Before you come to Thailand you might want to prepare yourself for your volunteer vacation by reading about the culture, try to grab a few words of the Thai language or just find out, what else you can do while you are here.
And after you left, maybe you fell in love with this country like so many before you and continue your language studies or read fiction set in Asia.
Lonely Planet Thailand by Joe Cummings, Sandra Bao, Steven Martin, China Williams, Lonely Planet Publications; 10th edition, 2003 (ISBN 174-0593-56-1)
The standard backpackers travel guide. (Sabine)
Let's Go Thailand 2nd Edition by Inc. Let's Go, Let's Go Publications, 2004 (ISBN: 031-2335-68-7)
I like the layout better and things are easier to find. (Sabine)
Roger Welty, Thai Culture and Society, Asia Books 2004 (ISBN 974-8303-83-7)
This is an easy to read book about Thai culture with lots of information and clues by an author who spent more than 30 year in Thailand. I learned a lot. (Sabine)
Cooper, Robert and Nanthapa, Culture Shock Thailand, 3rd Edition, ed. Times Books, Singapore, 1990
Henry Holmes and Suchada Tangtongtavy w. Roy Tomizawa, Working with the Thais - A guide to managing in Thailand, White Lotus Press, Bangkok, 2. Ed. 2003 (ISBN 974-8496-50-3)
James O'Reilly, Larry Habegger, Travelers' Tales Thailand: True Stories, 2002
Karen Conelly, Touch the Dragon - A year in Thailand, Black Swan Publishers 1996 (ISBN 0-552-99690-4)
I love this book. Karen is 17 years old when she goes to Thailand. She gives you a good idea what it means to live in a Thai family and be the only farang in town. (Sabine)
Joe Cummings, Lonely Planet Thai Phrasebook, Lonely Planet Publications; 4th edition 1999 (ISBN: 086-4426-58-5)
J. Marvin Brown, A.U.A. Language Centre Thai Course: Book 1 - 3
Good book for learning the Thai language. There are no tapes or CDs so you need some Thai friends to help you with pronunciation.
Benjawan Poomsan Becker, Thai for Beginners
The first book of her series is the best. It comes with Tapes or CDs. You can teach yourself speaking, reading and writing. The following book "Thai for Intermediate Learners" is disappointing compared with the first one. (Sabine)
Thai-English English-Thai Dictionary for Non-Thai Speakers,
by Benjawan Poomsan Becker, Revised Edition 2002
She uses the same transcription as in her language books which make it most useful if you are using her language books as well. But even if you decided for a different book to learn from it is still one of the better dictionaries.(Sabine)
Wörterbuch Deutsch-Thai von Josef Rohrer, Windows on the World Publishing, Bangkok o.J. (ISBN in Deuschl. Gb. 3-89687-322-9 / Pb. 3-89687-321-0 in Thailand Gb. 974-87079-4-6 / 974-87079-5-4
Thai-Deutsch ist noch nicht erschienen. (Sabine)
Es sehr umfangreiches Wörterbuch, auch als Paperback zu haben, sorgfältig bearbeitet und vor allem: modernes Deutsch! Einziger Wermutstropfen, der Band
Pira Sudham, Monsoon Country, 1981
Very personal insight into Thai culture and politics by Isaan author. If you want to start understanding Thai politics, start here. (Sabine)
Pira Sudham, The Force of Karma, 2001
Sequel to Monsoon Country. (Sabine)
Rattawut Lapcharoensap, Sightseeing, Grove Press 2005(ISBN 080-2117-88-0)
Wonderfully written book by young Thai author. (Sabine)
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