Ajarn David's
Thai Way Series
E xplore the spirit of Thailand in the Thai Way Series: Essays, Poetry & Wisdom — an illuminating collection by Ajarn David that celebrates the kindness, harmony, and quiet depth of Thai culture. Available internationally in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle.
The series is composed of 3 books: Why Thailand (Short Essays on Thai Culture, Language, and Life), Poems from Sakon Nakhon (Thai Poetry in English), and Life Lessons from Isaan, Thailand — the latter two books written and published in bilingual (English/Thai) editions.
The Author
A jarn David has been an English lecturer at Thai universities for over 20 years. He has co-authored two books on learning the Thai language and has written extensively on Thai culture.
Prior to arriving in Thailand, David attended graduate school in North Carolina, where his first two books of poetry were published. He then traveled Europe and became a lecturer at the University of West Bohemia in the Czech Republic. He currently is a faculty member of Sakon Nakhon Rajabhat University.
From Thai Poetry to Song
Ajarn David's Thailand Portrait
Ajarn David's books established him as a bilingual writer working through Thai language, rural Isaan life, Buddhism, love, and loss. His Thai-English songs place those same concerns inside melody, chorus, and dialogue between male and female voices.
Mai Rak Mae Kha
Thai Songwriters as Storytellers
"Mai Rak Mae Kha" works on a small scale — a man, a woman, a noodle shop near a bus stop, a daily ritual — but it leans on the same device Thai and American songwriter storytellers use. Instead of telling us the man is lonely or secretly in love, it lets what he does tell us
Mai Rak Lai Jai
Power Ballad on Heartbreak
A songwriter like Ajarn David can land a complete emotional idea in just a few syllables. That's valuable in a ballad, because every extra word eats musical time — fewer syllables needed to say the thing means more time available to stretch and shape the ones you keep.
Learn Thai Culture
with Poetry about Thailand
"Whether you’re a traveler yearning to deepen your understanding of Thailand, an expat seeking connection to its culture, or simply a curious reader, "Poems from Sakon Nakhon" offers a journey that enriches the self."
Buddhist Themes
in Poems from Sakon Nakhon
"Ajarn David’s Thai poems are a simple yet elegant entry in the tradition of Buddhist poetry, offering a contemporary perspective deeply rooted in the philosophy and practices of Theravāda Buddhism."
Learning Thai Language
by Reading Bilingual Poetry
"Poems from Sakon Nakhon is as much a cultural resource as it is a "Learn Thai" language tool. By engaging with the poems, learners gain insights into Thai customs, values, and perspectives."
Minimalism in Asian Poetry
"Poems from Sakon Nakhon invites comparison with iconic Asian poetic forms like the Japanese haiku, the Chinese jueju, and the Korean sijo, traditions that prize brevity and clarity to evoke profound insight."
Traditional Thai Poetry
"While rooted in the landscapes and ethos of Isaan, Poems from Sakon Nakhon invites comparison with Thailand’s rich poetic heritage — particularly the contributions of luminaries like Sunthorn Phu and Angkarn Kalayanapong."
Traditional Thai Poetry
"While rooted in the landscapes and ethos of Isaan, Poems from Sakon Nakhon invites comparison with Thailand’s rich poetic heritage — particularly the contributions of luminaries like Sunthorn Phu and Angkarn Kalayanapong."
"Ajarn David’s essays and poetry offer a rare and insightful look at Thailand, blending personal experience with deep cultural reflection. His work is both accessible and thoughtful, making it a valuable contribution to the understanding of Isaan life, spirituality, and the Thai worldview."
Thai Poetry in English
