Bangkok Inside Out (Paperback)

~ Daniel Ziv and Guy Sharett (Author) "Bangkok's Pra Chan sidewalk amulet market is a great place to wit ness Buddhist Thailand's vibrant subtext of animist superstition, omens and magical power..." (more)
Key Phrases: tam boon, sky train, Luuk Kreung, Muay Thai, Phra Athit (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Bangkok Inside Out is the follow-up to Jakarta Inside Out, which has held a two-year lock on Asia's bestseller lists. The book quite literally turns Bangkok "inside out," exposing the city piece by piece in a quirky, intelligent and accessible manner. It covers subjects like soi dogs, scams, karaoke bars, student cafes, motorcycle taxis, urban elephants, sky train and the whole slew of topics that make Bangkok what it is. Illustrated with more than 80 full-color photographs, this book truly brings this remarkable city to life.

About the Author

Daniel Ziv founded Indonesia's first city life magazine and has presented travel segments on Jakarta for Discovery Channel. Guy Sharett is a contributor to BBC World Service radio and Voice of Israel radio.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Equinox Publishing (November 9, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9799796466
• ISBN-13: 978-9799796462
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,215,099 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining, illuminating, alternative view of Bangkok!, June 5, 2005

By	Vincent Tan (Singapore) - See all my reviews

I am a frequent business traveler to Bangkok and this book opened my eyes to many angles of the city I had never noticed or understood before. The authors have really explained just about everything we encounter in this chaotic and confusing metropolis, and they do it in the most entertaining way - with witty prose, humorous anecdotes and many insider tips on what really makes things move. Bangkok Inside Out in at once a light read and an in-depth study of a city, and that's what impressed me most about the book. Few books would think to include 'Seven Eleven', 'Indie Music', 'Pha Yen (Wet Face Cloths)' or 'Taxi Radio Stations" as part of the cultural landscape they describe, but these writers demonstrate why it's precisely such little day-to-day things that shape this city's unique vibe. The accompanying photos are terrific, and successfully portray Bangkok's dark and light moods. I'd strongly recommend this book to anybody wanting to move beyond the Grand Palace and Floating Market version of Bangkok and learn what to really look out for.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unique, hilarious insight into a wacky city, December 23, 2004

By	Joseph N. (Bangkok, Thailand) - See all my reviews

I've lived in Bangkok for a number of years but this book shed entirely new light for me on what makes this city move and shake. Through 60 short 'snapshots' arranged alphabetically - usually a page of text and great accompanying photos - the book (which is hilarious, by the way) explains the city's quirky people and phenomena in a fun, original style.

The authors include many chapters on topics you certainly won't find in other guidebooks, like "Seven Eleven", "Soi Dogs", "High Society", "Mobile Phones", "Whiskey Coke & Ice", "Motorcycle Taxis", "Fortune Tellers" and "Chic". I found it refreshing that the book addresses up-to-the-minute pop culture and urban trends and almost entirely ignores the whole sleazy sex/bar-girl scene that most book on Bangkok seem to delight in. After all, Bangkok is about a whole lot more than Pat Pong and body massages.

In short, this is one of the best books I've seen on this city. The witty and informative text combined with some striking photography make this an impressive and worthy tribute to a fun, complex city. Good for anyone who wants to really understand Bangkok rather than just see the surface.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beware Amazon Pricing SCAM., January 3, 2006

By	J. Zahn "jkzahn" (Wexford, PA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This appears to be a good book..BUT the list price of this book from the manufacturer is actually $19.97 and NOT $27.99 as Amazon would have you believe.

I actually wrote to their Customer Service and they said it doesn't matter because their final price is cheaper.

Anyhow, just don't pay attention to that false 34% discount price.