decent accommodation in almost every part of the country.

Very Comprehensive and Useful
We recently returned from a two week, self-organized tour of Thailand and Laos. Joe's books were our "Bible". We had family reasons for visiting Roi-Et, an out-of-the-way provincial capital in the northeast. We found very useful maps and descriptions even here. His warning about touts at the Chiang Mai bus station was right on, but beware even if you choose your own taxi driver and hotel (ours tried to guide us to a "better deal"). Another warning: An overnight bus ride in the winter can be like being in a refrigerator if the air con won't turn off. The low to medium priced hotels we chose from his guide for Bangkok, Chiang Mia, Khonkaen, and Vientiane (Laos guide) were all excellent. The recommended Khonkaen Silk Festival was really great, both the silk clothing and the Maw Lam music. One omission that we enjoyed (1 km jeep track & 1 km hike): The Borichinda Cave just inside the entrance to Doi Inthanon National Park.

Excellent single source guide
I just returned from my latest trip to Thailand where I used the latest copy of Joe Cummings' guide. As always it's excellent; reflecting the expertise you'd expect from somebody who's lived there for so long. His writing style is informed and he doesn't gloss over important details that aren't always positive. There's nothing worse than a guidebook that reads like Conde Nast Traveller. If you can't travel with Joe, the next best thing is to buy a copy of his guidebook. He's found places nobody else has found throughbout the country including on the back streets of Bangkok.