Making Thai
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Even if you're only in Thailand for a few days, you can't help noticing there are lots of fascinating everyday items that just don't appear back home. "Making Thai" is a sumptuous coffee table book dedicated to capturing and explaining these small gems of Thai life.
I've only had a quick flick through this in the local bookstore, but Making Thai is a fascinating take on the small details of everyday things in Thailand that it's easy to see but not really take in. Everything from the ceremonial demon figures that appear on numerous buildings to the leaf shaped fans is covered in here, providing a visual compendium of Thai design that's been rarely acknowledged elsewhere. It's a great addition to the superb Very Thai, which captures in pictures and words many of the weird and wonderful sights you'll encounter in Thailand.
Making Thai's official blurb says
This book is a visual documentary of everyday life objects in Thailand, things from the old days to the modern times. Categorised into the following chapters: Carving, Casting, Weaving, Pounding, Sculpting, Painting, Tiling, and Folding, these objects featured have one thing in common, that is, they all speak of culture visually. Varies in forms but unfilled in the spirit of Thai culture, this serves as both a rare record of the lesser seen objects in Thailand and also a source of inspiration for designers today, who are always keen to re-visit the past to create something new. Conceived as a series, this book is targeted at primarily the designer and also, anyone who has an interest in Asian history and culture.
Making Thai is unfortunately not currently available on Amazon - it's published by Page One Publishers in Singapore, and is presumably available in Singapore bookshops. It's definitely available in Bangkok bookshops.
See also my list of Thailand book recommendations
Other Travelhappy posts of interest:
- Thailand Writers: Phil Cornwel-Smith, author of Very Thai: Everyday Popular Culture
- Angkor: Heart Of An Asian Empire
- Land of a Thousand Eyes: The Subtle Pleasures of Everyday Life in Myanmar : Book Review
- Harry Potter In Thailand
- Secret Histories: Finding George Orwell in A Burmese Teashop - Emma Larkin
Make A Comment: ( 2 so far )
2 Responses to “Making Thai”
Rcon Pascua
April 2nd, 2007
[...] If you’re interested in Thai design, check out the book Making Thai, and also the semi-legendary Engrish Tshirt Fun, a collection of amusing tshirts seen in Bangkok (warning: some are a little NSFW). Related articles you might find useful:Hoi An, Vietnam: Tailor Made Travel PlansNew Budget Flights From Bangkok To Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)Bangkok Airways Begins Flights From Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh CityBangkok Guide: Get The Latest InfoThings To Do In Bangkok: Bangkok Bike Rides Latest travel articles on Travelhappy: Cheap Flights From UK to Bangkok [...]
Sounds like a very interesting book. I hope someone who is very inclined with Morocco and its fascinating cities can also come up with a book with the same concept as “Making Thai”.