asia

I agree with some of the other customer review that this "guide" is far from one of the best. The information is sometimes wrong (unfortunately at the most inconvenient of times). In addition the book is hardly a "guide". The walking tours, for example, give you little information and simply plop you at a site. This is more of a handbook to accommpany a map. The book seems to inspire the kind of tourism where one looks, but does not realy try to understand the culture around you. The worst part about this book is that it is not arranged well. Each area you visit is arranged by "activity" like accommodation or food. This is particularly annoying in the Bangkok section, where one has to constantly flip from section to section in order to figure out anything about where you are in the area of town you are visiting. On the positive side, the recommendations of accomodation are decent. Overall though, I recommend to get another guide. Lonely planet has gone lazy.

This guide--like previous Lonely Planet guides to Thailand--offers the full range of Thailand to the potential tourist. Indeed the famous R&R resort city of Pattaya receives only 12 pages, but the fact that one-third of visitors to Thailand go there anyway means that the glitzy notoriety of Pattaya's "entertainments" are probably already well-known enough abroad.

Cummings' book is directed to a different audience. For those who do not wish to read about the political or social problems involved with certain kinds of (shall I say "predatory"?) tourism, there are other guides to Thailand. But for those who have traveled to Thailand and elsewhere before with Lonely Planet guide in hand and have appreciated the careful attention these book pay to parts of the country and aspects of the culture that might otherwise be missed, we can rejoice that Cummings has spent many, many pages turning our eyes toward the beautiful yet neglected or underappreciated parts of Thailand, all the while reminding us of the potential for abuse that is may be latent in even the gentlest of tourists.

Cummings book is simply not designed for the tourist who deplanes in Bangkok already drooling after the "delights" available in some neon-illuminated corners of this othewise beautiful, hospitable country filled with many, many thoughtful, kind, and decent people. Those tourists who would dismiss Cummings' commentary generally don't need a guidebook anyway. For them, everything they want out of Thailand will be offered in all its sleazy glory as soon as the touts see the glint in their eyes and their tongues hanging out.

The third copy I have purchased of Cummings' thoughtful book will be in my hand this January when I get to Thailand. Previous editions have guided me and my family on the most memorable (and inexpensive) trips we have ever taken. This book makes it possible to enjoy Thailand with a fullness and richness that other guides can't match.

I was really disappointed with the newest Thailand edition to the Lonely Planet series. This is a huge volume and is more a history lesson then a guidebook. Learning the history of your destination is great but that information is not necessary when carrying around a guide to find a place to eat. Many of the authors' recommendations are already outdated. The price ranges for places to eat or sleep are not accurate or sometimes not given at all. My main problem is the way this guide links the map to the text. In order to find out where a place is located, you must refer to several different pages when reading the map. Why can't the description of a restaurant also tell the map page and grid point without having to look on a separate index? Poorly designed and not easy to use when on the go. Keep this one on your bookshelf and take a smaller guidebook when traveling. I recommend the Time Out series as my favorite.