Books to read before visiting Thailand
 

Hi folks -- I'll be visiting Thailand in September (Bangkok, Koh Samui and Chiang Mai). Any great historial fiction books I should read beforehand or while there? All suggestions welcomed! Thanks.

Bangkok 8, by John Burdett. This book is kind of out there, but I think it is fun and it contains lots of accurate info.

Here is a review of the book - http://www.reviewsofbooks.com/bangkok_8/review/

During my 20 year obsession with thailand and asia I've done a huge amount of reading. Here's the start of a reading list of fiction and non fiction that might interest those of you who want to learn more than what you can find in guide books. I've ** those that I especially recommend (which is most of them).

And, yes, I have read them all. Happy Reading!

Fiction
**(Four Reigns by Kukrit Pramoj -- if you read only one book this should be the one.
**Bangkok 8
** Bangkok Tattoo
**The Secret Agent - Francine Matthews-- a junk novel but fun -- based on the Jim Thompson story
** Kingdom of Make Believe -- Dean Barrett
The Occidentals -- James Eastgate
**Mrs. Pollifax in the Golden Triangle -- Dorothy Gilman
Monsoon Country - Sudham
** Bangkok Warrior by Dean Barrett
Skytrain to Murder - Dean Barrett
**Siam -- Lily Tuck -- also uses the Thompson mystery but in a beautifully written way. This was a very well reviewed book a few years ago.
**Lioness in Bloom -- Susan Fulop Kepner -- a wonderful collection of short stories by thai writers
Thai Amulet - Lyn Hamilton
Thai Horse -- William Diehl
**Letters from Thailand (fabulous book translated by Susan Fulop Kepner)
** The seal of Tammatari by J.C. Shaw (a Brit who lives in Chiang Mai)For anyone interested in Chiang Mai
** Behind the Painting by Siburapha-- stories by Thai writer
Mystery of the Emerald Buddha by Covanne
**The Enchantress by Suyin -- very dense but deals with the ayutthya period
** Ramayana by J.C. Shaw
Many Lives by Pramoj
Sightseeing -- a debut collection of thai short stories which came a year or two ago.
A Woman of Bangkok -- can't remember the author.

Non-fiction
**Mai Pen Rai by Carol Holliger -- am American who spends a year in Bangkok. Wonderful book. Must read
** History of thailand by David Wyatt who is the real expert on the country. Best history of the country
Boom and Bust by Chris Baker
History of Thailand by Chris Baker
Thailand's Boom by Chris Baker
** Thailand the Last Domino by West
Bangkok Journal by Garrett
**The Balancing Act: A history of Modern Thailand
** Kingdon of the Yellow Robe - Young
** Bangkok Secret by Anthony Grey -- this is a wonderful novel but hard to find. It's banned in Thailand. Deals with the mysterious death (murder) of the former king and current king's brother
** A Physician in the court of Siam
** Bangkok by Alec Waugh
** Studies in Thai History by David Wyatt
** Siam Becomes Thailand by Judith Stowe
** Wandering into Thai Culture -Redmond
** Temples and Elephants - Bock
** Thailand: Buddhist Kingdom as Modern Nation State by Charles Keyes
** Peoples of the Golden Triangle by Paul and Elaine Lewis-- a must for anyone interested in hilltribes
** Meet the Akhas -Goodman
** History of the Hmong People by Quincy
Borderlines by Charles Nicholl
** Revolutionary King by William Stephenson -- a fascinating biography of the current king
** Burmese Looking Glass by Edith Mirante -- really about Burma but also deals with the thai border areas and the refugee situation there.
"The Dream of a Thousand Lives-- a sojourn in thailand" by Karen Connelly-- I wasn;t as enamored with this as others.
"Thaksin" by Chris Baker. Not brilliantly written but good for anyone who wants to understand more about him.

I just read this book and really enjoyed it:

http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Thailand...al::3004484865

It's a collection of essays by an expat living in Bangkok and it really encapsulates the wild, the weird and the beauty of living in Thailand.

A highly recommended read!

Great question asykes1.
glorialf - do you have any recommendations for Cambodia? We are planning on spending a few days in Siem Reap as well as Thailand.

Bangkok 8. Happy Travels!

Glorialf:
Outstanding list. Thank you.

There are several very good books about Pol Pot and the war. One of my favorite is "Not without my Father" and "When the War was Over by Elizabeth Becker.

These are not historical fiction, but all good reads -

For Ko Samui:
The Beach by Alex Garland - gripping cult pageturner about backpackers seeking Utopia. Takes place in BKK and a ficticious island. Impossible to put down. Much better than the film.

For Cambodia:
The Gate by Francois Bizot. Memoir by French scholar of Buddhism who was the only Westerner released from Khmer Rouge prison. Not a great translation, but fascinating observations about Cambodia and war in general.

For Chiang Mai:
Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan. Takes place in Burma rather than Thailand, but highly entertaining glimpse of hilltribe culture. Story is about a tour group that is kidnapped by a tribe. A few plot issues, though well researched and very readable.

thank you so much for everyone's thoughts -- especially gloria! What a wonderful resource these forums are...can't wait to start reading!

I know this thread is old and sorry for bringing it back up again. But, I just finished the newest Burdett book "bangkok haunts". It was about the same as the other two of his that I have read, even tho they seem way out there, its still fun to read about places we have seen! Add it to your list!

Hi,

(slightly off topic, but still related I think)

Does anyone know a single good book which gives a decent introduction to the history of South East Asia in general - not just Thailand.

Thanks,
Rahul

It's pretty hard to find a decent book on all of southeast asia because the countries have had somewhat different histories. There is one called The Golden Peninsula but you'd do better finding a history of Indochina (Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam) and then something else for Thailand and Burma