I am a writer predominantly working in South and South East Asia. I write in both in English and German and I love the work I do. My articles have been published around the world. I am the author of several books and has co-written a number of documentary screenplays for European television and cinema. My books on Asian themes include a novel, non-fiction titles, travel guides and photo books.
In the late 80s, I studied publishing, journalism and English literature in Oxford, before traveling around Europe, including the newly opened former communist states of Eastern Europe, as a rock musician. In 1993, I found myself en route to Asia. My first destination, India, proved to be a life-changing experience. At the time, I was documenting the music of India’s indigenous minorities for the British Library’s International Music Collection. This project resulted in the collection of hundreds of hours of musical traditions, many of which are slowly fading away in the face of globalization. Because of the unique contact I had with many indigenous communities, I began to write about minorities in South Asia.
My first publication (barring a virtually forgotten past as editor of student magazines and a stint as music critic for a German daily) was a full page spread on Nepali folk music in the country’s biggest English language paper in 1997. Since then, I have never looked back.
My work has appeared in a wide variety of publications, including The Times, The Far Eastern Economic Review, Discovery, Marie Claire and Penthouse.
I have recently been working on reportage assignments for The Asia Wall Street Journal and MERIAN (Germany) and I am The Daily Telegraph´s Bangkok expert. Other current clients include Silverkris (Singapore Inflight), Geographical (The magazine of the Royal Geographical Society) and Avalon Publishing.
I often work with Thai photographer Aroon Thaewchatturat, whose images have appeared in GEO, Time Magazine, The Wall Street Journal and many other publications. For a look at Aroon’s images, visit her website www.aroonthaew.com.
Much of the year, I am on the road, living out of a bag, researching stories, fulfilling assignments. My travels have led me (on foot) across the Himalayas, given me the opportunity to dive with hundreds of sharks in the Philippines, to criss-cross the US in search of former CIA agents and to witness the Maha Kumbh Mela, the largest gathering of people in the world. My countless journeys have left me stranded in dozens of train stations, airports and bus terminals around South Asia, Europe and the US. On assignments, I have joined sea gypsies and nomads, pilgrims, sex workers, serial killers, rebels and soldiers, politicians and secret agents, artists, pirates, hippies, gangsters, police men and prophets. Some of them have become close friends.
My most recent book is called Sacred Skin, the first English language title on Thailand’s Spirit Tattoos, co-authored with Aroon Thaewchatturat, and published world wide to huge critical acclaim on July 1st, 2011. Sacred Skin has been the subject of two TV documentaries and has been reviewed in more than twenty publications, including El Mundo, CNN, Die Zeit, The Wall Street Journal and TIME Magazine.
In my spare time, I play in Rock’nRoll bands and read Noir fiction.
You can also follow me on my Facebook page.
This website attracts more than 10.000 readers a month.