Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [670]
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Austin Bush Food & Drink, Bangkok, Northern Thailand
After graduating from the University of Oregon in 1999 with a degree in linguistics, Austin received a scholarship to study Thai at Chiang Mai University and has remained in Thailand ever since. After working several years at a stable job, he made the questionable decision to pursue a career as a freelance writer and photographer, endeavours that have taken him as far as Pakistan’s Karakoram Highway and as near as Bangkok’s Or Tor Kor Market. Austin enjoys writing about and taking photos of food most of all because it’s a great way to connect with people. Samples of his work can be seen at www.austinbushphotography.com.
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Brandon Presser Lower Southern Gulf, Andaman Coast, Deep South
Growing up in a land where bear hugs are taken literally, this wanderlusty Canadian always craved swaying palms and golden sand. A trek across Southeast Asia as a teenager was the clincher – he was hooked, returning year after year to scuba dive, suntan and savour spoonfuls of spicy sôm·am (papaya salad). Brandon was primed to research Thailand’s top holiday destinations, but it wasn’t all fun and games – there were beaches to be judged, curries to be sampled and kiteboards to be test-ridden. Brandon spends most of the year writing his way around the world and has co-authored several other Lonely Planet guides to Southeast Asia, including Thailand’s Islands & Beaches and Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei.
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CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS
Dr Trish Batchelor is a general practitioner and travel medicine specialist who currently works in Canberra and is Medical Advisor to the Travel Doctor New Zealand clinics. She has just returned from working in Vietnam and has previously worked in Nepal and India. Trish teaches travel medicine through the University of Otago, and is interested in underwater and high-altitude medicine, and the impact of tourism on host countries. She has travelled extensively through Southeast and East Asia.
David Lukas is a naturalist who lives on the edge of Yosemite National Park. He has contributed chapters on the environment and wildlife for nearly 30 Lonely Planet guides, including for Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos & the Greater Mekong, Thailand’s Islands & Beaches, Bangkok and the Environment chapter for this edition of Thailand.
Bhawan Ruangsilp wrote the History chapter. She is a native of Bangkok and a published historian of the Ayuthaya period at Chulalongkorn University. She finds 17th-century Western travel literature on Siam fascinating and leapt at the chance to lend her expertise to this edition of Lonely Planet’s Thailand guide.
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Behind the Scenes
* * *
THIS BOOK
THANKS
Our Readers
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
* * *
THIS BOOK
This 13th edition of Thailand was researched and written by China Williams (coordinating author), Mark Beales, Tim Bewer, Catherine Bodry, Austin Bush, Brandon Presser, Bhawan Ruangsilp, David Lukas and Trish Batchelor. This guidebook was commissioned in Lonely Planet’s Melbourne office, and produced by the following:
Commissioning Editors Carolyn Boicos, Tashi Wheeler
Coordinating Editor Nigel Chin
Coordinating Cartographer Peter Shields
Coordinating Layout Designer Aomi Hongo
Managing Editor Geoff Howard
Managing Cartographer David Connolly
Managing Layout Designer Sally Darmody
Assisting Editors Janet Austin, Janice Bird, Monique Choy, Victoria Harrison, Rowan McKinnon, Anne Mulvaney, Diana Saad, Angela Tinson, Saralinda Turner
Assisting Cartographers Enes Bašić, Valeska Cañas, Corey Hutchison, David Kemp, Joanne Luke
Assisting Layout Designers Paul Iacono
Cover Designer Rebecca Dandens
Project Manager Chris Love
Thanks to Lucy Birchley, Nicholas Colicchia, Jessica Crouch,