Customer Rating:  
Summary: Strangely Annoyed
Comment: I have lots of guidebooks - and lots of Lonely Planets, for that matter. But despite the fact that they say they are for "independent travellers", I keep finding ridiculous reviews on restaurants and hotels, to the point where I've stopped using them.
The History, Snapshot, and similar sections are great, but if you have a brain of your own - use it. Forget their restaurant and hotel recommendations, as I'm not even sure they visit the places. Sometimes they have history or comments on places that is worthwhile to read, though. All tourbooks may have these drawbacks, to be fair.
Finally, I think I'm going to stop buying Lonely Planet's, though. First, they always act like driving is so scary everywhere, when it's actually quite easy to anyone with a brain. They also forget to give worthwhile tips on getting a car, etc. I imagine that this is their way of "saving the Earth". To a person who does care about the Earth, but doesn't believe that being a dirty hippie is going to save anything, this - and all their other BS trying to coerce their opinions onto you as fact - gets really freakin' old. Yes, yes, I know, LP is founded by some hippie freak from AUS or something - whooptie doo. That doesn't mean I have to pay some jerk who's going to push his politics on me, whether I agree with them or not.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Generally good, but could be better
Comment: I've used a lot of lonely planet guides in my travels, but I found this one a bit less useful than other LP country guides. It just seemed like the detail was missing, especially in regards to beaches and water activities. It almost seems like you need to buy this guide for 'most of Thailand' and then the seperate guide for beaches which is just asking too much. Could have more detail on major attractions like the Grand palace (how about a map?) and more detail on things like snorkelling / diving / surf spots on maps like they do for the Hawaii guide
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great Guide Book
Comment: I have read this booking and really love it, I am Thai citizen, but some part which Joe has written in the book is reflect the real thing, something which I never look down and realize (I think insider might see different from outsider). That's really true.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent book - best Lonely Planet guide I ever had
Comment: I travel a lot and, as a consequence, i do purchase a lot of the guides by Lonely planet. That Thailand guide is an excellent guide that gives you info you are looking for, historical highlights, maps and short stories, and, is not 'dry' as other guides.
If you never had it and you are going to Thailand - get it - it is a must.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Outstanding for the first time visitor
Comment: I just returned from a month in Thailand and found the Lonely Planet Guide to be very impressive. Several things to remember is that:
a) if the publishing date is 2005 the content is probably several months to a year older.
b) if you have local friends and/or family the guide will still be useful but not nearly so compared to a traveler who is on their own. You might keep thinking why the guide doesn't cover something that your in country friend gives you great info or insight into. Relax, the LP guide, despite its heft can only provide so much info.
Comments on LPs logistics and highlights...
1) Logistics.
Negative. There wasn't a lot of coverage given on the new low fare airlines that are now available but this might be because these airlines did not exist in force when the research was done.
Positive. I traveled on local bus, long distance bus, train, taxi, moto-taxi, sky train, subway, regional airplane and even tuk-tuk. The guild had very precise information on how to get around locally and through out the country. This was probably the most helpful part of the book with information I was not able to find easily elsewhere. (Always keep in mind that prices and times will change though.)
Highlights.
Negatives. I could tell that the writers have a particular perspective on what is a highlight and what is not. They love the Wats or temples. I admit that many are incredible and worth the journey. But there are many, many, many of them. After seeing a few Wats, Wat fatigue set. The point is to keep your own interests in mind and not let the guide pick too much of what you decide to do.
Positives. I enjoyed many of the suggestions in the book including the cooking school in Kanchanaburi, walking the alleys of Chinatown in Bangkok, a particularly spectacular guest house in Koa Tao, etc.. My highlights were definitely not the guide's highlights but were found in the guide.
Thailand has a lot to see and the LP guide does an admirable job within the limits of the print format. Now get out there!
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