CultureShock! Thailand: A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette

Good book, has historical, geographical, and cultural information in one location. Makes for a good resources for the basics. However, this is an older addition and some of the information maybe out dated. Also, it really is basic, and should not be purchased with the expectation of an in depth look at all of those subjects.

What is going on in this book? It's a cluster-furg of paragraphs. I've lived in several different countries and have always GREATLY relied on the Culture Shock Series ,but this one disappoints abysmally.

Needs more history to build the context. What NOT to do was very helpful. But the book was very pricy

A good guide for this interesting country.

This book remains the one volume available outside of Thailand that has been written for people who are planning to live, work, or study in that country (several guides of varying utility are available in Thailand). The book provides more info than a typical guidebook about Thai culture and customs, but I have found it not so much outdated as limited in scope. The section on supervising Thai workers does not go beyond putting on a happy face and bringing cream cakes to the office. In practice, one needs a wider repertoire of skills than that. Similarly, the advice on social behavior doesn't go much beyond the stuff that makes people paranoid about offending Thais (e.g., watching where your toes are pointed, not patting people on the head). In addition, the book does not help people with the inevtable "violations" of cultural rules by Thais themselves, nor does it provide simple startegies for adaptation (like learning to watch people and emulate their behavior). The book does not provide useful starting places for adapting to Thai culture---for example, the similarities in cultural codes to what one finds in non-urban parts of the US Midwest. It's surprising that this book has not undergone major revision and that no other has emerged as a replacemnt---it would not be difficult to do.

This is one of the funniest and nicest books I read when I prepared myself four years ago to go to live in Thailand.Thailand is a very special country. It has never been for a long time conquered by alien powers and therefore has developed a unique, own culture. This book gives you a good insight and, much more, it wets your appetite. Going to live in Thailand, with the family, is a big shock in many ways. This book guides you nice and gently and with a lot of humor through your first embarrassing days. I have re-read the book , after four years, whilst now feeling complete at ease in this, indeed sometimes strange society. I still smiled a lot because I recognised so many situations.The information is certainly not out dated as some reviews suggest. It should be more treated as reflection on the culture as taken too literally. Indeed, if you drive your car into some one else his Mercedes ( I've done it twice)the chances are that the gentleman stepping out his car will be extremely cross with you and express himself in that way instead of smiling at you and making the wai... However, in general people are much, much less aggressive and I have learned to be more relaxed even in situations like an accident as well.Some things you will never get used to. When you fall flat on your face ( as happende to me in front of a lot of subordinates) everybody is roaring for laughter. And then you thank your little "Culture shock" for explaining to you these four years ago that they are not poking fun at you, but hiding their extreme embarrassment.Read it.. It will prevent you from doing very stupid things and it will enrichen your stay in Thailand!

If you're looking for a short read with add-on value, then this book is for you. It has more depth than what you will find in a Fodor's or Lonely Planet. Part of the book tries to appeal to expats moving their families to Thailand, which is a mistake because you just can't cover the complexities of that chore in a small paperback.Unfortunately, the book IS out of date. While originally published in the early 80s, it looks more like the early 70s. If I were the author, I would make a serious attempt at revamping the whole thing. I felt like I was reading an old National Geographic.

Summer 2006 preparing for a trip to Thailand, we purchased several guidebooks and DVD's. Culture Shock Thailand was very informative and helpful. It included valueable information we did not find elsewhere. This book is mainly geared toward the business person planning an extended stay or relocation to Thailand. It was not designed for the traveler spending two weeks as a tourist. Overall a very good book.

I've read this book in advance of my second trip to Thailand. Like other reviewers, I've found some of the comments and attitudes a little negative and extreme. On the other hand, there's a lot of depth here, and it covers ground not addressed by other guidebooks, so it's a useful and worthwhile read.