Should fairway bunkers be placed...

[Matt_Cohn]

...right where the golfer wants to hit the ball?

Or just very close to where the golfer wants to hit the ball?

[Sean_A]

Bunkers should be placed in all sorts of places,  but generally I would have thought placing a bunker is to protect a line of attack, not an exact place of attack. 

Ciao

[Adam Clayman]

Or, where the landform calls for them.

[Garland Bayley]

In the fairway. After all green-side bunkers are placed green-side.

Put the fairway bunkers right in the line of instinct and make people find a line of charm.

[Mike Nuzzo]

Matt
Which golfer?
Exactly where and approximately where change depending on the player.
Cheers

[Bill_McBride]

Legend has it that mr. Fownes, the designer and benevolent dictator of Oakmont, would see or hear of a shot played where Mr. Townes didn't like it, and the next day a bunker would be there. 

[Wade Whitehead]

...where the careless player often hits the ball.

WW

[Kalen Braley]

...where the careless player often hits the ball.

WW

Where the big bombers like to hit thier ball! 

[RSLivingston_III]

The book 'Hazards' covers this quite well.
It is a bit more complicated subject than what a handful of comments on a thread can answer.