Books About Thailand

[lannarebirth]

The main difference is that status is changable, caste is not.

I don't mean to sound nit picky but there really is a world of difference. I agree whole heartedly about the question of perception, however in Thailand a man or woman has the chance, no matter how difficult, to break his or her status.

I should have added that thet the way Thais have corrupted the Buddhist concept of karma to suggest lower social stratas are deserving of their station feeds these perceptions. You do make a valid point however. There is a distinction given one's ability to change their station in life; difficult as that is.

[wilko]

A friend recommended a new book called "Very Thai", it is large coffee table size book, I haven't seen it myself but she loved it. She said it explains all those little things about Thailand that expats have always wondered about.

Like: it is Al Pacino as Serpico on the big trucks, apparently it is supposed to send a message to the police that the drivers are on to the police corruption, just like Serpico.

Lots of other little factoids too, apparently. I love useless esoteric knowledge like that, I will be sure to keep an eye out for it!

Read it...great book! Especially if you're into vernacular culture. Quite well referenced too. Walking/traveling about Thailand has a lot more meanig to me now.

[Mossfinn]

Thank you for FINALLY gettting back on topic!!!!

Enough of the private arguments guys, shall we try to discuss books in a civilised fashion without resorting to name calling and flaming???

There is another one out there called "forget you had a daughter" which I read partway through. Never finished it as I found her excuses for smuggling to be bs and got fairly disgusted with her whole atttitude. Apparently it gets better later on but I never could get past the first chapter.

It does get better later, once you get past the excuses, she has been doing the rounds on TV and book talks as well, not sure if she is doing well out of it though.

Also didn't finish it as it got leant out before I did, but the content is a good enough example of why it is a h_ll of a good reason not to smuggle drugs.

Moss

[Ulysses G.]

The main difference is that status is changable, caste is not.

I don't mean to sound nit picky but there really is a world of difference. I agree whole heartedly about the question of perception, however in Thailand a man or woman has the chance, no matter how difficult, to break his or her status.

Usually by marrying a particularly stupid farang and taking him for all he is worth!

[naresuan]

Liked 'Platform ', still trying to get through 'Jasmine Nights' ,like it so far, and Fieldings used to publish a guide book which was a great guide to the nightlife areas. Lent it to someone and never got it back!! cant find it in any book shops now!!!

[eljeque]

I found his book sprinkled between the many other books on sex-tourism and prostitution on Amazon. It is the story of a 13-year old runaway who got into the sex-tourist industry. It is nothing like the other books on the Pattaya and Thailand. It is the girl's point of view and it is No-Holds-Barred.

I pulled this from the book:

The Title:

“Only 13”

A Young Victim of Thailand’s Prolific Sex Tourist Industry Speaks Out

Only 13 will enlighten the reader to the status of females in rural Esarn, Thailand.

One will learn what it is like:

*To be born female in a land where “Women are pawns in times of need.”

*To sell one’s virginity at the age of 14.

*To be a girl who becomes involved in the sex-tourist trade for seven years to compensate for her father’s death—only to learn that her sacrifice will never win her mother’s love.

*To be only 15 and paid by the man she loves to have an abortion instead of his baby.

*To be only 18 and attempt suicide to escape forever the life of a teenage prostitute.

*To flee the sex-tourist scene of Thailand for prostitution in Germany, and be faced with the consequences of more poor choices, before escaping to Sweden and becoming a stripper.

*One will learn what it is like to be Lon.

She speaks with the powerful and determined voice of an activist bringing to light the injustice that she and many other girls from her background have suffered.

A survivor’s story, sociology lecture, cross-cultural lesson, humanities discussion, the story’s impact will make you think, and re-examine your own views regardless of where you stand on many issues concerning poverty, prostitution and women in SE Asia.