Fodor's Exploring Thailand

by Locke, Tim; Clutterbuck, Martin

• ISBN13: 9780679031147
• ISBN10: 0679031146
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1995-10-01
• Publisher: Fodors Travel Pubns

Summary

P>Fodor's Exploring Guides are the most up-to-date, full-color guidebooks available. Covering destinations around the world, these guides are loaded with photos, essays on culture and history, descriptions of sights, and practical information. Full-color photos make this a great guide to buy if you're still planning your itinerary (let the photos help you choose!) and it's a perfect companion to a general guidebook, like a Fodor's Gold Guide. All the great sights plus the history and anecdotes that bring them to life Extraordinary coverage of history and culture Itineraries, walks and excursions, on and off the beaten path Architecture and art Practical tips and full-color maps and photos Getting there and getting around When to go and what to pack Quick tips on where to sleep in every price range Savvy restaurant picks for all budgets Praise for Fodor's Exploring Guides "Most travel guides are either beautiful or practical. This one is both." -- New York Daily News "Beautiful...and the depth of text is impressive." -- San Diego Union Tribune "Authoritatively written and superbly presented...worthy reading before, during, or after a trip." -- Philadelphia Inquirer "Concise, comprehensive, and colorful." -- Washington Post "Absolutely gorgeous. Fun, colorful, and sophisticated." -- Chicago Tribune

Table of Contents

Quick Reference My Thailand, by Tim Locke Thailand Is

Discusses aspects of life and living today, from traditional ways to modern streetlife

Variety Land and People Government

The Royal Family At Home At Work A Way of Thinking Etiquette Religion

The Chinese Connection

The Sex Angle

The Armed Forces

The Environment Food

The Arts Massage Public Transportation Famous People Thailand Was

Places the country in its historical context and explores those past events whose influences are felt to this day

Origins and Settlements

The Chakri Dynasty Two Remarkable Kings Stirrings of Democracy

The Great Dictators At War

The Intermediate Dictators Backlash

The Prem Era Election and Coup A to Z

Covers places to visit, arranged region by region, with suggested walks and drives

Within this section fall the Focus On articles, which consider a variety of topics in greater detail

Bangkok Outside Bangkok Shopping Food Nightlife Accommodations Sports Practical Points Central Thailand Northern Thailand Northeast Thailand Southern Thailand Focus On Chinatown Royal Barges Bangkok Festivals River and Canal Tours

The Foreign Presence Classical Dance and Drama Wildlife The Death Railway Chiang Mai Shopping Hill Tribes Drugs Border Problems

The Mekong River Poverty Bird's Nest Collecting Festivals Traditional Products Island Sea Life Superstition Walks Khao Yai Phu Hin Rong Kla Drives Circular Route Starting at Chiang Mai Tour Around Udon Thani, Loei, and Nong Khai Tour From Phuket Day Trip Starting and Ending in Chumphon Travel Facts

Contains the strictly practical information that is vital for a successful trip

Hotels and Restaurants

Lists recommended establishments in Thailand, giving a brief description of what they offer

Index

Picture

Credits and Contributers

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

Variety

Something for Everyone

To the Western visitor, Thailand is not just another land; it's another way of life. Tradition and development rub shoulders here as nowhere else. In Bangkok, wooden houses built on stilts over the water stand in the shadows of gleaming condominium blocks. The air is filled with different smells: stir-fried food, tuk tuk (motorized trishaw) fumes, dried coconuts, incense, canal water... Exotic wats (temples) glimmer in the sunlight, their cool interiors a welcome refuge from the city din.


A bus ride into the countryside brings a vivid glimpse of Thai variety. Buses equipped with hi-fi and videos also have their mirrors draped with garlands of everlasting flowers for good luck. Instead of pinups, there are photos of venerable monks above the driver's seat. The driver tears along the road, blaring his horn, passing the occasional ox-drawn cart. Women board the buses to sell Coke from plastic bags and sticky rice concoctions wrapped in banana leaves to the passengers -- who include immaculate schoolchildren, saffron-robed monks and hill-tribe women in dazzling home-embroidered clothes and grubby, Western-style running shoes.


Visiting the Country

Thailand has a huge amount to offer, endowed with resorts well-attuned to the needs of Western tourists as well as many places that are still remote in character. Visitors can get a good idea of the range of experiences by staying in Bangkok for a few days and taking a few side trips into the surrounding areas. Many stay on for months. The Thais' gentle and laid-back nature, coupled with the ease of getting around and making one's own discoveries, contribute to Thailand's popularity. This country has dazzling temples and some extraordinary historic sights. Beyond the great rice plains, where farmers bend over in their lampshade hats to tend the crops, rise mountains harboring hill-tribe cultures. In the south are some of the loveliest beaches anywhere, with squeaky white sands backed by lofty limestone cliffs and fringed with palm trees.


Thailand is its people: in spite of spiraling economic change, they have kept their traditions, festivals, and essential Thai qualities. It would take a great deal to change all that.

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Excerpted from Exploring Thailand by Fodor's Travel Publications, Inc. Staff
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.