Discovering Thailand: A Guidebook

Discovering Thailand: A Guidebook by Achille Clarac and Michael Smithies, second edition published in 1972, offers a deeply personal and richly textured exploration of Thailand in a period just before the modern tourism boom would begin to reshape the country. More than a typical guidebook, it reads like a travelogue penned by two men who knew Thailand intimately and admired it deeply.

Achille Clarac, a former French ambassador to Thailand, and Michael Smithies, a British educator with the British Council, brought together diplomatic insight and scholarly curiosity. What they created is a portrait of a country still largely unshaped by mass tourism, where tradition and modernity quietly coexisted. Their journey through Thailand—spanning from the pulse of Bangkok to the remote corners of the North and the sun-washed coasts of the South—is presented with both narrative warmth and practical guidance.

Each region is brought to life through detailed descriptions, historical context, and Clarac’s evocative black-and-white photography. These images, along with fold-out maps and drawings by Henri Pagau-Clarac, anchor the book visually—showing readers the temples, marketplaces, riverbanks, and faces of a Thailand often hidden from casual visitors.

Rather than simply listing places to stay or things to see, Clarac and Smithies engage the reader in Thailand’s cultural rhythms: Buddhist festivals, local crafts, architecture, street life, and regional cuisines are all woven into their account. Their writing is elegant and informed, capturing a nation in transition—still rooted in ancient customs yet quietly adapting to the 20th century.

The physical book itself reflects this thoughtful tone. A compact yet sturdy hardcover, it was built for travel but crafted with care. Measuring roughly 15 cm in height, it includes over 450 pages, fold-out plates, and a cloth-bound cover with a dust jacket—a travel companion as refined as the prose within.

Published in Bangkok by Siam Communications, this 1972 edition stands as both a practical guide and a cultural time capsule. For modern readers, it offers more than nostalgia—it offers insight into how Thailand appeared before global tourism redefined its image. In the hands of Clarac and Smithies, Thailand is not a checklist of attractions but a living, breathing world, presented with curiosity, respect, and genuine affection.