Bangkok Inside Out

By Daniel Ziv and Daniel Ziv and Guy Sharett

Bangkok Inside Out is the follow-up to Jakarta Inside Out, which has held a two-year lock on Asia's bestseller lists. The book quite literally turns Bangkok "inside out," exposing the city piece by... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 9799796466
• ISBN13: 9789799796462
• Release Date: November 2004
• Publisher: Equinox Pub
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.8" x 0.8" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Bangkok really Inside Out!

I have read it all and heard it all about Thailand, mostly banalities: "It's so nice and peaceful, the people are so nice and smile all the time, I love the food!" Finally, someone wrote something different about Thailand that pays tribute to its complexities and nuttiness. "Bangkok Inside Out" by Daniel Ziv and Guy Sharett is an engaging, easy-to-read book that covers the less-covered aspects of Thailand that make the country and the people so lovable. From transvestites to beauty contests for chubby women to more serious aspects like amulets and the street dog problem, the book is perfect for the well-seasoned traveler or arm-chair one. I am half-Thai, half-American, which doesn't necessarily make me an expert on Thailand or the culture; however, anyone attempting to learn more about it must read "Bangkok Inside Out".

Essential info for the traveler

After just a couple of hours with this book, I learned more about the culture of everyday citizens than I did in two days of exploring on my own. Quick and insightful bits about the city, it's customs and people. The end essay, while interesting did not fit the same format of the other entries. If you are visiting this marvelous city, this book is a must. I hope the authors plan on doing the same for other Asian cities.

An entertaining, illuminating, alternative view of Bangkok!

I am a frequent business traveler to Bangkok and this book opened my eyes to many angles of the city I had never noticed or understood before. The authors have really explained just about everything we encounter in this chaotic and confusing metropolis, and they do it in the most entertaining way - with witty prose, humorous anecdotes and many insider tips on what really makes things move. Bangkok Inside Out in at once a light read and an in-depth study of a city, and that's what impressed me most about the book. Few books would think to include 'Seven Eleven', 'Indie Music', 'Pha Yen (Wet Face Cloths)' or 'Taxi Radio Stations" as part of the cultural landscape they describe, but these writers demonstrate why it's precisely such little day-to-day things that shape this city's unique vibe. The accompanying photos are terrific, and successfully portray Bangkok's dark and light moods. I'd strongly recommend this book to anybody wanting to move beyond the Grand Palace and Floating Market version of Bangkok and learn what to really look out for.

every angle on the City of Angels

I've been in and out of Bangkok many times, done most of the typical travel guide must-do's, befriended many Thais in the process and still found in this book page after page of new information about my beloved City of Angels. Bangkok Inside Out is an irreverently fun, funny and informative homage to SE Asia's most quirky capital. Written for the novice as well as for those who have trod the steamy sois night after night, it captures the essence of a unique place and the people who make it so. Whether you're making your first or fiftieth visit, this book is essential.

Unique, hilarious insight into a wacky city

I've lived in Bangkok for a number of years but this book shed entirely new light for me on what makes this city move and shake. Through 60 short 'snapshots' arranged alphabetically - usually a page of text and great accompanying photos - the book (which is hilarious, by the way) explains the city's quirky people and phenomena in a fun, original style. The authors include many chapters on topics you certainly won't find in other guidebooks, like "Seven Eleven", "Soi Dogs", "High Society", "Mobile Phones", "Whiskey Coke & Ice", "Motorcycle Taxis", "Fortune Tellers" and "Chic". I found it refreshing that the book addresses up-to-the-minute pop culture and urban trends and almost entirely ignores the whole sleazy sex/bar-girl scene that most book on Bangkok seem to delight in. After all, Bangkok is about a whole lot more than Pat Pong and body massages. In short, this is one of the best books I've seen on this city. The witty and informative text combined with some striking photography make this an impressive and worthy tribute to a fun, complex city. Good for anyone who wants to really understand Bangkok rather than just see the surface.