So you are packing for your holiday to Krabi, Thailand? This article, which is the second in the series, will help you decide on the perfect books to take and enjoy during your leisure time on the picturesque beaches of Krabi or by your private pool.

With the daily routines and stress of work behind you, it is time to enjoy the relaxation of the beach and a great book! The only distraction from your fascinating read will be the

sound of the waves crashing on the Krabi shore.

Welcome to the Bangkok Slaughterhouse - Father Joe Maier

The Bangkok Slaughterhouse specifically refers to the KlongToey slums, an area that used to house the cities abattoirs and a part of Bangkok rarely visited by tourists.

You might need a box of tissues to hand when reading this compelling collection of poignant, heart-rending, yet ultimately uplifting, true-life stories about the tenacious street children of Bangkok’s most notorious slum.

The author, Father Joseph Maier is a redemptionist priest with a rebellious streak from the United States, who came to Bangkok in 1967 to work as a missionary. He never left, instead choosing to set up home in the same slum as the people he came to help. Living side-by-side with some of Bangkok’s poorest and most disadvantaged citizens, he dedicated his life to providing the children with an access to education and basic health facilities. His colorful stories paint a vivid picture of slum life, with its complicated street codes and the inspirational Human Development Foundation that he created to help these forgotten kids.

It is by no means a light topic, but it is obligatory reading for visitors to Thailand who want a glimpse of real life in Bangkok.

You can feel good about your purchase of this absorbing book too, as all royalties are donated to the Human Development Foundation, that to this day struggles to improve the lives of the underprivileged.

Forget You Had a Daughter: Doing Time in the Bangkok Hilton – Sandra Gregory

This is an astonishing account that will definitely make you think twice about having any association with drugs or criminal activity during your stay in Thailand!

‘Forget You Had a Daughter’ is the true story of Sandra Gregory, a British national who spent many happy years living in the pulsating capital of Bangkok, before a reckless decision landed her in Lard Yao women’s prison. Turning a blind eye to the potentially disastrous consequences, Sandra attempted to smuggle heroin out of Thailand in order to pay for her flight back home to the UK. Lucky to escape the death penalty, she found herself in one of the world’s toughest jails, facing a bleak and frightening future. This is a gripping story of survival that both shocks and fascinates and keeps the reader riveted until the very last page.

Read from the comfort of your luxury Krabi villa or the sumptuous hotel room of your exclusive Thai resort, it will be difficult to imagine the hardships Sandra had to endure!