Geek in Thailand. Jody Houton

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      Contents

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       Harmony, Disorder and Smiles

       CHAPTER 1

       Thai History and Culture

       A Brief History of Thailand

       The Color of Politics

       What to Do But Launch a Coup

       The Land of Plenty

       The Thai Language

       Thailand’s Most Important Religious Sites

       The Importance of Thai Buddhism

       Other Religions in Thailand

       Thai Folklore

       Thailand’s Royal Palace

       CHAPTER 2

       Thai Design and Craftsmanship

       Style Starts at Home

       Thai Antiques and Crafts

       Revival of the Thai Silk Industry

       The Artistry of Tribal Textiles

       Little Pieces of Paradise

       A Shopaholic’s Paradise

       A Market for Every Purpose

       CHAPTER 3

       The Unique Thai Character

       Mai Phen Rai: Behind the Thai Smile

       Ethnic and Regional Differences

       Thai ‘Pretties’: The Thai Ideal of Beauty

       Ladyboys: Thailand’s Third Gender

       Living in the City

       Thriving Companies in Thailand

       Working with Thais

       Successful Foreigners in Thailand

       Jobs for Foreigners

       CHAPTER 4

       Amazing Thailand

       Weird and Wonderful Thai Pastimes

       Thailand’s Karaoke Culture

       The Joys of Thai Massage

       Muay Thai Past and Present

       The Ladyboy Cabaret Show

       CHAPTER 5

       The Joys of Thai Food

       Food in Thailand

       What Makes Thai Food Thai?

       Thai Street Food

       A Guide to Popular Restaurant Dishes

       Thai Bar Culture and Etiquette

       A Guide to Thai Beverages

       CHAPTER 6

       Thai Music, Movies, Art, Theater, TV and Books

       Traditional Thai Dance and Puppet Theater

       The Thai Music Scene

       The Bewildering World of Thai TV

       Thai Film

       Thai Art and Artists

       Thai Literature

       CHAPTER 7

       Visiting Thailand

       Bangkok: The City of the Future

       Phuket and Other Andaman Islands

       Chiang Mai and the North

       Colorful Thai Festivals

       Adventure of a Lifetime

       Advice, Tips and Warnings

       Photo Credits

      HARMONY, DISORDER AND SMILES

      A visit to Thailand is likely to be an infuriating, alienating and head-scratching experience that will also provide the most wonderful and welcoming of culture shocks.

      Thailand assaults the senses with an overload of activity—an explosion of colors, sounds, sights, smells and tastes. It possesses a seductive spirituality born not only from Buddhist values but from an ancient animist approach that has its origins in the country’s folklores and forests.

      This book is an attempt to understand one of the world’s most visited countries—but goes beyond the usual tourist brochures and guidebooks. A Geek in Thailand is an exploration of why Thailand at once appears so foreign and chaotic yet familiar and ordered. Through a journey that includes understanding the complex cacophony of components that make up Thailand’s food, noise levels, politics, traffic and contradictory character traits, we will begin to discover how seeking a balance, a harmony and a level of calm in all these integral elements is at the heart of the soul and culture of the country and essence of being Thai.

      LOOKS CAN BE DECEPTIVE

      Although young Thai men may wear T-shirts bearing the names of Western bands and cheer for English football teams on Saturday nights, and although Thai women may wear the latest fashions and cultivate looks championed by their Japanese and Korean counterparts, Thais are inexplicably unique in their outlook. There is pride in the nation’s individualistic Thai perspective that stems not only from it being the only Southeast Asian country to ever resist colonization by Western powers but also from the deep reverence and respect for the intrinsic national Thai values of Nation, Religion and Monarchy.

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      The

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