Hi

I'm looking for reading material from a well or highly regarded writer/social commentator who writes about everyday Thailand in a warts and all style, commentaries should be supported with evidence of there findings i.e statistics etc so to be factually correct.

Does anyone know of any authors or books where I should start?

Is anyone even ALLOWED to write of commentate in the media like that?

Stickman

http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/

Start by subscribing to The Nation every day and seeing which columnist you like.

John Burdett - Author - Bangkok 8 and it's sequels.

Should be a first read for anyone coming to or thinking of wanting to move to Thailand. Excellent.

http://www.john-burdett.com/bangkok-8/

TV's very own Thommo P, read his posts and you will be up to speed in no time.

oooppps sorry, after re-reading I assume you are looking for on going commentary.......have you tried thai visa dot com...just kidding

By far, my pick is Voranai Vanijaka over at the Bangkok Post. His column is every Wed and Sun. No one else comes close to his cogent insights in society and politics in the English language press.

Stickman

http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/

5555555

By far, my pick is Voranai Vanijaka over at the Bangkok Post. His column is every Wed and Sun. No one else comes close to his cogent insights in society and politics in the English language press.

5555555

By far, my pick is Voranai Vanijaka over at the Bangkok Post. His column is every Wed and Sun. No one else comes close to his cogent insights in society and politics in the English language press.

5555555

Not a Voranai fan Jay?

Is anyone even ALLOWED to write of commentate in the media like that?

NO!!!!!

By far, my pick is Voranai Vanijaka over at the Bangkok Post. His column is every Wed and Sun. No one else comes close to his cogent insights in society and politics in the English language press.

Definitely - US educated and from a very well placed family which allows him a bit of protection. He's also a fantastic guest speaker and a real nice guy. His piece on Thai modern feudalism was one of the most insightful I've read on Thai society.

Stickman

http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/

5555555

+1. I'll agree with that. (Note to the new folks and the uninformed, which is who said writer preaches to -- from what I understand, 55555 is the Thai version of "hahahaha".)

Stickman

http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/

5555555

+1. I'll agree with that. (Note to the new folks and the uninformed, which is who said writer preaches to -- from what I understand, 55555 is the Thai version of "hahahaha".)

Really ???? I've been living and working in SE Asia for the last 17 years, in a number of different countries, and I still enjoy reading his weekly columns. I guess we're not all as smart and clued-up as you are though .

And rather than criticising other members posts, why don't you suggest an alternative ?

I've read a number of books written by expats about livingin BKK / Thailand and found most of them disappointing.

I enjoyed this one though:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bangkok-Days-Lawrence-Osborne/dp/0099535971

Stickman

http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/

5555555

+1. I'll agree with that. (Note to the new folks and the uninformed, which is who said writer preaches to -- from what I understand, 55555 is the Thai version of "hahahaha".)

Really ???? I've been living and working in SE Asia for the last 17 years, in a number of different countries, and I still enjoy reading his weekly columns. I guess we're not all as smart and clued-up as you are though .

And rather than criticising other members posts, why don't you suggest an alternative ?

Maybe the fact that his site caters to the lowest common denominator blinds me to his genius

By far, my pick is Voranai Vanijaka over at the Bangkok Post. His column is every Wed and Sun. No one else comes close to his cogent insights in society and politics in the English language press.

5555555

Not a Voranai fan Jay?

I don't disagree with 2uniques summary below but despite this his perception is skewed.He is very much tied to the old regime and although while interesting and worth reading shouldn't be relied on.

John Burdett - Author - Bangkok 8 and it's sequels.

Should be a first read for anyone coming to or thinking of wanting to move to Thailand. Excellent.

http://www.john-burdett.com/bangkok-8/

Speaking as a loog-krueng who can relate to the character of the main protagonist in many ways, I would say that John Burdett is pretty dam_n good.

He is somewhat given to caricaturing situations so you do have to bear in mind that it is fiction, and the made up names and transliterations are dire (small details like that are important to me), but otherwise the John Burdett books are extremely accurate and well researched by his perception.

Edited February 3, 201313 yr by Trembly

By far, my pick is Voranai Vanijaka over at the Bangkok Post. His column is every Wed and Sun. No one else comes close to his cogent insights in society and politics in the English language press.

5555555

Not a Voranai fan Jay?

I don't disagree with 2uniques summary below but despite this his perception is skewed.He is very much tied to the old regime and although while interesting and worth reading shouldn't be relied on.

I find that many of the Thai columnists in both papers are rather prone to waffling.

Edited February 3, 201313 yr by Trembly

I'm looking for reading material from a well or highly regarded writer/social commentator who writes about everyday Thailand in a warts and all style, commentaries should be supported with evidence of there findings i.e statistics etc so to be factually correct.

Does anyone know of any authors or books where I should start?

Aren't they all in jail for Lese Majeste? [ tongue inserts into cheek]

I agree VV is a fine writer so can be forgiven for being educated in Texas, and has his finger on the pulse with two or three in the pie.

His columns are just opinion though, and he rarely cites stats.

Edited February 3, 201313 yr by MacChine

There's not lots around, as its a difficult subject to publish without getting into LM territory.

Asian Sentinal has some interesting pieces on Thailand, which are often a bit more investigative than a lot of the dross churned out.

NotTheNation has it all, if you can read between the lines.

By far, my pick is Voranai Vanijaka over at the Bangkok Post. His column is every Wed and Sun. No one else comes close to his cogent insights in society and politics in the English language press.

5555555

Not a Voranai fan Jay?

I don't disagree with 2uniques summary below but despite this his perception is skewed.He is very much tied to the old regime and although while interesting and worth reading shouldn't be relied on.

I haven't seen those ties evident - I've always thought he painted both credibly.

John Burdett - Author - Bangkok 8 and it's sequels.

Should be a first read for anyone coming to or thinking of wanting to move to Thailand. Excellent.

http://www.john-burdett.com/bangkok-8/

Speaking as a loog-krueng who can relate to the character of the main protagonist in many ways, I would say that John Burdett is pretty dam_n good.

He is somewhat given to caricaturing situations so you do have to bear in mind that it is fiction, and the made up names and transliterations are dire (small details like that are important to me), but otherwise the John Burdett books are extremely accurate and well researched by his perception.

I completely agree.Burdett seems to me streets ahead of other farang authors using a Thailand background.

John Burdett - Author - Bangkok 8 and it's sequels.

Should be a first read for anyone coming to or thinking of wanting to move to Thailand. Excellent.

http://www.john-burdett.com/bangkok-8/

I agree his books are good reading, always enjoy them

Maybe the fact that his site caters to the lowest common denominator blinds me to his genius

Did you read his recent column on a trip to Ha Noi ? or the peice on begging in Bangkok ? or the trip to Chinatown ? or the excursions up the river / canals ? or some of the interviews with some well-known Thai-based expats ?

And I never claimed he was a genius, just the purveyor of an interesting column on life in Bangkok and the surrounds.

Maybe the fact that his site caters to the lowest common denominator blinds me to his genius

Did you read his recent column on a trip to Ha Noi ? or the peice on begging in Bangkok ? or the trip to Chinatown ? or the excursions up the river / canals ? or some of the interviews with some well-known Thai-based expats ?

And I never claimed he was a genius, just the purveyor of an interesting column on life in Bangkok and the surrounds.

Never felt the urge - the horrible multi-banner flash ads for dating sites, "Ladyboy for You", escort services, etc has never engaged me to delve deeper to find those "hidden nuggets".

There's not a huge amount in English; if you want to read about Thailand, you have to read in Thai but a few English-language places to look for political stuff:

Jai Ungpakorn, though he doesn't seem to write much in English any more.

Andrew Marshall/Zen Journalist

Political Prisoners in Thailand

Asia Provocateur

Bangkok Pundit

New Mandala

Siam Voices

Start by subscribing to The Nation every day and seeing which columnist you like.

I think it would be more honest to suggest one subscribes to The Nation every day and sees how long before one pulls out one's own eyes in a fit of rage.

Never read anything from The Nation or The Bangkok Post. Ever. Under any circumstances. At all. There are no exceptions to this rule.

John Burdett - Author - Bangkok 8 and it's sequels.

Should be a first read for anyone coming to or thinking of wanting to move to Thailand. Excellent.

http://www.john-burdett.com/bangkok-8/

Couldn't get past the first few chapters on that one. The characters and situations seemed totally unbelievable. If I remember correctly something about a car full of snakes and a luk kreung policeman, both of which I've never seen before in BKK.