Thailand Take 2

Thailand Take 2 looks at Thais and Thailand in a unique way. It is not a politically correct travel guide written to promote tourism and showing only the rosy side of Thailand. It is called Take 2 because you will need to forget for a moment what you have read or heard about the country and take a fresh look, a second take, of this amazing country. The book stresses how different the country is from the West and shows the importance of several concepts, not always immediately apparent: mai bhen rai, the apparent laid-back attitude of life that you see immediately you arrive, but which can sometimes be deceptive and problematical; greng jai, a consideration for other people, not being pushy; and nam jai, an almost daily practice of giving and sharing within the family and community. You will quickly see, perhaps surprisingly given the apparent carefree lifestyle, that the class system is very rigid in Thailand. Together with mai bhen rai, greng jai, and nam jai, it determines how Thais think and behave within society. Real characters are introduced in the book to show how Thailand's culture is so different from western concepts. Readers will meet bankers and bargirls, the young and the old, the rich and the less well off. And get right into their lives. It describes a Thailand that is not always that transparent to the casual observer. It takes the reader away from the regular tourist spots and explores the real Thailand. Enjoy the usual tourist attractions, but don't miss the opportunities to socialise with the Thais and understand their real culture at first hand. This book will help you do that. We start by looking at the rigid class system in the country. Through the words of the Thais themselves, you will see how strict rules of hierarchy influence everyday lives. You will get to grips with why their apparent laid-back life style and their constant smiling is such an essential characteristic in everything they do. We come across situations involving the eastern concept of face and how foreigners can best deal with it. Family feuds, weddings, funerals, community activities - all are seen from a more intimate angle. Through the book's pages, you will maybe feel that you are personally present at some of the situations described, and part of the conversations taking place. Or, alternatively, that you are a "fly on the wall" looking at Thai life at close quarters. The bar scene and the Thai mafia are seen in a different light when the social and political reasons of corruption and cheating are explained. Readers will be able to compare their own observations with the scenarios and characters appearing in its pages, as we discuss how Thais see most foreigners who visit or stay here. To link with the main themes of the book and to give perspective, a short 6000 word appendix is attached on Thailand's political journey over the last 775 years. Thailand Take 2 starts with some daily entries from A Thailand Diary, many of which will shock the reader and show a side of Thailand not normally seen. Most importantly, it is a "no holds barred" expose of Thais and Thailand, presented through the words and actions of real Thais.