The Simple Guide to Customs and Etiquette in Thailand (Simple Guides Customs and Etiquette)

Book by Tonkin, Derek, Kongsiri, Visnu

Simple is the keyword here, and superficial. These are titles in a new series of small books that promise to reveal the cultures of tourist destinations and prepare the visitor for adapting to them. There are, for example, four paragraphs "explaining" Buddhism and three paragraphs on "the family structure" in the book on Thailand. There are a few obvious dos and don'ts and a few paragraphs on conducting business. Throw in a couple dozen vocabulary words, a list of 11 holidays in Singapore, brief descriptions of two festivals in Thailand, a reminder to dress decently when visiting temples, a few stand-alone factoids, something about how to eat a meal, a couple of maps so general as to be virtually useless for visitors-on-the-spot, some modest sketches to separate the paragraphs, and a color photograph on the cover, and you have a near-instant book. This information is available?and better done?in all good guidebooks.. For a few dollars more, you also get the detailed practical information, recommended readings, indexes, and much better graphic production values. Librarians looking for books that explain other cultures are better served by the excellent "Culture Shock" series.?Harold M. Otness, Southern Oregon State Coll. Lib., Ashland
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.