Buddhist Temples of Thailand written by Joe Cummings with stunning photography by Dan White is the ultimate guide to Thailand’s most important temples. With the rich history of each temple outlined and interesting facts about the influence of Buddhism across Thailand today, this is one of the most comprehensive and accessible books on the subject.

The book describes the development of Buddhism in Thailand and the part each temple played in the various periods of influence and empires that ruled the region. The 40 temples chosen by historian and writer Cummings are all very important in that regard – they were chosen out of more than 31,000 temples in Thailand. That number alone should illustrate the huge influence Buddhism has had in Thailand.

In coffee table format – the pictures do tell the story. The photos were the result of a 12,000 km motorcycle trip over four months embarked on by White through the diverse landscapes and cultures of Thailand.

If you’re planning on visiting Thailand this book provides a good history lesson and a close look at some of its best cultural sites such as Wat Mahathat in Sukhothai and a number of less well known sights that you just might want to visit.

Buddhist Temples of Thailand, Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2010

©Christina Kay Bolton