The 7 latest Thailand book releases

1. Thailand's Best Street Food

I originally wrote a review of Thailand’s Best Street Food in 2015 when the first edition was published. It’s been revised and updated for its third edition (just released in May) and deserves your renewed attention for post-pandemic gluttony. I can say with certainty that fact-checking a travel guide as we tiptoe out of covid times is a giant job (please send coffee) – this book is a gem and its update offers you 11 new street stall recommendations. Available in paperback and for Kindle.

2. Secret Bangkok

“This book will lead you to the place where people offer bacon and eggs to tiger temple guardians, and a temple with elaborate effigies of David Beckham, Donald Duck and Popeye. It will take you into the lair of giant monitor lizards, show you how to gain merit by sponsoring a coffin, or how to decipher, from a tree trunk, the winning lottery numbers offered by a beautiful female ghost. You'll also meet a unique community of outlaw flute-players, eat a communal vegetarian breakfast with Bangkok's Sikh community, learn about the traditional Thai pastime of “baldy-butting”, and meet a celebrated “healer” who goes by the name of Madame Breast-slapper” – Amazon. Available in paperback.

3. Curry Guy Thai

“In The Curry Guy Thai, Dan [Toombs] offers up his own versions of those much-loved dishes, including beef massaman curry, red duck curry, pad Thai, fishcakes and summer rolls. With over 100 recipes, beautiful color photography throughout, plus store cupboard tips and advice, you'll learn how to create your own classic dishes at home” – Amazon. Available in hardback and for Kindle.

4. Kin Thai

“Kin Thai translates as 'Eat Thai' and is a collection of 80 delicious recipes that shine a light on lesser known Thai cuisine as well as more popular Thai food classics. Chapters are structured by type of dish, from snacks and relishes to curries, stir-fries and salads, so you can easily find your favourites” – Amazon. Available in hardback and for Kindle.

5. The Nutmeg Trail

“Eleanor Ford is a cook and a historian, a culinary detective, and, as she says, a gastronomic archaeologist. What a deep dive this is into the world of spice. It’s a deep dive, a culinary history, a spice library, anatomy, and miscellany. And then the recipes! Recipes which allow the reader to travel from Asia to the Middle East along the spice route, taking in so much flavor and so much context on the way. It’s the green coconut hot sauce from Somalia first up for me, followed by the green peppercorn asparagus from Thailand.” —Yotam Ottolenghi. Available in hardback and for Kindle.

6. Chariot of the Sun

“A rich and deeply personal journey into the labyrinth of the Thai past, following spectres and vanished landmarks across present day Bangkok. Chariot of the Sun relates the history of Siam to that of the author's family story; the Bunnags came from Persia in the early 17th century and through daring, cunning and good fortune were to hold commanding positions of power during the 19th century. Shane Bunnag's family saga weaves an ancient prophecy with Siamese history to give us a rich and deeply personal account of both his own family and Thai history” – Amazon. Available in hardback.

7. Shape of a Boy

“‘Have kids, will travel’ is veteran travel journalist Kate’s mantra. Her intrepid spirit is infectious in this warm, engaging account of her family’s adventures and misadventures. She shares the life lessons learnt on their travels, from overcoming disappointment in Thailand to saying sorry in Japan, discovering perseverance in Borneo and learning about conservation in Malaysia” – Amazon. Free with an Audible trial and also available in hardback, paperback and for Kindle.

More Thailand books

Whether you want a new novel, a Thai cookbook or an up-to-date travel guide, start with the following:

• Travel guides: The Best Thailand Travel Guides
• Cookbooks: The 33 Best Thai Cookbooks
• Novels: The Best Books about Thailand
• Audiobooks: The Best Audiobooks about Thailand
• Kids: Favourite Children’s Books about Thailand

P.S. You can find every tip for Thailand books and resources in the archive, or subscribe by email and get all the details straight to your inbox. Enjoy!