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Farang: Thailand through the eyes of an ex-pat
Dr. Iain Corness is medical practitioner, racing car driver, restaurateur, photographer, freelance journalist and fi rst rate raconteur. The Uk born ex-pat, who fell in love with Thailand, both it's people and way of life, while on a holiday, and fi nally managed to move there permanently 20 years later. As a settled `farang' (the Thai term for a westerner) he enjoys a unique perspective on Thai life and all its eccentricities; looking in from the outside while also getting to see the things most foreigners don't. His stories and anecdotes are full of the joys of life, and celebrate this exotic and exciting land in all its glory with painfully funny observations. From a date with a fortune teller to tales of a reincarnated squid, Corness revels in the chaos and charm of `the only country where you can be run over by a shop.' This is a book to be enjoyed by anyone interested in Asian culture.
- GenresTravelNonfiction
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
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63 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 11, 2016
A common sighte in Thailand is a middle-aged or older white guy with a much younger Thai wife and occasionally a few really rather pretty mixed-race children. The men often strode on ahead. If they didn't but walked equally with the man, they were usually lady-boys (easy to detect, beautiful faces, broad shoulders, narrow hips and big breasts. No one has big breasts in Bangkok except the lady-boys who pay for them). These girls are from the country, grew up poor, and see a comfortable future with these rich older men. For Bangkok women it's different, this is a modern, booming city with plenty of opportunities for careers.
In late middle age without a partner and with a couple of careers as a racing driver and doctor behind him, in Australia the author moved to the holiday resort of Pattaya in Thailand got married to a very superstitious Thai woman more than thirty years younger who insisted on altars and idols all, priests and sacrifices all over the place. He is a doctor there and a blogger and a second time father of very young children.
The book is supposed to give insights into the lives of expats in Thailand. I don't think it does its not a very insightful book but obviously a collection of republished blogs. Some of the chapters are amusing some are interesting. but mostly they are just blogs you would read over coffee and not think about after that.
What I took away was that the author was a very self-satisfied fellow, his money having bought him the illusion of youth with his very young wife and real respect for his sills as a doctor. He's probably a better doctor than author. I think probably a lot of people told him he should write a book, so he did. I' won't be reading the sequel. I wonder if all those people who told him what a great writer he was and should publish a book will be reading the second one?
In late middle age without a partner and with a couple of careers as a racing driver and doctor behind him, in Australia the author moved to the holiday resort of Pattaya in Thailand got married to a very superstitious Thai woman more than thirty years younger who insisted on altars and idols all, priests and sacrifices all over the place. He is a doctor there and a blogger and a second time father of very young children.
The book is supposed to give insights into the lives of expats in Thailand. I don't think it does its not a very insightful book but obviously a collection of republished blogs. Some of the chapters are amusing some are interesting. but mostly they are just blogs you would read over coffee and not think about after that.
What I took away was that the author was a very self-satisfied fellow, his money having bought him the illusion of youth with his very young wife and real respect for his sills as a doctor. He's probably a better doctor than author. I think probably a lot of people told him he should write a book, so he did. I' won't be reading the sequel. I wonder if all those people who told him what a great writer he was and should publish a book will be reading the second one?
February 13, 2017
I read this book concurrently with Bangkok Daysby Lawrence Osborne, as I felt I needed something more gritty to get me through this read.
The author is a 55 year old Brit (who lived a lot of his life in Australia), who lives, retired in Bangkok with his 30 year younger Thai wife and two young children.
This book is best described as a series of harmless newspaper columns from a foreigners-eye-view of living in Bangkok. It comes across as very grandfatherly, very sanitised, and generally quite amusing - mostly because the author is not shy about pointing out all of his own mistakes and misfortunes. He is, in fact, the butt of most of the stories.
Two and a half stars, rounded up, but only just.
The author is a 55 year old Brit (who lived a lot of his life in Australia), who lives, retired in Bangkok with his 30 year younger Thai wife and two young children.
This book is best described as a series of harmless newspaper columns from a foreigners-eye-view of living in Bangkok. It comes across as very grandfatherly, very sanitised, and generally quite amusing - mostly because the author is not shy about pointing out all of his own mistakes and misfortunes. He is, in fact, the butt of most of the stories.
Two and a half stars, rounded up, but only just.
June 8, 2013
Took this book out at the airport on my way back from Bangkok after a short work trip there. Learned a thing or two about how it feels like living as an expat in Thailand (by the way a very interesting country indeed). The book does not follow a chronological order, and has no real storyline, but it is very easy to read with very short chapters (like four or five pages each) - suits my busy lifestyle! And of course, written by a British, his sense of humour is visible all over the book. It's nothing intelligent tho, so it's really just for a laid-back, read-when-its-around-nearby kinda reading ...
July 22, 2020
2020 bk 242 A series of newspaper columns put together into a book format, with some pictures added. I'm not quite sure how or why the author put the columns in this particular order. It's not quite chronological, not quite thematic. I did find his insights into living in Thailand interesting. Not one that I would pick up and read again, but added some ideas I had not had about the country. I did find it interesting that he is also a fan of the 'traveling/racing' prince of the early part of the 20th century.
August 17, 2012
This was the book a friend gave me while traveling Southeast Asia. If you've been to Thailand for any length of time, you will find these short, personal stories amusing and often relatable. If you have never been to Thailand, you will still be amused by the mishaps that always occurs when trying to fit into a very different culture.
June 30, 2013
I'm enjoying it, but I really wish it was in chronological order. It is written well though and it is very interesting. Good book. I highly recommend it to those interested in Thailand or those who have been and want to relive a bit of it.
May 22, 2024
Initially seeing this book on the bookshelf of Central Festival in Pattaya. I ignored it and instead bought another book. This book is one of the only few titles under "Thailand Interests".
Fast forward to the end of my holiday I had some spare baht to spare at the Bangkok airport. At th bookstall in their tiny selection this book was again there, together with a few other books that was also under "Thailand Interests". It seems this is a popular easy to read title that bookstalls push to tourists.
This is one of the two books I bought at the airport.
The book is very easy to read. Written by a retired medical doctor born in the UK and spending most of his adult life in Australia. The chapters are easy to read, each one focusing on a topic, a daily observation written with some British humour. They are designed to give you a flavour of what it is like living in Thailand and dealing with the local cultures and day to day challenges/frustrations.
I enjoyed it. It is a feet on the ground approach of living in Thailand which is very different to coming to Thailand on a two week holiday. If anyone is considering retiring in Thailand ( or perhaps in a similar culture in SE Asia ) this is a good book to flip through. Some chapters are thought provoking and make you ask yourself questions you normally would just take for granted and make you think twice by providing the realities of living in Thailand as a Farang.
Perhaps my own take away is that you are always considered a Farang, a foreigner, living in Thailand. The country is open and welcome enough for you to enjoy your stay, as long as you have the money and that you are prepared to pay for everything you need and to pay to solve your problems. You will not be able to understand and appreciate the local mentality and therefore never become a true local. Instead you are expected to accept and tolerate with an open minded and much patience, and finally do everything the way it is expected to be done in Thailand. There is no other way.
Fast forward to the end of my holiday I had some spare baht to spare at the Bangkok airport. At th bookstall in their tiny selection this book was again there, together with a few other books that was also under "Thailand Interests". It seems this is a popular easy to read title that bookstalls push to tourists.
This is one of the two books I bought at the airport.
The book is very easy to read. Written by a retired medical doctor born in the UK and spending most of his adult life in Australia. The chapters are easy to read, each one focusing on a topic, a daily observation written with some British humour. They are designed to give you a flavour of what it is like living in Thailand and dealing with the local cultures and day to day challenges/frustrations.
I enjoyed it. It is a feet on the ground approach of living in Thailand which is very different to coming to Thailand on a two week holiday. If anyone is considering retiring in Thailand ( or perhaps in a similar culture in SE Asia ) this is a good book to flip through. Some chapters are thought provoking and make you ask yourself questions you normally would just take for granted and make you think twice by providing the realities of living in Thailand as a Farang.
Perhaps my own take away is that you are always considered a Farang, a foreigner, living in Thailand. The country is open and welcome enough for you to enjoy your stay, as long as you have the money and that you are prepared to pay for everything you need and to pay to solve your problems. You will not be able to understand and appreciate the local mentality and therefore never become a true local. Instead you are expected to accept and tolerate with an open minded and much patience, and finally do everything the way it is expected to be done in Thailand. There is no other way.
January 4, 2025
Just another old white man gloating about himself & complaining that middle-aged women are ageist against men his age, so he goes finds a woman 30 years younger & impresses her with his money. Then takes advantage of her country.
July 26, 2017
most irritating book I've ever read. took me ages to read it to the end... shouldn't have bothered.
July 24, 2018
I enjoyed this book alot. There is something lovely in marvelling at the quirky oddness of a place without criticising. I'll be reading the next book too.
April 30, 2022
A ex-pat's take on Thailand that is irreverent and very funny. Having myself experienced much of what he writes, I really enjoyed this in a relatable kind of way!
October 28, 2012
Returning after 12 years to the birthplace of my son, I was again delighted by Thailand and the Thais. Picking up "Farang" during my stay, I couldn't help but laugh at all the memories it revived. Simply written in anecdotal form, it's an easy and amusing read.
November 5, 2012
Totally relatable and keeps me laughing!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews