Steve van Beek , The Arts of Thailand (Thames and Hudson). Lavishly produced introduction to the history of Thai architecture, sculpture and painting, with fine photographs by Luca Invernizzi Tettoni.

Botan , Letters from Thailand (DK Books, Bangkok). Probably the best introduction to the Chinese community in Bangkok, presented in the form of letters written by a Chinese emigrant to his mother.

Vatcharin Bhumichitr , The Taste of Thailand (Pavilion/Collier). The author runs a Thai restaurant in London and provides about 150 recipes adapted for Western kitchens, plus plenty of background detail.

Pierre Boulle , The Bridge Over the River Kwai (Mandarin/Bantam). The World War II novel which inspired the David Lean movie and kicked off the Kanchanaburi tourist industry.

Ashley J Boyd and Collin Piprell , Diving in Thailand (Times Editions/Hippocrene). A thorough guide to 84 dive sites, detailing access, visibility, and marine life for each.

Karen Connelly , Touch the Dragon (Black Swan/Silkworm Books, Chiang Mai). The humorous journal of an impressionable Canadian teenager, sent on an exchange programme to Den Chai in northern Thailand for a year.

John R Davies , Trekkers' Guide to the Hilltribes of Northern Thailand (Footloose Books). Bite-sized but well-informed insight into hilltribe cultures, including some practical information and a small dictionary of hilltribe languages.

Sanitsuda Ekachai , Behind the Smile (Thai Development Support Committee, Bangkok). Collected articles of a Bangkok Post journalist highlighting the effect of Thailand's economic growth on the rural poor.

Alex Garland , The Beach (Penguin/Riverhead). Gripping and hugely enjoyable cult thriller about a young Brit who gets involved with a group of travellers living a utopian existence on an uninhabited Thai island.

Oliver Hargreave , Exploring Chiang Mai: City, Valley and Mountains (Within Books, Chiang Mai). Thorough guide to the city and surrounds.

Khammaan Khonkhai , The Teachers of Mad Dog Swamp (Silkworm Books, Chiang Mai). The engaging story of a progressive young teacher who is posted to a remote village school.

Chart Korpjitti , The Judgement (Thai Modern Classics). Sobering modern-day tragedy about a good-hearted Thai villager who is ostracized by his hypocritical neighbours.

Elaine and Paul Lewis , Peoples of the Golden Triangle (Thames and Hudson). Hefty, exhaustive work describing every aspect of hilltribe life.

Nitaya Masavisut and Matthew Grose , The SEA Write Anthology of Thai Short Stories and Poems (Silkworm Books, Chiang Mai). Interesting contemporary short stories and poems by eleven Thai writers who have won Southeast Asian Writers' Awards.

Charles Nicholl , Borderlines (Picador/Viking Penguin). Entertaining adventures and dangerous romance in the "Golden Triangle" form the core of this slightly hackneyed traveller's tale, interwoven with stimulating cultural diversions.

Cleo Odzer , Patpong Sisters (Arcade Publishing). An American anthropologist's funny and touching account of her life with the bar girls of Bangkok's notorious red light district.

James O'Reilly and Larry Habegger (eds.) , Travelers' Tales: Thailand (Travelers' Tales). This volume of collected contemporary writings from experts, social commentators, travel writers and enthusiastic tourists makes perfect background reading.

Denis Segaller , Thai Ways and More Thai Ways (Asia Books, Bangkok). Fascinating collections of short pieces on Thai customs.

Khamsing Srinawk , The Politician and Other Stories (Oxford University Press). Anthology of brilliantly satiric short stories which capture the vulnerability of peasant farmers in the modern world.

Pira Sudham , People of Esarn (Shire Books, Bangkok). Wry and touching real-life stories of villagers from the poverty-stricken northeast.

David Unkovich , A Motorcycle Guide to the Golden Triangle (Silkworm Books, Chiang Mai). Detailed pocket manual to motorbiking in the far north of Thailand, but very useful to any independently mobile traveller.

William Warren , Jim Thompson: the Legendary American of Thailand (Jim Thompson Thai Silk Co, Bangkok). The engrossing biography of the ex-OSS agent, art collector and Thai silk magnate whose disappearance in Malaysia in 1967 has never been satisfactorily resolved.

David K Wyatt , Thailand: A Short History (Yale University Press). An excellent treatment, scholarly but highly readable, with a good eye for witty details.