reading
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Secrets of Cultural Anthropology in Thailand Dr. Rasmi Shoocongdej a Thai anthropologist and archaeologist who has revolutionized archaeological research in Thailand and Southeast Asia. – ศ.ดร รัศมี ชูทรงเดช RASMI SHOOCONGDEJ Secrets of Cultural Anthropology in Thailand Before reviewing anthropology in Thailand, and the particular difficulties anthropologists find when researching and writing about it in Thailand,…
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Does Thailand accept second-best? Is there too much mai pen rai here? “Beyond the Bamboo Curtain” takes a look in today’s post. Why the tools we rely on often fall short—and what that says about global tech hierarchies I drive a Mazda. The quality is okay, but I was stunned to find that the same…
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Look Behind the Bamboo Curtain and you’ll often be surprised by what you find. Things are seldom what they seem in Thailand. The carpenter had left some papers on top of a corner cabinet he’d almost finished building. He’d put away his tools, cleaned where he’d been working, and was making ready to go home.…
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When I had a problem with Chamnaan’s poor building work, I suggested what I thought was a reasonable price for the work completed and the cost of rectification. I agreed the figure with Chamnaan in front of the pooyaibaan, the village headman. You can’t complain publicly about a bad builder or his poor workmanship in…
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Beyond the Bamboo Curtain. Today’s short true story of life in Thailand. There are many dogs on the rural roads of Thailand. Most Thais have dogs roaming in the garden or in the nearby soi (lane). They may be caged or chained at night. Only a few Thais treat their dogs as pets. They generally…
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An example of Thai workmanship from the Beyond the Bamboo Curtain series. Had some builders around last week to build some gates to stop the dogs wandering off. They did a good job erecting the posts firmly in position and upright. The welding on the gate frames had been carefully done. Most Thai workers miss…
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Thai houses typically feature steep, sloping roofs with large, protective overhangs and lofty ceilings. These generous overhangs give great shade from the glaring sun and help keep indoor temperatures pleasantly low. The sharply sloping roofs swiftly shed rainwater, often channeling it into water storage tanks. All houses include fans and mosquito nets; upper-class residences have…
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An unusual post in the Behind the Bamboo Curtain series. From years of observation—and conversations with fellow anthropologists steeped in Thai society—I’ve come to a curious conclusion: Most Thais tend to think and act just one step ahead. Not two. Not three. Just one. That’s not to say strategic thinking is absent. I’m sure there are Thai…
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Behind the Bamboo Curtain. Another true story in this series. Our soi is a tight squeeze — just a single narrow track — so we couldn’t get the car out once the police parked their vehicle outside our neighbour’s house. And you never ask armed cops, anywhere on earth, to move their car. They park…
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2 Pattaya Foreigners Fighting While two farangs were brawling outside a bar in Pattaya, the girlfriend of one of the men tried to intervene and break up the fight. 2 Pattaya Foreigners fighting get distracted A couple of Thai women saw this, one seemed to be trying to separate the men while the other, dressed…