Doing Thailand : the anthropologist as a young dog in Bangkok in the 1960s

This book recounts the often hilarious tale of an aspiring researcher who struggles to find his footing in bewildering Bangkok. Based on raw data and experiences—that tend to lose their flavor through ivory-tower manipulation—the narrative offers glimpses on the Thai capital during the time of the Vietnam war, before the advent of traffic jams, and goes on to offer insights into the academic fashions of the day and the pitfalls of doing “field work”. At the same time, the book provides insights into things Thai that will be enlarged upon in the follow-up when the young man has grown to be a professional. A devastatingly honest account of experiences we all share and mostly gloss over.