Thailand - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

by Roger Jones

Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.

Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include


* customs, values, and traditions
* historical, religious, and political background
* life at home
* leisure, social, and cultural life
* eating and drinking
* do's, don'ts, and taboos
* business practices
* communication, spoken and unspoken


"Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers." Sunday Times Travel

"... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries." Global Travel

"...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas." Observer

"...as useful as they are entertaining." Easyjet Magazine

"...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world." New York Times

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Cultural, Audiobook, Asian Literature

168 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2003

Reviews

[Kirsten Rockey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in preparation for my my trip to Thailand back in April. It was the perfect little pocket guide and I will definitely be using Culture Smart books for my other trips

[Paul Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book on a flight to Thailand. It’s an easy read and contains useful information which helped me better understand the country. Three things I learned:
1. Don’t speak negatively of the monarchy.
2. Dress appropriately when visiting Buddhist temples.
3. Use the Grab app to call a cab
There’s also a handy list of dos and don’ts for communicating in chapter 9

[Jason Keisling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll be reading a lot of books on Thailand since I'm visiting this spring. This was a good introduction. It's a quick and easy read and I learned a lot. It's a good basic knowledge of history and culture that I can have when I read a more dense book on Thai culture and history later this year.

I'm also interested in reading geological and tectonic history of Thailand and Southeast Asia. Recommendations would be appreciated.

[SEBASTIAN SAJAROFF · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed it

I work as an IT team leader in Canada, though have of my team are based in Bangkok. I interact on a daily basis with my colleagues in Thailand, and this book helped me a lot to understand their reactions, to avoid cultural « faux pas » and to entertain a harmonious relation between both teams.

[Betti (bibliophile) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book provides a very informative and useful overview about Thailand. I highly recommend it to anyone who's either simply interested in or is planning to visit the country. It will surely help you avoid making any accidental faux pas.

[Eliana C · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know what! For a non-fiction book that talks about a culture of one country the entire time this was bearable. Decently informative, very consumable from a western perspective, transparent about both good and bad, and simply written!
Glad I read it.

[Shawn L’s Book Notes & Quotes · Rating 4 out of 5]

With minor editing, the following perfectly describes Bangkok:
“The city is hot, humid, and grimy.”
“Little effort is made to conceal the profound disparity in living conditions.”
The author of course goes on to state the positives about how exciting it is for the urban traveler to explore.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very short but informative read on customs and cultures in Thailand.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Concise, useful guide. Probably should have read it earlier, like 2 years ago!

[JP · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good intro to culture. Read in Thailand.

[Becka]

Audiobook

[Sandra K. Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful

Complete but less wordy than some travel books. Provides an overview of a number of important topics including history, culture, and communication.

[Brianna Wells · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book in preparation for a trip I have planned later this year to Phuket. It provided a lot of insight and knowledge that I will use to help me during my trip.

[Lexxie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Traveling to Thailand next month so we picked this one up as a start. It was a good, basic overview. The author isn't flawless and made a few random, odd comments, but again, good quick overview.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hope to take a practical test of this material soon...

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A worthwhile read for the traveler or the Thai-curious. The sections on values, attitudes and do's and don'ts were my favorites.

[Kelly D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief overview to Thailand and Thai culture.

[HoboWannaBe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for basic interaction skills before heading to Thailand. Repetitive. Good info organized well but written blandly. Needs more photos.