Thailand Confidential

Very good read. I read this book before going to Thailand and it really did help me out when I arrived and stayed there for two weeks. I like the humor and sarcasm and it opened my eyes to different cultures, customs and lifestyles of the Thai people. This book is definatly worth a read.

I love Thailand and have been there many times. This book was very informative and entertaining about a great country - known as "The Land of Smiles". Thailand is like Heaven on Earth for single men. What a country. Lots to do, great food, great culture and low prices. Jerry Hopkins knows what he is talking about and let me in on things I did not know. A must for anyone thinking of traveling to Thailand.

I bought this book before moving to Thailand and found it to be very informative. I also like Mr. Hopkins style of writing which made this book even more enjoyable. Most of what is written between these pages rings true although some of my own personal experiences differ from Mr.Hopkins. One is the Thais preference when cooking. I find more gas tanks wherever I go wheather it be a street vendor or someones home. I, like the author have a home in Issan and every house I have ever been in (incuding mine) has a gas set up for cooking (as well as coal for grilling). The only other difference of opinion is what Thai beer is the best to drink. I do agree that Thailand does not produce a "world class beer" and I am not a big fan of Thai beer in general but Chang over Singha? I prefer neither and if planning a trip to Thailand stick with the international staple beers Hieneken or Kloster or a very good Thai beer is "Leo" which is made by the Singha corp. and unlike Singha which is rather acidic Leo is very smooth and drinkable. Thailand Confidential makes for a very good introduction for anyone planning a trip to Thailand.

This book was informative. It gives you a basic outline of the place. You can read this book, as well as look for pics and videos of Thailand on the internet. Especially videos on youtube. A pic is worth a 1000 words, and a video is worth 1,000,000 words. You really don't know until you see a video of the place, how it is going to feel, and then you still don't know exactly, but you have a much better idea. One thing that has helped me decide where to go, and where not to go, is a software app called TubeSucker. Do a google on TubeSucker to find it. The turbo version lets you do a "Download All" for a given search, and then you can quickly scan through 100s of Thailand videos on your hard drive with no delays. I use is for all my travels, including the beach of Mexico, India, and Italy. This book paints a decent picture of the place. But with video you can almost smell the smells.

Hopkins book is a clear-eyed, knowledgeable, and insightful look at Thailand by an American who's lived there for more than a decade. He captures the crazy charm of the place without falling victim to the romantic haze that falls over most first-time visitors. He still loves it - the street food, the elephants, the women, the bars, the temples, the gentle people and sharp operators, the jungles, cities, and beaches and the all-round intensity and color of the place - but also sees many of its failings. Might very well make you consider retiring there.