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All reviews and features are listed in full chronologically below the 'Select Review Quotes'. For individual reviews click on a quote or a media listing on the right.
Select Review Quotes
— Jan Chipchase, renowned design research consultant
— Sarah, Good Reads 5 stars
— Shauna, Amazon.com 5 stars
— Mauza, Amazon.co.uk 5 stars
— Shawn Gowans, UsedTravelBooks.com
— Eric S, Amazon.com 5 stars
— Megan, Good Reads 5 stars
— Richard Leonard, Amazon.com 5 stars
— deeral, Lonely Planet Thorn Tree
—Smiling Albino tours
— Kevin, Good Reads 5 stars
Reviews in Full
The Culture Trip
Stay Curious: Experience Bangkok From Your Living Room
by David Luekens, 27 March 2020
Culture Trip invites you to indulge in a spot of cloud tourism and experience the sights and sounds of a place without leaving home. Now, hop aboard our virtual tuk-tuk and let’s take a turn round Bangkok.
Bangkok is one of the world’s most widely visited cities, and foreign travellers can usually be found scooting around in tuk-tuks, feasting on street food and wandering through the temples and palaces.
Here are five ways to acquaint yourself with the Big Mango from the comfort of your own sofa. So why not prepare some Thai food, listen to some of Bangkokians’ favourite music to get you in the mood, and learn a few Thai phrases in preparation for going there IRL. Read on and you’ll get an idea of some of the energy that normally pulses through Bangkok.
Read and learn
Introduce yourself to the Thai capital’s quirkiness with a look through Very Bangkok (2016) by Philip Cornwel-Smith. It’s a follow-up to his similarly captivating Very Thai (2005), with both of these works honing in on the details that give the Thai capital a character found nowhere else. They share the pop culture, superstitions and unexpected style of everyday Bangkok and Thailand. Book stays and experiences,
hand-picked by our travel experts.
Good Reads
Good Reads: Very Thai thread
www.goodreads.com/book/show/951616.Very_Thai
rated it 4 of 5 stars
A far cry from most travel books’ “formal” culture debriefing, this book will show you what you will likely actually see and do in Thailand – through the pop and street culture. It had me ahh-ing in understanding at times and giggling madly at others (especially the section on those ridiculously flimsy tissue napkins that we Westerners seem to need 10 of to wipe the green curry off our faces…)
rated it 5 of 5 stars
A friend marched me over to Asia Books after eating lunch one day at SUDA on Sukhumvit 14. He told me I must read it. More than that he said, I must buy it. I did. I am glad I did. I now know what a Garuda is, among other things. And just like that yellow sports car I once owned, I see them everywhere. Great pop culture education for anyone visiting or living in Thailand. Perfect for the coffee table as you will want to re-read it from time to time. Philip Cornwel-Smith should be listed as a Thai national treasure by the Thailand Ministry of Culture. Don’t look for that to happen anytime soon, but look for VERY THAI in your your local bookshop if, for some reason, you are living in Thailand or have an interest in Thailand and don’t own it already.
rated it 5 of 5 stars
It kind of Postmodern guide book that you should read before making your journey to Thailand! It’s about everyday Thai pop and streetlife stories with the fresh perspective. This book is now fully updated and expanded into a new 2nd Edition.
rated it 5 of 5 stars
Quite simply the best book you’ll ever read about Thailand. It clears up the mystery surrounding almost every quirk of Thai contemporary culture – why are the napkins always pink, the water pipes blue and why yellow is always worn on Mondays. And explains the main complicated superstitions and beliefs from spirit houses to amulets. There’s also the quirks that ex-pats come to love – motorbike taxis and drinks in bags. All with lush brightly coloured photography. You can live in Thailand for years and never know the truth behind many of these oddities of daily life – especially as ask a Thai person and you’ll get a vague answer as it’s difficult for them to answer the question ‘Why?’
rated it 5 of 5 stars
coffee table-ish book with informative stuff about Thai pop culture. I actually really liked this book and it made me sort of home-sick for Thailand.
rated it 3 of 5 stars
A great post-trip read, this one explains a number of interesting cultural things we observed.
Johan De Herdt on Sep 09, 2010
rated it 5 of 5 stars
Read it during my first months in Bangkok. It clarified a lot.
rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone interested in Thailand
A fantastic and original look into the real and current culture of a wonderful country. This is not your average look at traditional Thai culture, but rather a series of top-notch articles looking at the many curious aspects of Thailand one notices while there. It really answers the questions many visitors have. It makes for a very enjoyable read.
rated it 5 of 5 stars
Absolutely amazing book about Thai street and pop culture. Worth every penny.
rated it 5 of 5 stars
you absolutely must have this book if you’re ever planning to visit Thailand
Posted in: Blog
Amazon.co.uk
2nd edition reviews
By Doc B on 6 Aug 2013
5.0 out of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book. It gave bite sized cultural insights that really enhanced my trip. I have advised many friends to get it for their trips as I don’t want to lend and lose my copy!
Very Thai Everyday Popular Culture… book
By mauza on 9 April 2011
5.0 out of 5 stars
Having been to Thailand a couple of times I saw this book when leaving Thai international Airport but didn’t purchase it at the time. It is the best honest factual book on Thai culture I have ever seen. Do recommend it for a memento or as a insight to travelling there…
1st edition review
Amazing book full of photos with great written insights
By N. Reith on 30 Dec 2006
5.0 out of 5 stars
I’m a student of Thai Studies and language at Leeds University, and have lived in Thailand previously for over 4 years as an English teacher, backpacker and a student.
If you have ever been in Thailand for a length of time and fallen in love with the country, like myself, then this book is perfect for you. The authors have lived and worked in Thailand for very long periods of time and have great insights into the nuances of Thai culture, from ladyboys to folded napkins, sniff kisses to Buddha amulets, the authors have compiled beautiful pictures with insightful writings.
Great for learning about Thai culture and bringing back great memories. The only negative is the price, however it is hardback, with beautifully printed pages full of photos.
If you’ve never been to Thailand, and you are thinking of buying this book, it will give you a much broader knowledge of Thai culture than many guide books provide, thus setting you up for your trip to Thailand with a greater idea about how Thais live and act, and why.
Posted in: Blog
Smiling Albino Tours
By smilingalbino
20 Feb 2013
Our favorite Thai book is #VeryThai by Philip Cornwel-Smith. Quirky facts and we can arrange for him to host you: http://www.verythai.com/
youyou
@feiziyou
By youyou
20 Nov 2012
Very Thai exhibition at #centralworld #bangkok #verythai instagr.am/p/SQivnkTgef/
Posted in: Blog
Lonely Planet Thorn Tree
Thorn Tree Forums
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?newPost=true&messageID=21135166&
Has anyone read the book Very Thai: Everyday Pop Culture?
Feb 11, 2013 9:22 AM Posts: 1
Hey all,
I’m organizing a group trip to Thailand May 18-29 for travelers from the Washington DC Area. I try to choose a book, fiction preferred, for all of our trips, so that we can pass the time while traveling and enjoy a book discussion during our trips.
I couldn’t find any novels written by Thais that are in English that seemed appropriate as a first-time introduction to read and discuss during a vacation in Thailand. I’m thinking of choosing the non-fiction Very Thai: Everyday Pop Culture since it has great reviews and explains lots of fun things you will see in Thailand.
Have any of you read this book and is it an appropriate/fun read during a trip to Thailand with a group book discussion?
Thanks,
Nejla Routsong
Organizer, DC Global Adventurers
Feb 11, 2013 1:03 PM Posts: 3,560
Sorry I have not.
However, have a look at this thread. Although it’s about books to read in general, there are quite a few gems in there regarding fiction in/about/ Thailand and SE Asia.
The one I just finished is a steampunk short story set in a future Thailand called Windup Girl.
Happy reading!
Feb 11, 2013 3:26 PM Posts: 412
By some strange coincidence I met the author Philip Cornwel-Smith last Wednesday, and watched a presentation on the subject of his book.
He was interesting and engaging, its surprising just how much of Thai culture is imported from overseas. or is even a fairly recent invention. Thai things that were not invented till the mid 20th century include Pad Thai, using the greeting sawatdee and also the use of the wai as a greeting.
His book is about to be printed as an updated edition, the new version will be ready in approx one month and contains lots of updates. Worth getting, but also worth holding off for the new edition.
Feb 12, 2013 2:59 AM Posts: 233
I’ve got the book, it is interesting and will explain the inevitable WTFs when you get to the country (like “oh, money does grow on trees, or why toilet paper is on the table and not where it belongs) but I don’t think it is the sort of book you discuss before getting here
Feb 12, 2013 5:23 AM Posts: 63
it’s good for sure, I’d also definitely recommend Robert Cooper’s culture shock: Thailand and Alex Kerr’s Bangkok found
Feb 12, 2013 5:29 PM Posts: 540
It’s one of the best books on Thailand. It may be the best book on popular culture that you would run into on a trip. Enjoyable and written with affection for the country.
Feb 12, 2013 6:40 PM Posts: 873
IMO If not the best book it is certainly one of the best books on modern Thai culture in the English language; well informed and well researched with some references and a bibliography.
There are a lot of those who post on TT who really could do with reading it before they post.
My only criticisms are that it is published in an annoyingly small typeface and that it hasn’t to my knowledge had an updated edition published.
Feb 12, 2013 6:43 PM Posts: 412
The author addressed this when I met him last week. he said the new version coming out in a month will have a larger typeface.
Feb 12, 2013 11:42 PM Posts: 873
He may well sell me another copy then!
I’m the author of Very Thai. Thanks for the feedback. I’m glad you enjoy it.
The 2nd Edition of Very Thai is now out. I launched it at London’s 1st Southeast Asian Arts Festival in October.
It is 64 pages bigger, with four extra chapters (in a new section called Thaianess) and has over 200 new photos (out of nearly 600 pictures in total). I heavily rewrote it to cover the massive changes in Thailand in recent years.
This December you’ll start to see reviews and interviews coming out about the book. I’ll also be doing some talks, mainly in Bangkok. The next one will be at the National Museum, but it just got postponed due to the political rallies.
And yes, deeral, we increased the font size!
If you are interested in the subject, I’m about to relaunch the verythai.comwebsite, which will also have feeds from the #verythai hashtag threads on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. And there is a Facebook page on the book at Facebook.com/VeryThaiBook. So you can interact about the book, post your own pictures and hear about upcoming events.
Yes-bought it last week, I’m reading the second edition right now – I noticed the font size – better,
I still believe it is the best book on vernacular Thai culture and a must for anyone visiting, living in or in any way interested in Thailand. As you say there have been massive changes in Thailand over the last decade – and I’m hoping your book has kept pace
Are you speaking anywhere near Chonburi? – please PM me if you are or would like a gig.
So done the Facebook, twitter etc….where’s my T-shirt???
Thai Culture books ?
by johna37
Lp’ers book recommendations for Thai culture plz…
I have some general knowledge and nit noi language skills..
What top FIVE social things have you learnt that are distinctly Thai ?
Lost in translation
the two most important:
- anything a thai wants you to do is part of thai culture
- anything a thai doesn’t want to do, is not part of thai culture
joking aside, the basic are well know, don’t violate the head or air space above it.
visiting a wat/house of worship, dress as you would visiting you own house of worship.
the rest is basic courtesy you were raised on, hopefully, i was. respect elders, don’t argue, talk back and basically treat people like you want to be treated.
rule to survive…………you are a guest, don’t attempt to change anything, it is their house/country.
2
2 years ago
Very Thai – Philip Cornwel-Smith and John Goss – 2005
ISBN 974 9863 00 3
Probably the standard for any EL commentary on Thai culture.
I would like to think there is a new edition on the way