Irreverent, informed and downright eclectic books and reportage from Southeast Asia and beyond
‘Blood’s dirt,’ he laughed, looking away
Far off to where his wound had bled
And almost merged for ever into clay.
‘The world is washing out its stains,’ he said.
‘It doesn’t like our cheeks so red:
Young blood’s its great objection.
But when we’re duly white-washed, being dead,
The race will bear Field-Marshal God’s inspection.’
Wilfred Owen, [...]
In this month’s issue of Geographical, the magazine of the Royal Geographical Society:
Reviving the spice of life
Pepper from Cambodia’s Kampot region was once world renowned, but the industry almost disappeared under the Khmer Rouge. Now, a new initiative is helping to reinject some spice into Kampot’s growers.
Luke Duggleby photographs. Tom Vater [...]
My new book Sacred Skin, the first English language title on Thailand´s sacred tattoos, Sak Yant, has been very positively reviewed in the current issue of Prediction Magazine in the UK.
“top notch eye candy and fascinating insights…”
My new book, Sacred Skin, has been reviewed in the forthcoming issue of Bizarre Magazine, available at all quality newsagents in the UK today!
Photograph taken by Kraig Lieb at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport last week.
I am very pleased to announce that I am the new Bangkok expert for The Daily Telegraph.
My intitial destination guide to Bangkok has just gone online - featuring sights, hotels, restaurants, shopping, and yes, even a few tipps on Bangkok’s sometimes notorious, often hilarious and never boring nightlife!
I will be updating the guide periodically, list [...]
Kodansha Europe Ltd. have created a press release for my new book Sacred Skin. The UK distributor for the book has created several pdfs, downloadable from this link, to promote the book amongst bookstores and franchises around the UK.
Sacred Skin has attracted several international high profile reviews in recent weeks, including a three page spread [...]
England’s uncaring, fractured society is experiencing temporary meltdown this week, with kids as young as seven looting and fighting the cops, while the British leadership and right wing press is frothing at the mouth and talking maximum violence, maximum punishment and zero reflection on why their country is on fire.
Unlike the British establishment, this man [...]
The fantastical Fortean Times, a magazine covering all things magic, esoteric, leftfield and conspiratorial, a great publication I used to write for some years back, has reviewed Sacred Skin.
Their page long run down can be found in the publication’s August issue. Other than TIME’s review (European edition),this is the first UK review for Sacred Skin. [...]
Sacred Skin has garnered its first review on Amazon.co.uk.
The very favorable review describes the book as “a glimpse into the spiritual heart of Thailand mostly denied to even frequent visitors to this complex country”.
Every day, we appear to be moving a little closer to a state of affairs where governments could become obsolete.
Large parts of the world have always been ruled by people who don’t really qualify as governments, but in recent years, perfectly respectable rulers have also shown signs (not for the first time) that they are [...]