Advantages: Conscious, meticulous and well organised.. THE travel book for Thailand
Disadvantages: very few.. The book is HUGE so carting it around can be a proble,

...Lonely planet has been in the business of writing travel book (i'd call them travel companions) for 20 years now and it's Thailand book, by Joe Cummings, has been around for 10. The build of this book is great, it traveled with me for 4 months and the spine remains intact, it got wet and recovered, it got dropped, run over by a tuk tuk and recovered.. It had so much abuse, I even used it as toilet paper when i couldn't get the hang of those 'squat' toilets. The book itself is split into 3 main categories- An introduction (200 pages of visa information, crime, health, history etc.) makes perfect reading for long flights and train journeys. The second section deals with the main regions of the area such as Bangkok, North, North-east and southern Thailand. This is further subdivided into cities which is again divided up into how to get... Read review

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Advantages: A compelling book
Disadvantages: Too many late nights spent reading it

...Can you imagine being in a foreign country thousands of miles away from home, and wanting desperately to see your family, but not having the money for the air fare. How far would you go to try and get home to see your loved ones? Sandra Gregory had her own house, and own business buying and selling antiques and bric a brac. She lived a happy and fulfilled life, with her border collie, two cats and a parrot. In November 1990, she was introduced, by her friend, to a man, who after a relationship break up, had decided to take a trip to Thailand for three months, but wanted a companion. On the spur of the moment Sandra agreed to join him and left England for a three month stay in Thailand. She soon parted company with her companion and spent time exploring the delights Thailand had to offer. However, after the three months were... Read review

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Advantages: A good read
Disadvantages: none

...A little about about the author. The author Phra Peter Pannapadipo was known as Peter Robinson, When Peter became forty years old, he went on a package holiday to Thailand. Whilst Peter was there, he became fascinated by the feelings of tranquility he found there. He visited Buddhist temples and Monasteries and became fascinated with them. When he returned to England he became determined to find out more, this is where his journey of discovery began. Peter then became a Buddhist monk five years later. At his ordination he was given the chaya or religious name of Phra Peter Pannapadipo I suggest you read "An English Monk in Thailand" by Phra Peter Pannapadipo this book tells you all about his journey to becoming a monk. The book It really makes you take a look around at your surroundings and see how lucky you really are... Read review

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Advantages: Well written, Easily read
Disadvantages: repeats itselfs, sometimes feels like long monolouge

...This book came for free with a magazine I bought. Since I’d just finished my last book I gave it a try. And I was caught within three pages. As the fore-word of the book reads, this is truly a book everybody should read to be warned and enlightened. Sandra Gregory tells the true story on how she ended up at a 25-years sentence for trying to smuggle 87 grams (3.06 ounces) of heroin from Thailand to Japan. The book is written in mainly chronological order; we get to know Sandra who is just like any young woman anywhere. All though she has a descent life in the UK she dreams of something more, feels restless. Opportunity comes more by luck than plan and she’s on her way to Thailand with a man she hardly knows. Soon after they split up and Sandra is by herself. She spends several years in Thailand on her own, getting by as a teacher... Read review

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Advantages: The best book i've read in a while. Honest and straight to the point
Disadvantages: None i can think of

...There's not many books that can keep me reading into the early hours of the morning - especially as i have to get up for the children. But this book had me mesmerized, i was intrigued as to what would happen next, needless to say it hasn't taken me long to read it. Sandra Gregory had a troubled childhood, she detested school and was mischievous. She didn't feel like she fit in anywhere, which is understandable with the amount of moving she did with her parents. She left school with no qualifications and rebelled against her parents. After a while sandra gets introduced to a friend of a friend who had a spare ticket to thailand, just the thing she needed to get out of the rat race in England. Thet didn't stay together very long, and Sandra travelled around, living in small communties in the mountains & working as a teacher... Read review

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Advantages: Fantastic plot, Well written with great characters and a sound descriptive ability, Both humorous and serious
Disadvantages: Erm the film isnt so good?

...I was lent this book by my English teacher at A-level, as I was bugging her for soemthing other than set texts to read. In the end I bought my own copy and have now read it about 5 times!! It was fairly new out at the time, so there wern't many people who could tell me about it. But I thought "what the heck, I'll give it a go." For those of you who have not read the book or seen the film ( a rather dissapointing substitute I think) I shall give you a short synopsis before telling you what I think of it. The book is set in Thailand in the modern day. It follows the Journey of Richard on his travels. On his first night he stays in a room next to a extremely eccentric scotsman, who goes by the pseudonym of "Daffy". In the morning Richard finds a map attached to his door, which shows the islands around Thailand and has Beach marked on it... Read review

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Advantages: great narrative, plot-line, depictions of charcters and places
Disadvantages: somewhat ruined by the film

...Alex Garland wrote 'The Beach' and was hugely successful in doing so. The film has come along, added alien plot-lines, and somewhat destroyed the superb narrative. If you haven't already seen the much-hyped film, please read the novel first. It is a stunning depiction of Thailand and very true to the country (having been there recently myself). He illustrates each character so beautifully in the novel, where as the film ignores and almost distances the audience from the character's history and personality. Crucial elements to the novel have been slashed from the film, ruining what makes the narrative so successful in pulling in, and creating a world for, the viewer. I don't want to give much of the story away for those that have not yet read the novel. But if you take one solo traveller, add some friends he makes along the way and send... Read review

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Advantages: easy to read, good characters
Disadvantages: hallucinations of Duck a bit annoying

...This novel, now a major motion picture starring Leonardo DiCaprio, is simply irresistible. Poignantly written, Alex Garland proves to be a very talented writer with an absorbing and intelligent first novel. The story of three backpackers (Etienne, Francoise, and Richard), travelling through Thailand in search of a secret Beach in a forbidden marine park. A great story that, at times, almost seems like a personal account - a diary. The only complaint I have is that the reappearance of a character called 'Mister Duck' is sometimes a little confusing - not knowing whether the story has moved into the dreamland or not. But even so, it is an extremely enjoyable read. It will definitely appeal to those who have been a part of the backpackers culture and especially those that have travelled through the beautiful landscapes of Thailand.... Read review

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