Thailand books

[Andy2310]

Hello, I'm interested in reading some Thailand based books, fiction or non-fiction.

What do you recommend?

[JingerBen]

If you are interested in Thai and Southeast Asian history, the publishers Oxford in Asia; Silkworm Books; and White Lotus have reprinted many primary sources as well as more recent histories.

For contemporary works about modern life in Thailand written by farangs, you are spoiled for choice. The bookshops are full of them.

[dddave]

If you like detective type thrillers, Christopher G Moore, a resident expat puts a lot of local color in his prolific "Vince Calvino" novels; good departure lounge reading. (Not to be confused with Christopher M Moore, the Sci-Fi writer)

Jake Needham's "THE BIG MANGO" & "LAUNDRY MAN" are enjoyable and well written as are John Burdett's "BANGKOK 8" and "BANGKOK TATTOO". IMHO, the later books that followed these were not as imaginative and original.

ASIABOOKS has several shelves loaded with Thailand based books, many by self-published authors. Many of my friends really enjoy and recommend books by Steven Leather, several of which are based in Thailand, PRIVATE DANCER for one.

Whoops!!, Almost forgot to mention Dean Barrett, arguably the "Dean" of Bangkok genre authors: funny, knowledgeable and totally irreverent.

Laos; not Thailand is the location of Colin Cotterill's "Dr. Siri" series, the charming, witty and singular medical examiner in all of Laos during the early years of the revolution...really entertaining.

You might find this webpage informative: http://www.thaiwebsites.com/books.asp

Edited May 15, 2015 by dddave

[BudRight]

The Happiness of Coconut Milk/Happiness of Kati (Thai: ความสุขของกะทิ) is a very sweet little book about the daily life a child who moves from the city to the country. It's very accessible to intermediate Thai readers.

[i claudius]

My wife likes John Grisham,lots translated into Thai

[Langsuan Man]

If you are interested in fiction then just pick up any Thai based history books

[CMHomeboy78]

If you are interested in fiction then just pick up any Thai based history books

History writing as we know it didn't exist in Thailand - formerly Siam - prior to the arrival of the first Europeans.

There were chronicles recording events at the royal courts that included foreign relations, wars, etc., as well as palm-leaf manuscripts written by Buddhist monks that kept detailed records of religious affairs and construction projects.

Although there were a number of distinguished Thai historians in the 19th and 20th centuries, it was mainly farangs who studied the ancient manuscripts and evaluated their contents to produce narratives that are factual in all probability.

Your contention that any Thai based history book is fiction is an incorrect generalization and shouldn't go unchallenged.

[isanbirder]

There are a number of books by Thais, either written in English (Pira Sudham's Monsoon Country and People of Esarn), or translated into English (Teachers of Mad Dog Swamp and others.).

Also Mai Pen Rai means Never Mind (out-of-date but very amjusing) and Karen Connolly's book on her life with a Thai family in Denchai (Touch the Dragon, I think).

[nikmar]

The Beach. Alex Garland.

[Orac]

I found 'A History of Thailand' by Chris Baker and Dr Pasuk Phongpaichit (his wife) gave a decent overview of Thai history.

[Varrius]

Try to find a copy of 'A Child of the North East.' A true story of a young boy and his family living in Isaan in the 1930s. Very thought provoking. Sadly my own copy was never returned.

Good luck.