At forty-five, successful businessman Peter Robinson gave up his comfortable life in London to ordain as a Buddhist monk in Bangkok. But the new path he had chosen was not always as easy or as straightforward as he hoped it would be. In this truly extraordinary memoir, Phra Peter Pannapadipo describes his ten-year metamorphosis into a practicing Buddhist monk, while being initiated into the intricacies of an unfamiliar Southeast Asian culture. Phra Peter tells his story with compassion, humour and unflinching honesty. It's the story of a 'Phra Farang' - a foreign monk - living and practicing his faith in an exotic and intriguing land.

Dr Iain Corness fell in love with Thailand on a holiday in 1975, and finally managed to move there permanently in 1997. As a settled farang, or foreigner, he enjoys a unique perspective on Thai life and all its eccentricities; looking in from the outside while also getting to see the things most foreigners don’t. His stories and anecdotes are full of the joys of life, and celebrate this exotic and exciting land in all its glory with painfully funny observations. From a date with a fortune teller to tales of a reincarnated squid, Corness revels in the chaos and charm of ‘the only country where you can be run over by a shop.’ This is a book to be enjoyed by tourists and Thais alike.

'Fresh and authentic food with big, bold flavours that make you want to come back for more.' Henry Dimbleby, founder of Leon Sebby Holmes's adventurous approach has made his London pop-ups a huge success. In Cook Thai, he features the dishes that have seen crowds queuing round the block, perfectly adapted to suit the home cook. For Sebby, Thai food is not a special occasion cuisine, it's a delicious, varied and exciting style of food that can be eaten every day. His recipes use ingredients that can be easily be found in supermarkets, and include essential pastes, dips and pickles that can then be used as a starting point to explore this fragrant cuisine, as well as small bites such as Tiger Prawn and Sweet Potato Fritters, stir-fries such as Sticky Pork Belly with Salted Roast Pumpkin and impressive sharing dishes such as Grilled Whole Seabass with Coconut Chilli Jam. A genuinely modern cookery book providing a refreshing, eclectic mix of southeast Asian dishes.

The Ambiguous Allure of the West examines the impact of Western imperialism on Thai cultural development from the 1850s to the present and highlights the value of postcolonial analysis for studying the ambiguities, inventions, and accommodations with the West that continue to enrich Thai culture. Since the mid-nineteenth century, Thais have adopted and adapted aspects of Western culture and practice in an ongoing relationship that may be characterized as semicolonial. As they have done so, the notions of what constitutes "Thainess" have been inflected by Western influence in complex and ambiguous ways, producing nuanced, hybridized Thai identities.The Ambiguous Allure of the West brings together Thai and Western scholars of history, anthropology, film, and literary and cultural studies to analyze how the protean Thai self has been shaped by the traces of the colonial Western Other. Thus, the book draws the study of Siam/Thailand into the critical field of postcolonial theory, expanding the potential of Thai Studies to contribute to wider debates in the region and in the disciplines of cultural studies and critical theory. The chapters in this book present the first sustained dialogue between Thai cultural studies and postcolonial analysis.By clarifying the distinctive position of semicolonial societies such as Thailand in the Western-dominated world order, this book bridges and integrates studies of former colonies with studies of the Asian societies that retained their political independence while being economically and culturally subordinated to Euro-American power.

'Serves some of the most tastebud-smashing Thai food that north London has seen in years. Possibly ever.' Time Out on Sebby Holmes's restaurant Farang Thai recipes can often feature a long and off-putting list of ingredients, so it becomes a cuisine we treat ourselves to in a restaurant or as a takeaway rather than cook at home. In Thai in 7, acclaimed chef Sebby Holmes shows how with just 7 ingredients or fewer you can make deliciously fragrant and fiery Thai dishes any night of the week. From Prawn Pad Thai to King Oyster Mushroom Curry and Crispy Tofu with Coconut Cream & Thai Basil, Sebby's innovative, easy recipes retain the punchy flavours of Thai food using ingredients that can be found in any supermarket. With an enticing mix of fast, fresh and nourishing dishes, Thai in 7 celebrates the variety of Thai food with curries, stir-fries, pickles and desserts that are certain to make your taste buds tingle.