Book excerpt: Thai Ways is a delightful collection of nearly everything you’ve ever wanted to know about Thai customs and beliefs, engagingly explained in a grandfatherly way by a long-time English resident of Thailand. Compiled from a series of articles published in the popular weekly column “Thai Ways” from the 1970s, the selections remain as current and informative today as when the author first wrote them. They demystify constructs like the system of royal ranks and the Thai musical scale, and customs like the Loi Krathong festival and the Wai Khru ceremony. Test your knowledge of these aspects of Thai cultural consciousness: • What color is associated with Tuesday? • Why was King Mongkut so important? • What is the twelve-year cycle? • How does one address a Thai? • What is the legend of the Buddha’s Footprint? If you are stumped by any of these, this book is for you. Both tourists and residents alike will find Thai Ways to be an enlightening and friendly guide through the perplexities of Thai culture.