Product Description

INTRODUCTION

With over six million foreigners flying into the country each year, Thailand has become Asia's primary holiday destination. The influx of tourists and their cash has played a significant part in the country's development, yet Thailand's cultural integrity remains largely undamaged except for the main resorts. In this country of fifty-three million people, over ninety percent are practising Theravada Buddhists, a unifying faith which colours all aspects of daily life - from the tiered temple rooftops that dominate every skyline, to the omnipresent saffron-robed monks and the packed calendar of festivals. Furthermore, though the high-rises and neon lights occupy the foreground of the tourist picture, the typical Thai community is the traditional farming village, and some ninety percent of Thais still earn their living from the land.

The clash of tradition and modernity is most intense in Bangkok, the first stop on almost any itinerary. Within the capital's historic core you'll find resplendent temples, canalside markets and the opulent indulgence of the eighteenth-century Grand Palace, while in downtown Bangkok lies the hub of the country's sex industry, the infamous strip known as Patpong. The political fault-lines of Thailand are inevitably most visible in Bangkok as well. Home of the revered King Bhumibol and the far less revered ministers who run this constitutional monarchy, it's the cockpit of the country's burgeoning environmental movement, whose campaigns on such inflammatory issues as the trade in endangered species and the construction of large-scale dams have regularly hit the international headlines.

After touchdown in Bangkok, much of the package-holiday traffic flows east to Pattaya, the country's first and most popular beach resort. Born as a rest-and-recreation base for the US military during the Vietnam War, it has grown into a concrete warren of hotels and strip joints that's just about the least authentic town in Thailand. For unpolluted beaches and clear seas, however, you have to venture just a little further afield, to the island of Ko Chang, with its superb sand and idyllic bamboo beach huts.

Even fewer tourists strike north from the east coast into Isaan, the poorest and in some ways the most traditionally Thai region. Here, a trip through the gently modulating landscapes of the Mekhong River valley, which defines Thailand's northern and eastern extremities, takes in archetypal agricultural villages and a fascinating array of religious sites, while the southern reaches of Isaan hold some of the country's best-kept secrets - the magnificent stone temple complexes of Phimai and Phanom Rung, both built by the Khmers of Cambodia almost ten centuries ago. Closer to the capital, in the southwestern corner of Isaan, Khao Yai National Park encapsulates the phenomenal diversity of Thailand's flora and fauna, which here range from wild orchids to strangling figs, elephants to hornbills, tigers to macaques.

Attractively sited at the heart of the northern uplands, Chiang Mai draws tourists in almost the same quantities as Pattaya, but it has preserved its looks with far greater care, and appeals to a different kind of visitor. It's the vibrant cultural centre of a region whose overriding enticement is the prospect of trekking through villages inhabited by a richly mixed population of tribal peoples. With Chiang Mai so firmly planted on the independent tourist trail, the ancient cities of the intervening central plains tend to get short shrift. Yet the elegant ruins of former capitals Ayutthaya and Sukhothai embody a glorious artistic heritage, displaying Thailand's distinctive ability to absorb influences from quite different cultures. Kanchanaburi, stunningly located on the River Kwai in the western reaches of the central plains, tells a much darker episode of Thailand's past, for it was along the course of this river that the Japanese army built the Thailand-Burma Railway during World War II, at the cost of thousands of POW lives.

Sand and sea are what most Thailand holidays are about, though, and the pick of the coasts are in southern Thailand, where the Samui archipelago off the Gulf coast is one of the highlights: its small resorts, desolate coves and immaculate sweeping beaches draw teenage ravers and solitude seekers in equal parts. Across on the other side of the peninsula, the Andaman coast boasts even more exhilarating scenery and the finest coral reefs in the country. The largest resort, Phuket, is packed with expensive high-rises and threatens to go the way of Pattaya, but on nearby Ko Phi Phi the coral-rich sea remains an untainted azure. Neither of these, however, can match the spectacular Ko Similan island chain, some six hours out to sea, which ranks as one of the world's top diving destinations. Further down the Thai peninsula, in the provinces of the deep south, the teeming marine life and unfrequented sands of Ko Tarutao National Marine Park are the immediate attractions, though the edgy relationship between Thai sovereignty and Malaysian Islam - the kind of cultural brew that has characterized Thailand throughout its history - makes this region a rewarding one for the more adventurous traveller to explore.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2514 in Books
• Published on: 2006-10-26
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 984 pages

Synopsis
"The Rough Guide to Thailand" is the most accessible handbook to this beautiful and intriguing country. From Bangkok's vibrant night markets to stunning island beaches, the 24-page, full-colour introduction pinpoints all of the country's highlights. This new edition also features four brand-new, full-colour inserts: Thai Food, Loy Krathong Festival of Light, Thai Temples and Thai Films. There are details of all the best places to stay, eat and drink, to suit every budget, plus a new 'Authors' Picks' feature to highlight the very best options. There is plenty of expert advice on a range of activities, from trekking and scuba-diving to cookery courses and spa treatments. The guide also takes a detailed look at Thailand's history, culture, religion and wildlife and comes complete with easy-to-read maps for every region.

Excerpted from Thailand: the Rough Guide by Paul Gray, Lucy Ridout. Copyright © 1998. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved
When to go The climate of most of Thailand is governed by three seasons: rainy (roughly June to October), caused by the southwest monsoon dumping moisture gathered from the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand; cool (November to February); and hot (March to May). The rainy season is the least predictable of the three, varying in length and intensity from year to year, but usually it gathers force between June and August, coming to a peak in September and October, when unpaved roads are reduced to mud troughs and whole districts of Bangkok are flooded. The cool season is the pleasantest time to visit, although temperatures can still reach a broiling 30C in the middle of the day. In the hot season, when temperatures rise to 40C, the best thing to do is to hit the beach. Within this scheme, slight variations are found from region to region. The less humid north experiences the greatest range of temperatures: at night in the cool season the thermometer occasionally approaches zero on the higher slopes, and this region is often hotter than the central plains between March and May. It's the northeast which gets the very worst of the hot season, with clouds of dust gathering above the parched fields, and humid air too. In southern Thailand, temperatures are more consistent throughout the year, with less variation the closer you get to the equator. The rainy season hits the Andaman coast of the southern peninsula harder than anywhere else in the country - heavy rainfall usually starts in May and persists at the same level until October. One area of the country, the Gulf coast of the southern peninsula, lies outside this general pattern - because it faces east, this coast and its offshore islands feel the effects of the northeast monsoon, which brings rain between October and January. This area also suffers less from the southwest monsoon, getting a relatively small amount of rain between June and September. Overall, the cool season is generally the best time to come to Thailand: as well as having more manageable temperatures and less rain, it offers waterfalls in full spate and the best of the upland flowers in bloom. Bear in mind, however, that it's also the busiest season, so forward planning is essential.

Customer Reviews

Although, I couldn't go to everywhere in the book this left me thirsty for more!
Although I travelled just before a new edition of this book was published, I thought this book was excellent in helping me plan my holiday in advance. We knew we wanted to go to Thailand but weren't quite sure where - this book helped us decide based on not only things to see & do but weather condtions etc, which I found were excellent compared to many internet sites and travel brochures (which portray Thailand as one climate area, when in fact it has many different weather systems). The book was excellent and still felt 'up to date'; for example it helped us find the most fab little boutique hotel "Buddy Lodge" in Bankok which was exactly what we were looking for and never would have found otherwise. Also it had fantastic and accurate info on the Grand Palace, such as tours times and prices, not to mention a complete guide to the whole complex, building by building!

These books make such a fantastic read in terms of filling you in on culture and traditions - because I had read this before we travelled I spotted lots of things I would have missed otherwise. It seemed a shame that we only went on a two week tourist holiday - the book made me want to go back packing around the whole country!

Don't bother with the 'Lonely Planet ' guides
This is about the tenth Rough Guide I've used, and as usual it has been an excellent source of most importantly accurate information. All Rough Guides have evidently been well researched and give step-by-step procedures of what to do on arrival, finding accommodation and local transport etc. I've never understood why so many travellers use 'Lonely Planet' guides. The title may very well sound ethereal and full of the romatic allusion (illusion?) of travelling, but I have found them at best very mediochre. I can think their popularity lies more in the fact of their reputation. If you're a 'serious' traveller you only ever get the Lonely Planet. Well don't bother, get a Rough Guide which you will almost certainly find more useful.

VERY GOOD INFO
I went to Thailand for the first time a week ago. I couldn't use the book to its full due to the Tsunami. I was due to go to Krabi and Phi Phi but had to stay in the un-affected areas. The book was great for a starter but we didn't realise it was the 2002 addition. It maybe that the book has been updated but it didn't say how built up Chewang Beach Koh Samui would be. It sounded great but the book does not mention McDonalds, Starbucks, Boots, you name it every thing you have at home!
We found it very helpfull for Bangkok though and to generally get to know Thailand, its history and its culture!
I have had rough guide before and they are well worth it, just check the edition!