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Once you delve in, be prepared for a wild ride. To me, those are always the best kind. Dec 27, Randolph Breschini rated it liked it. Jan 11, Kris rated it it was amazing. James Algie's got a sharp eye and articulate point of view and his many year's immersed in the world of Thailand gives you a helping hand into some of the inner depths. May 09, Henrik Rostoft rated it it was ok Shelves: Good subject, but the author didn't make it seem interesting.
'Bizarre Thailand: Tales of Crime, Sex and Black Magic'
Jereldkua rated it it was amazing Jan 04, Hiroshi rated it it was ok May 09, Alison Tweddle rated it it was amazing Jun 12, Mayur Gaikwad rated it liked it Jun 07, Edd Yerburgh rated it liked it Apr 11, Raymond rated it it was amazing Mar 19, Christopher rated it liked it Oct 28, Tim Laven rated it it was amazing Jun 11, Thomas Lambourn rated it it was ok Sep 09, Kylie Taylor-Taylor-Taylor rated it really liked it May 21, John Boyer rated it it was amazing Jun 25, Com rated it did not like it Mar 19, Meldonna V Cody rated it it was amazing Aug 02, Javier rated it liked it May 17, Undreya rated it it was ok Feb 26, Halbarad rated it liked it Oct 06, Chuck Bento rated it it was amazing Nov 20, That is only the tip of the saddle horn at Pensuk Great Western , a cowboys and Indians theme resort in the province of Nakhon Ratchasima that the owner, Yuttana Pensuk, modeled on a real 19th-century ghost town in Nevada.
Raised on a U. On Saturday nights, he is the sheriff of High Hill, walking around in complete cowboy duds with a fake six-shooter strapped to his thigh.
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An undated photo of Siamese twins Chang and Eng. As kids, Chang and Eng were blamed by superstitious villagers for causing a cholera epidemic that clogged the waterways with 30, corpses. Yet their legacy as fishermen and duck farmers is still evident in the waterborne ways of life that remain buoyant in Amphawa District, which won a UNESCO prize for Cultural Conservation. Forget the shabby exhibits and posters. They shared a brotherly bond made of flesh in the form of a connecting ligament and a fused liver.
During the s a poor Chinese immigrant and serial slayer terrorized Bangkok and its surrounding provinces. Some of them seem to have more than one theme.
'Bizarre Thailand: Tales of Crime, Sex and Black Magic' | CNN Travel
Other than that, it's a brilliant effort. Spellbound In Chiangmai Thailand Confidential. Kindle Edition Verified Purchase. There are two sides to Thailand that I have come to know. The first is the one that got me on a plane and ready for an idyllic vacation.
That is the one from the glossy brochures, and Travel Channel specials. Twelve years later, I have come to know the other side. This is the area that few farangs get to glimpse unless they live in LOS. Expat and journalist--Jim Algie--brings us through the seamy underbelly where Sex, drugs, crime and black magic are the local norm. Far too many farangs go to Thailand each year with their head in the clouds.
Little do they know that this is a world where noodle vendors moonlight as witch doctors, Tattoo's possess the living, and entire villages are inhabited by ghosts. With a hilariously black sense of humor, Jim Algie presents this rogues gallery of madmen, bizarre celebrities, rituals, and lore into one volume that absolutely begs for a sequel. This is a must read for any visitor to the "Land of Smiles", and far more useful for understanding the Thai cultural cosmos than a backpack full of Lonely Planet guides. I anxiously await part II.
- Bizarre Thailand : Tales of Crime, Sex and Black Magic!
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This book is a very enlightening, often humourous and engaging read. In exploring the more unusual aspects of Thail life, it certainly has its share of the odd and unusual, as the title "Bizarre Thailand" suggests. But it also contains considerable insight into Thai history, social strata, traditions, customs, crime and punishment, philanthropism, paths to and cult of celebrity, gender roles, sex trade, tourism, religion, folklore, et al.
There is also plenty with regard to when Thai and Western cultures have intersected in history, like: And the quainter side of Thai life, like the middle-aged middle-class Thais enjoying their Saturday evening dinner yeehahing and kicking up their heels at a northwestern Thailand Western dude ranch. Also within its pages are many other wonderful cross-sections and literary snapshopts of Thai life, such as the remote lonely traditional Thai farmer and his beast of burden, the water buffalo, thanked with an annual backwoods celebration, of sorts.
And then there are the volunteer "Body Snatchers of Bangkok" a group of rival charity foundations who compete fiercely in turf wars: A prospective suicidee stands on a ledge, while the gathering bystanders below try to find out his room number so they can use the digits to choose lottery numbers should he take the plunge. In order to glean these insights, the author has not only does his research, but also engages in conversation with a lot of people.
And for me, the difference between a good book and a not-so-good book is the depth and extent to which one remembers the characters encountered in its pages, and in Bizarre Thailand there is no shortage of memorable characters.
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Some of the many include: The writer often simply lets the facts do the explaining, interspersing the narrative appropriately with personal reflections, associations and recollections. Written in snappy, succinct prose - reminiscent of a Bill Bryson book - this is a book that depicts Thai life on many overlapping intellectual, cultural and sociological levels, treated with appropriate objectiveness, humor and respectfulness.
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For those with an interest in travel or Thailand, or just anyone who feels that their sense of wonder about the world has waned and is in need of a booster shot, this book is a pleasurable, entertaining and enlightening read. First half of book is better than second half. Starts off being very interesting, but then fades a bit towards the end. Still worth a read though. It is OK to begin with, but then fades away quickly. See all 13 reviews. There's a problem loading this menu right now. Learn more about Amazon Prime.