Hanoi is buzzing over the fate of a giant 100 year-old turtle that lives in picturesque Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi. One of Vietnam’s oldest citizens, the turtle has a shell that measures 6 feet long by 4 feet wide. But these days, it’s not doing so well. Numerous lesions have appeared on its neck and […]
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WoWasis book review: ‘Sightseeing’ by Rattawut Lapcharoensap
Rattawut Lapcharoensap was born in Chicago, raised in Thailand, and as an emerging writer, has written a terrific book of short stories based in Thailand, Sightseeing (2005, ISBN 0-8021-1788-0). The title is based on the story of a young man and his mother, who’s taking perhaps the last vacation she can visually enjoy, as her […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis book review: Harold Stephens’ ‘At Home in Asia: Expatriates in Southeast Asia’
Writer and sailor Harold Stephens sure gets around. He lied about his age so he join join the Marines and fight in the Pacific, was imprisoned by the Chinese communists, escaped on a junk, rode across Australia on a motorcycle, and built his own concrete boat, which split apart in a hurricane after seeing endless […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis book review: Jillian Lauren’s ‘Some Girls: My Life in a Harem’
Wags have suggested that in order for a reader to really bond with the premise of a book written in the first person, whether fiction or non-fiction, he or she must like the protagonist. And if not, at least identify with that individual, on some level. Jillian Lauren, in her Some Girls: My Life in […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis book review: Frank Visakay’s ‘Jasmine Fever’
In the experience of those of us here at WoWasis, most expat writers who have complimentary things to say about Thai women contrast them with disparaging views of Western women in general and Yank women in particular. Frank Visakay, a former New York chef, has penned a book that’s a hoot for guys who love the […]
Read the rest of this entry »The Good Manner: Thai prostitutes are in my hotel
The Good Manner: Advice on Thailand from WoWasis’ Pa Farang This week’s dilemma: Thai prostitutes are in my hotel Dear Pa Farang, I’ve been brought over here from Singapore to manage a hotel, and, as a western-educated woman, I’ve become concerned that our hotel bar has become inundated with Thai prostitutes, who appear at all […]
Read the rest of this entry »Russia invades Thailand: Big-bellied shock troops wearing thong bikinis storm Thai beachfronts
An estimated 200,000 Russian and CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) tourists have come to Thailand within the last 60 days, spurred by tourism incentives directed toward Russia by Thai tourist groups and agencies. Veteran travelers to Thailand have long noted a strong Russian presence in the seaside city of Pattaya, but large Russian tour groups […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis book review: Clifford Kinvig’s ‘River Kwai Railway’
You’ve seen the terrific movie, you’ve read Philippe Boulle’s compelling book. Great stories, but they’re both fiction. For a worthy overview of the situation as it actually occurred, we at WoWasis recommend reading military historian Clifford Kinvig’s River Kwai Railway: the Story of the Burma-Siam Railroad (1992, ISBN 1-84486-021-3). An estimated 100,000 workers died during […]
Read the rest of this entry »Making merit: Tham boon at a Thai temple
Many — and here we’ll take the risk of saying Most — Thais make merit at a wat (temple) periodically. Making merit is the act of taking a small gift to the wat, presenting it to a monk, reflecting on good wishes in the name of others, and receiving a blessing from the monk. Everyone […]
Read the rest of this entry »Thailand-Cambodian military skirmish damages historic Preah Vihear temple
Sophomoric saber-rattling on the part of Thailand and Cambodian politicians has escalated to military forces battling over a 4.6 square kilometer patch of disputed territory has damaged the historic 11th century Preah Vihear temple (also known as Khao Phra Viharn), according to Thai army sources reported in the Bangkok Post. This small patch of earth […]
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