Thailand - Tourism and the Orientalist Gaze

**ENGLISH AUDIO ONLY**


THAISPORA is back with a brand new season!


Beaches, bustling street food stalls, soothing massages — sounds
like a holiday in Thailand. For many in the West, the country
represents both relaxation and excitement.


But where do these ideas actually come from?


In this episode, Joy and I explore the narratives behind tourism
in Thailand and examine how exoticism and the Orientalist gaze
have shaped the country’s image as an “exotic holiday escape.”


Plus, we’ll share some travel tips to help you avoid being that
clueless tourist.





TIMESTAMP





00:32 - Introduction and Pop Quiz


06:21 - Our experiences with tourism in Thailand


10:58 - What we dislike about other tourists in Thailand


13:55 - The image of Thailand according to Thai tourism


15:25  - What does „Exotic“ mean?


16:29 - How Orientalism is connected to today’s tourism


22:44 - The double-edged sword called tourism


26:22 - Spirituality and tourism


29:48 - Thai Buddhist temples - place of worship and tourist
attraction?


35:32 - Thailand in Social Media


39:13 - Thailand Travel advice


47:20 - Can I travel to Thailand without Thai language skills?





Books we talked about in the episode: 


Edward Said, Orientalism, Pantheon Books, 1978.


Graham Huggans, The Post-Colonial Exotic. Marketing the Margins,
Routledge, 2001.


Việt Tanh Nguyễn, The Sympathizer, Grove Press, 2015.


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