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

by Roger Jones

For many outsiders Thailand still conjures up images of the East at its most mysterious and enchanting – a view largely formed by Hollywood films like The King and I. Never conquered by foreigners, this proud and ancient land has been shaped by Buddhism, the monarchy, and the military. Today it is a representative democracy with a populist female prime minister, and is ranked among the tiger economies of Southeast Asia. It is a manufacturing powerhouse, the world’s largest rice exporter, and a tourist paradise that welcomes 22 million visitors a year to its beach resorts and its vibrant capital, Bangkok.
 
Yet despite the veneer of Western modernity, the country and its people remain an enigma for many visitors, smiling and inscrutable. It conceals a unique system of personal values and attitudes, developed over centuries. You may find that Thais react to you in surprising and unexpected ways, coming as they do from a culture based on respect, status, self-control, non-confrontation, and harmony. They are also naturally generous and have a great love of fun. Thais put a great deal of effort into social skills in order to maintain social harmony, and one of their most potent weapons is the smile that puts people at ease and helps to defuse a difficult situation.
 
This new, updated edition of Culture Smart! Thailand describes how the Thai people view the world and themselves. It examines the impact of religious beliefs and history on their lives, as well as the continuing importance of the monarchy. It looks at recent social and political developments, including the current tensions in the south. Above all, it helps visitors to become more culturally aware and so better able to interact successfully with the locals. Thailand’s charm lies in being different, and visitors who make an effort to understand the differences will find their stay in “The Land of Smiles” a richly rewarding experience.

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

168 pages, Kindle Edition

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.