Lonely Planet Thailand: Travel Survival Kit (7th ed) [Paperback]

Joe Cummings (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1997 | Series: 7th ed

Part of the "Travel Survival Kits" series, this guide covers history, language, culture, accommodation, sights and cuisine.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

What makes Thailand so special? For one thing, it is the only country in Southeast Asia that has never been colonized by a foreign power. Though certainly influenced by the West, it has never had its culture or its political systems run over by outsiders--a fate suffered by all of its neighbors, from Vietnam to Indonesia. Thus Thailand is a curious mixture of Western entrepreneurial spirit, tough-minded Thai individualism, and a deep reverence for tradition. All this makes Thailand an ideal place to visit, a country bursting with natural beauty, famous for the hospitality of its people, and equipped with all the modern conveniences: a national transportation system, up-to-date urban centers, and an exciting cultural milieu, from historical sites to a booming nightlife. In fact, there's so much going on in Thailand that a good guidebook is absolutely essential, and Lonely Planet Thailand is one of the best.

Written by a former Peace Corps volunteer to Thailand who is deeply conversant in the country's language, culture, and history, Thailand offers travelers the most up-to-date information about which places to go and which to avoid, how to get there and get around once you're there, and how to keep yourself healthy and safe. Thailand tells you everything you need to know for a rewarding tour of a fascinating land.

Product Details

• Paperback: 848 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet; 7th edition (March 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0864424116
• ISBN-13: 978-0864424112
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,016,913 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Joe Cummings was born in New Orleans, and raised in California, France and Washington DC. In high school he developed a taste for rock guitar and subversive politics, playing in a succession of garage bands while publishing an underground newspaper. After he graduated from college, the Peace Corps granted his request to be posted to Thailand, where he served as an English lecturer at King Mongkut's Institute of Technology in Bang Mot, Thonburi. He later earned a master's degree in South Asian Civilization from the University of California at Berkeley, and was a scholar in residence at the East-West Center in Hawaii. His Thailand guide for Lonely Planet was the first guidebook to that country written in English since 1928. An instant success, it remains one of the bestselling guidebook ever published. He has authored over 35 other books, including coffeetable books, phrasebooks and travelogues. Joe has twice been honoured with the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Gold Award and is also a recipient of Mexico's Pluma de Plata (Silver Quill) for outstanding foreign journalism on Mexico. He never gave up the guitar, and continues to jam regularly at clubs in Thailand, where he makes his home.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very useful guide to a unique Thailand experience, May 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Lonely Planet Thailand: Travel Survival Kit (7th ed) (Paperback)

Thoroughly dissatisfied with our original travel guide we were lucky enough to get Joe Cumming's "travel-bible" as a present in the middle of our journey. It really made a huge difference and turned our holidays into a unique experience. The descriptions of accommodation facilities turned out to be amazingly accurate and the numerous tips regarding means of travel were extremely helpful indeed. This truly comprehensive and well written guide provided us with very useful recommendations regarding travel routes, accommodation, and sightseeing while at the same time offering a thorough insight into the country's political, socio-economic and cultural background. However, one should not mistake it for a scientific essay but take it for what it is: A practical travel guide. Going by "Tuk Tuk" in Bangkok is a great experience but take Cumming's warning seriously and beware of drivers trying to guide you to cheap "promotion outlets" since these are nothing but tourist traps! The LP is an essential guide to getting around and finding interesting spots in Thailand and leads you safely to cheap but decent accommodation in almost every part of the country.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Comprehensive and Useful, January 17, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Seattle) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet Thailand: Travel Survival Kit (7th ed) (Paperback)

We recently returned from a two week, self-organized tour of Thailand and Laos. Joe's books were our "Bible". We had family reasons for visiting Roi-Et, an out-of-the-way provincial capital in the northeast. We found very useful maps and descriptions even here. His warning about touts at the Chiang Mai bus station was right on, but beware even if you choose your own taxi driver and hotel (ours tried to guide us to a "better deal"). Another warning: An overnight bus ride in the winter can be like being in a refrigerator if the air con won't turn off. The low to medium priced hotels we chose from his guide for Bangkok, Chiang Mia, Khonkaen, and Vientiane (Laos guide) were all excellent. The recommended Khonkaen Silk Festival was really great, both the silk clothing and the Maw Lam music. One omission that we enjoyed (1 km jeep track & 1 km hike): The Borichinda Cave just inside the entrance to Doi Inthanon National Park.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent single source guide, December 28, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Lonely Planet Thailand: Travel Survival Kit (7th ed) (Paperback)

I just returned from my latest trip to Thailand where I used the latest copy of Joe Cummings' guide. As always it's excellent; reflecting the expertise you'd expect from somebody who's lived there for so long. His writing style is informed and he doesn't gloss over important details that aren't always positive. There's nothing worse than a guidebook that reads like Conde Nast Traveller. If you can't travel with Joe, the next best thing is to buy a copy of his guidebook. He's found places nobody else has found throughbout the country including on the back streets of Bangkok.