5 comments about Lonely Planet Thailand.

1. Its a good book and a worth while read but the flow of the book is different to other lonely planet books I have had.



2. I found that this guide is in its way to be a really good guide.
   But I've found some mistakes and omissions that could make it better. (ie: prices, locations)
   Next edition is about to come, so I would recommend give it a glance.
   Though Lonely Planet claims to have excelent maps, I think they could really be better.



3. i was disappointed as much information was two-three years old.
   i should have checked the date of edition more carefully before purchase. i have gotten a lot of useful information and the book has been helpful but i am staying at a hotel in bangkok that has changed names and eating at a place in chiang dao that has changed ownership. i have used the internet to update information before making decisions.



4. I have used this series on Thailand 5 times over the last seven years for extended trips and schooling in Thailand. I found my sons Kickboxing camp through Lonely Planets and sent him of to live in Chiang Mai with a copy of his own when he turned 17. One time I lost my copy at LAX and replaces it with the competition. It was an insufferable step downward. I spent ½ a day scouring Bangkok for a new Lonley Planet. Things change often in the travel industry and I always buy the latest addition before I depart, but these guides are as dead on accurate as can be! I have also used them in Africa and the Middle East. They never disappointed!



5. They say the way to judge a travel guide is to use one in a city you are very familiar with. I have been to Bangkok countless times in the past 2 years and am thoroughly familiar with the city and have a strong understanding of the language. My friend visited Bangkok and I left my travel guide (Let's Go) behind in my village to lessen my load. I figured I did not need much, just a few maps and the background of the areas we would be visiting.
   
   This book could not have been more useless. In the Army I taught map reading and land navigation and was able to get even the most directionless soldiers to pass the tests in this area. I could not make head or tails from the maps provided, in a city were I generally know the layout. The maps were either too large to provide any useful detail or too small to provide for any frame of reference. It was either getting a broad shot of the galaxy or a microscopic view of a gnat.
   
   After the first day we left the guidebook behind and went on my knowledge of the city and my Thai language skills. For those of you who do not have either I would suggest the Let's Go Thailand book. The maps are useful and the information is laid out in a way that is easily understandable.

5 comments about Thailand Handbook (Thailand Handbook, 2nd ed).

1. The 1999 Edition was great for the first couple of years, but it is time for a new one now. This one is now antiquated. It's been 4 years now and we would like the 4th Edition ASAP. Let's go Carl and don't let the JV book take away all the light from the Varsity team's book !



2. same as below, it is now 2004 and things have changed in thailand, I am ready for another trip this year and need a guide book, lonely planet doesnt do the trick



3. Having travelled a lot in Thailand, and owning just about every guidebook, this one is clearly the best. In depth, accurate, intelligent, comprehensive, and amusingly written with a touch of sarcasm. Only problem is that it is somewhat out of date. I am anxiously awaiting a new edition. This is still a most valuable addition to one's references on travel to the Kingdom.



4. I used this Handbook last year having perused the Rough Guide and LP Guides extensively. This was the one I packed for the trip to the north, the northeast, BKK, and a couple of side trips to Ratchaburi and Ayudaya. Great guide. Subtly written and informative.
   
   I, too, am troubled the lack of a new edition, and I don't see indications on the Moon website that another is coming soon. It's been nearly six years. I'll buy the new one...I'd even pay twice and throw in an order of gai yang!



5. I want a book for Thailand. I like Moon Handbooks, but 1999 just doesn't cut it. Sadly, I will likely get the LP giude.

No comments about Natural Wonders of Asia: The Finest National Parks of India, Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia.

2 comments about Fielding's Thailand, Cambodia, Laos & Myanmar: Cambodia, Laos & Myanmar (1996 Edition).

1. The most striking feature of this book is the virtual illiteracy of the authors. There are a significant number of instances where apostrophes are used incorrectly. Single subjects take plural verb forms and vice versa. Some sentences have no object. This may sound like a pedant's critique but grammar is an intrinsic aspect of language and incorrect use is not only irritating but results in nonensical and meaningless statements. If the authors are intending to publish another edition I strongly suggest they have it edited by someone who can read above the level of a twelve year old.



2. I have found this to be a useful tool in exploring Northern Thailand and beyond.

No comments about Waterproof Thailand Map by ITMB.

No comments about The Land of Smiles & Royal White Elephants: Let's Travel to Thailand Together (Windows on the World Series) (Windows on the World Series).

No comments about Periplus Thailand Regional Map Phuket (Periplus Travel Maps) (Thailand Regional Maps).

3 comments about Lonely Planet Thailand, Vietnam, Laos & Cambodia Road Atlas (Travel Atlases).

1. For the traveler that intends to leave the beaten path, be aware that this atlas misses off hundreds of villages in between larger towns and cities. After spending four months in Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos I found this atlas to be dead weight in my pack. However, Lonely Planet publishes an atlas for each individual country, which has more detailed secondary roads, natural features, and remote villages. Moreover, if you do not have the luxury of four months plus at your disposal and you are traveling in these fascinating countries in a rush, this atlas will more than likely meet your needs.



2. Claiming to be "the best, most up-to-date source of maps" for the region this is a book by Lonely Planet that holds nothing it promises. I used the Laos and the Thailand maps to bike from the Chinese border at Boten to Bangkok via Luang Namtha, Luang Prabang, Vientiane, Udon Thani and Korat. I found that not a single (!) information regarding distances was right. And they weren't off by a few kilometres but rather by 10 up to 25 km (Udomxai to Pak Mong). Further the maps, especially in Thailand, depict roads to be unpaved where according to local information (and Thai maps) they were paved since more than a few years. The topographic shading is sloppy at best, if not completely incorrect. The mistakes are far beyond the "things change fast" warning published in every Lonely Planet guidebook and signal a further deterioration of quality at Lonely Planet. I strongly advice against buying it, it's just a rip-off!



3. I used this map to plan and execute a drive through Isaan, mainly on major roads. It is a useful overview to what we can expect to see along the way, including cities, the largest of the towns, and some sights along the way.
   
   I am writing this review for balance on the other two reviews, particularly the one-star review which does not seem balanced to me. I am giving it 3 stars (which Amazon defines as "It's OK" because that is closer to what I think than 2 stars ("I don't like it"). I'm glad to have it for this trip, but I agree that it would not suit the needs of someone going way off the usual roads.
   
   The map could have a lot more details, but the next level of detail involves a large number of villages and roads that vary in quality along the way.
   
   What I find useful about it is the atlas-style presentation of the rectangles that map this region - i.e. turning to the next page forward brings you to the next block east, and the tops and bottom pages refer you to connecting pages. Thus you can get the big picture fairly easily, and see relationships between places you might want to go. And obviously an advantage of this map is that it covers three key countries many want to visit - per the title - but also includes a similar level of detail for Laos and Myanmar/Burma when the rectangle includes them. It also includes partial maps of Vientianne and Luang Prabang, two key destinations in Laos.
   
   Of course, it is out of date now, and won't show all the latest border crossings.
   
   Aside from the stars listed on reviews, another view of the usefulness of out of print products from Amazon is the price. The rather high price of this item as an outdated, out-of-print map suggests that it is still in demand.
   
   If you REALLY want details, check out maps dot google dot com, which has a very detailed map of Thailand (only) with satellite images. Unfortunately, the legends use the Thai script, but you can search for nearly any town or village listed on the map and - if you guess the spelling used on google correctly - even find it.
   
   If anyone figures out how to get google to show Roman spellings instead of Thai, please add a comment to this review.

No comments about Aspects of the Embassy to Siam 1685: The Chevalier De Chaumont and the Abbe De Choisy (Treasures from the Past).

No comments about Independent Travellers Thailand, Malaysia & Singapore 2006: The Budget Travel Guide (Independent Travellers - Thomas Cook).