Thailand I to P
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Books on Thailand A to H
Books on Thailand Q to Z
We also have rare and out-of-print books on Thailand, Laos, Cambodia,
and Southeast Asia.
IN
SIAM
: The Diary of a Legal Adviser of King Chulalongkorn's Government
by Jottrand, Emile
US$ 23.50
Book order code : E 21 754
In Siam is a travelogue by Emile Jottrand and his wife. Jottrand was
a Belgian assistant legal adviser in the Siamese Ministry of Justice
during the period 1898-1902. This lively account presents the reader
with all aspects of the work of the foreign adviser as well as the life
of a western wife in Bangkok and other parts of Siam. Because of his
official position, Jottrand was a privileged witness to everyday life
in the courts and corridors of powers and in the parties of Siamese
high officialdom during the Fifth Reign. His quasi-political comments
enliven the narrative of Siam’s development at the end of the nineteenth
century. Émile Jottrand and his wife were gifted observers and
their keen perceptions span the environment and all social aspects that
might strike the westerner in Siam as fascinating even in today’s
context. Unique period photographs, discovered in the Jottrands’s
private collection and from other archives, contribute to a book that
reads as cinéma vérité.
(Bangkok 1996, First English trans. from 1905) ISBN 974-8496-39-2
472 pp., 104 illus., 145 x 215 mm, pbk.
BUILDING A HOUSE IN THAILAND
: Meeting with Clairvoyants, Cobras and Cultural Paradox
by Klein, Ken
US$ 13.50
Book order code: E 22 532
Klein draws us into a world of clairvoyants, enterprising Bangkok bargirls, colorful ex-pats, and intricate family relationships that comprise his sometimes puzzling, often crazy, and always fascinating life in Thailand. His sharp insights into his American roots hightlight profound cultural differences between East and West, while his vividly realized evocation of the sights, sounds, and tastes of Thailand leave us longing to experience frist-hand the sensuous pleasure of a Thai foot massage, the taste of a papaya salad, and the carefree delight of bobbing in the warn waves of the Gulf of Siam.
(Bangkok, 2006) Bar code 978-744-8011-17-3
280 pop., 1 pp. illus., 130 x 200 mm, pbk
THOUGHTS
FROM THE PATTAYA ORPHANAGE
by Knights, Paul & Patrick McGeown
US$ 16.50
Book order code : E 21
633
A beautiful and touching collection of photographs of children from
the Pattaya Orphanage, run by Father Ray Brennan.
(Bangkok 1993) (Proceeds will finance a nurse for the orphanage)
160 pp., fully illus., 150 x 210 mm, pbk.
FRIENDLY
SIAM
: Thailand in the 1920s
by Kornerup, Ebbe
US$ 15.00
Book order code : E 22
122
This travelogue from King Vajiravudh’s Reign is one of the very
few reports on South Thailand. The volume complements Morgenthaler’s
Impressions of the Siamese-Malayan Jungle and Warington Smyth’s
Five Years in Siam, which covers a period twenty years earlier. The
author devotes nearly a third of his account to the South, while he
also traveled to the west, north, east, and central regions, by train,
boat, and plane. His report is enriched with unusual pictures not found
in other books and distinguishes itself by the varied and lively perspectives
brought to bear on the scenes observed. (A German version is also available.)
(Bangkok 1999, repr.) ISBN 974-8434-96-6
312 pp., 48 pp. illus., 150 x 210 mm, pbk.
AN
ASIAN ARCADY
: The Land and Peoples of Northearn Siam
by Le May, Reginald
US$ 17.50
Book order code : E 21
050
A reprint from 1926 with a foreword by Major Roy Hudson, FRAS,
in the 1986 edition, and the foreword of the 1999 edition by Barend Jan
Terwiel. Le May arrived in Siam in 1913 and, in particular, describes the
northern part where he traveled extensively. One of the few early accounts
of the northern areas of Siam.
(Bangkok 1999, reprint from 1926) ISBN 974-8434-70-2
362 pp., 64 pp. illus., 1 fold-out map, 150 x 210 mm,pbk.
THAILAND STORIES
: If there are Places Called Paradise...
by Leonard, Spots
US$ 12.50
Book order code : E 22 353
Thailand Stories is a magical novel that transcends time and place. It whisks the reader away on a soft tropical breeze, across cultures, down white sand beaches and through bars where fantasy and reality melt together. A wondrous adventure.” A cleverly crafted weave ... the style is quite special, evocative... a good read... “Insightflul ... witty and wise.” Whether relaxing on a sun drenched beach or in your easy chair at home, Thailand Stories insure to please.
(Bangkok, 2003) ISBN974-4800-39-9
305 pp., 130 x 200 mm, pbk.
THROUGH
THE BUFFER STATE
: Travels in Borneo, Siam, Cambodia, Malaya and Burma
by MacGregor, John,
US$ 19.50
Book order code : E 21
730
This book presents the recollections of the travels made by John MacGregor
in Sarawak, Siam, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaya and Burma in 1895. It is a lively
account of a medical doctor with a wide scope of interests, from contemporary
political issues to the customs and the traditions of native peoples. From
a well-read background, the traveler is searching for those weird things
one often finds in travelogs, in order to verify and to savor. The account
excels in its colorful and often witty descriptions of encounters and events
on the roads between Singapore, Kuching, Bangkok, Phnom Penh, Saigon, Malacca
and Mandalay. It presents an accurate and lively picture of the people and
the countries on the eve of rapid development.
(Bangkok 1994, reprint from 1896) ISBN 974-8496-25-2
300 pp., 150 x 210 mm, pbk.
THE
BRITISH ACQUISITION OF SIAMESE MALAYA (1896-1909)
by Marks, Tom
US$ 19.50
Book order code : E 21
974
The book tells the story of the political maneuvering by Bangkok and London
for possession of key semi-independent states on the Malay Peninsula. The
book starts with the Anglo-Siamese Secret Convention of 1897, with which
the British hoped to neutralize possible influences of other colonial powers,
and it treats the Siamese drive to exclude foreign influences from the Siamese
territories adjoining the British sphere of influence. The ill-fated attempt
to set up a system of advisors to the Sultans is discussed. The significance
of the ventures such as the Kra Isthmus canal and a Malay Peninsula railway
project is elucidated using confidential British Foreign Office papers and
contemporary newspaper sources. In the end, Siam would have to let go and
the British acquired some of the Malay provinces on the Peninsula establishing
the present borders of southern Siam and Malaysia.
(Bangkok 1997) ISBN 974-8496-98-8.
168 pp., 150 x 210 mm, pbk.
INTRODUCTION
TO THE THAI MURAL
by Matics, K. I.
US$ 35.00
Book order code : E 21
537
Although Thai murals have been the subject of a few other studies in western
languages, it is rare, indeed, that one encounters a study that reveals
the rich cultural and historical tapestry interwoven throughout the art
of Buddhist temples in Thailand. Dr. Matics’s study guides the reader
through the complexities of Thai artistry, providing vivid descriptions
of styles, techniques, origins, themes and mediums. Regrettably, many of
the murals depicted are no longer in existence: hence, this book is a valuable
historical record of Thai murals.
(Bangkok 1992) ISBN 974-8495-43-4
149 pp.,illus., 28 pp. in color, 210 x 295 mm
CHAMLONG
SRIMUANG AND THE NEW THAI POLITICS
by McCargo, Duncan
US$ 17.50
Book order code : I 7
978
Since the early 1980s Thailand’s politics-like its fast growing
economy-have changed immensely. Dramatic events, such as the 1991 military
coup and the popular anti-military uprising of May 1992, have challenged
conventional views of the Thai political order. The armed forces remain
capable of seizing power, yet can no longer take their traditional dominance
for granted. The military and bureaucracy are under threat from new
sources of power-dissident religious movements, local politicans in
Bangkok, the opposition, NGOs, and a critical mass media. Chamlong Srimuang,
a former general who served for six years as governor of Bangkok and
later became deputy prime minister and leader of the Phalang Tham Party,
is Thailand’s most controversial politician. A celibate and vegetarian
with no worldly possessions, he is best known for spearheading the mass
protest which ousted military strongman Suchinda Kraprayoon from the
premiership in 1992. This book examines his career. “The best available book-length analysis of Thai politics to the
present day, biography of a contem-porary Southeast Asian political
figure, and case study of recent social and political development in
the region.” (Dr. John Sidel, School of Oriental and African Studies,
University of London)
(London 1998)
352 pp., 4 pp. illus., 135 x 210 mm, pbk.
SURVEYING
AND EXPLORING IN SIAM
with Descriptions of Lao Dependencies and of Battles Against the Chinese Haw
by McCarthy, James
US$ 18.50
Book order code : E 21
727
This is an enchanting record of the personal observations of the main
architect of Siam’s territorial surveying efforts. James McCarthy
was the Siamese Government adviser who took on the bewildering task
of defining exactly what Siam’s territory was. From 1881 to 1893
he struggled in the jungles of Northern Siam and present-day Laos against
fever and lack of food, and against the pillaging Chinese Haw bandits,
to produce the first map of Siam made to scale. Here is a rich world
of information about the small states and peoples in Siam’s Lao
dependencies, and on the early movements and trading of the hill tribes.
McCarthy was a privileged eye-witness to the violent definitive settlement
with the Chinese Haw and to the opening up of Siam’s interior to
trade and developement.
(Bangkok 1994; reprint from 1900) ISBN 974-8496-22-8
227 pp., illus., 2 folded charts, 150 x 210 mm,pbk.
A MISSIONARY IN SIAM (1860-1870)
by McDonald, N. A. (Rev.)
US$ 14.50
Book order code : E 22
057
This missionary presents a down-to-earth account of life in Siam in
the 1860s. This is important source material as there are very few descriptions
of Siam by foreigners during that period. Most especially is this true
for the coronation of King Chulalongkorn as only a handful of non-Siamese
were permitted to witness this auspicious occasion. Throughout this
is a book from which the reader can learn about Thailand’s past,
forgotten events, customs and habits, some of which have disappeared.
On the other hand, the details listed clearly indicate that Thai society
and culture have not changed as much during the past century as have
European and American ways. The book is illustrated with prints from
the 1850s and 1860s.
(Bangkok 1999; repr. from 1871)ISBN 974-8434-02-8
128 pp., 8 pp. color illus., 150 x 210 mm, pbk.
HISTORICAL
SKETCH OF PROTESTANT MISSIONS IN SIAM 1828-1928
by McFarland, George Bradley (Ed.)
US$ 26.50
Book order code : E 22
111
The book was the only general study of Protestant church history in
Thailand until the publication of Wells’s History of Protestant
Work in 1958. But Wells’s book supplements McFarland’s rather
than replacing it, leaving the Historical Sketch as the most important
introduction to its subject. A new introduction and commentary assist
the reader in using McFarland’s work by providing additional information
and insights into its historical context, perspectives, and reliability.
The book also provides background information for readers of nineteenth-century
reports on Siam describing the missionaries and their services to the
community in hospitals, leprosaria, schools, and other institutions.
The volume also usefully includes a specially commissioned bibliography
of the Protestant church in Thailand.
(Bangkok 1999, repr. from 1928) ISBN 974-8495-64-7
646 pp., 130 pp. illus., 150 x 210 mm, pbk.
THAILAND'S NEW POLITICS KPI YEARBOOK
2001
KPI Studies in Thai Politics and Democracy No. 1
by Michael H. Nelson
US$ 22.50
Book order code : E 22 295
Thailand’s New Politics: KPI Yearbook 2001 looks at aspects of
what has been called “political reform.” Especially since
the “People’s Constitution” was passed in October 1997,
it was assumed that Thailand was on its way to a more consolidated democracy.
The authors in this volume contribute to forming a more realistic understanding
of the issues involved. James R. Klein analyzes the evolution of Thailand’s
National Human Rights Commission between 1992 and 2001; Norbert Eschborn
describes what the Konrad Adenauer Foundation contributes to Thai democracy;
Philip S. Robertson, Jr. highlights the democratic role of Thai labor;
Allen D. Hicken explains why Thailand has so many political parties;
Marco Buente introduces a model of democratic consolidation and applies
it to the Thai situation; finally, Michael H. Nelson deals with the
decentralization process and takes a close look at the election of 6
January 2001 and its aftermath. This first KPI Yearbook opens with Nobel
Laureate in economics, Amartya Sen, presenting his thoughts on “The
Market, Democracy, and Development.” It is rounded off by documents
on “good governance” and by reviews of publications about
Pridi Banomyong, business and politics in provincial Thailand, and Bloody
May 1992.
KPI Yearbook 2001. Nonthaburi and Bangkok: King Prajadhipok’s Institute
and White Lotus Press. (Bangkok 2002) ISBN 974-4800-12-7
543 pp. 12 pp illus in col. 145 x 210 mm, pbk
IMPRESSIONS
OF THE SIAMESE-MALAYAN JUNGLE
: a Tin-Prospector's Adventures in Sounthern Thailand
by Morgenthaler, Hans
US$ 17.50
Book order code : E 21
731
An important book on the internal turmoil and struggles of a young expatriate
working in Siam. The book covers the period 1917-1920, when the First
World War is devastating Europe and many questions about the fate of
humanity are raised. The book is a study in character, both of expatriate
behavior and of Siamese rural people, that may be compared to the now
famous A Woman of Bangkok in its focus on the discovery of Eastern womanhood.
Hans Morgenthaler’s often witty, soul-searching writing, published
in the first Swiss edition, was so controversial that the British version
was censored. The censored pages, recovered in the introduction, though
innocent today, clearly reflect the flavour of the time as does the
whole work-atmosphere of this geologist exploring Southern Siam for
tin and gold. The exploration of the vast wealth that tin-mining promised
and also delivered later in the south, was a source of deadly conflicts
in which the young man soon found himself entangled. While the work
of this geologist clearly drives him to his beloved, lonely jungle rivers,
nowhere are the clashing values of a Westerner, confronted constantly
with willing Siamese, clearer than in his loving words about the village
people. As a character study of a Westerner trying to cope with Eastern
realities, this book is as relevant today as it was three quarters of
a century ago.
(Bangkok 1994; repr. from 1923) ISBN 974-8496-27-9
220 pp., 150 x 210 mm, pbk.
TRAVELS
IN SIAM, CAMBODIA, LAOS, AND ANNAM
by Mouhot, Henri
US$ 23.50
Book order code : E 22
117
Originally published as: Travels in the Central Parts of Indo-China (Siam,
Cambodia and Laos during the Years 1858, 1859 and 1860)
This travelog is a classic description of parts of Cambodia, Laos, and Siam
in the Reign of King Mongkut. Henri Mouhot is best known for re-discovering
the ruins of Angkor Wat and, indirectly, causing a minor tourist boom there.
Of course, the Khmers have always known about the ruins. Mouhot was a natural
history researcher and explorer in virgin areas. He was followed in the
1860s and 1880s by the members of the Garnier and Pavie Missions. His exploration
first comprised the central area of Siam and the southeastern seaboard (Chantaburi),
from there he reached Cambodia and the provinces then under Siamese Government’s
control around the Tonle Sap. He also ventured into areas of Annam (present-day
Central Vietnam) inhabited by “wild” tribes but returned to Battambang
and Angkor, and eventually to Bangkok. Another journey took him to Petchaburi
on the eastern part of the upper peninsula. Then, his last journey, because
he was struck down by fevers, covered the so-called Lao parts of Siam, now
often referred to as Isan, but at that time only loosely associated with
the nation. His final destination was Luang Prabang where he is buried.
Part of his journey was originally published in the travel magazine Le Tour
du Monde, but the present English version is more comprehensive in coverage.
(Bangkok 2000; repr. from 1864) ISBN 974-8434-03-6
424 pp., fully illus., 8 pp. in color, 150 x 210 mm,1 map, pbk.
SACRED
ROCKS AND BUDDHIST CAVES IN THAILAND
by Munier, Christophe
US$ 55.00
Book order code : E 22
004
This is the first comprehensive study in English of a fascinating but
little-known aspect of Thai Buddhism and culture. Rocks and caves are
major places of pilgrimage in Thailand and this book places these natural
holy sites in their historical, cultural and religious context. Rocks
are sacred because of their shapes, the Buddhas carved on them or their
links to the Buddha’s coming. Animist activities involving rocks
started in prehistoric times and continue to this day. The earliest
rocks integrated into a religious context belong to the beginning of
the Dvaravati period (6th-8th centuries) that saw the birth and spread
of Theravada Buddhism in what is present day Thailand. Caves have also
been used as ritual places since prehistoric times and were inhabited
by hermits and Buddhist monks during the Dvaravati, Sukhothai, Ayutthaya
and Bangkok periods. They are adorned with mural paintings, stucco reliefs
and statues. The book is lavishly illustrated with 300 plates, maps,
and plans and provides practical information on how to reach these rocks
and caves which are often in remote locations.
(Bangkok 1998) ISBN 974-8434-19-2
278 pp., fully illus., partly in color, 210 x 290 mm, pbk.
NARRATIVE
OF A RESIDENCE IN SIAM
by Neale, F. A.
US$ 17.50
Book order code : E 20
918
This book is the lively and humorous description of Siam of the 1840s.
Most historical accounts of Thailand are either earlier in the 17th
century or the latter part of the 19th century. Therefore, this book
provides a fascinating account of a little known period. The author
was in the service of King Rama III, a position in which he was able
to garner more inside information than those who simply traveled through
the kingdom. Neale provides lively descriptions of marriage and funeral
ceremonies, festivals, and the character of the Siamese, but there is
also the humorous account of subduing a rebellion, disputes between
the government of Siam and Cochinchina, trade with China, and business
in Siam. Also included is a revealing chronicle of his visit to Chantaburi.
A glimpse of the understanding of early Siamese cartography, or the
lack of it, is offered and the author’s description of meeting
with an arrogant missionary should not be missed, nor should his anecdotes
of other lively scenes of life in Siam in the 1840s.
(Bangkok 1999; repr. from 1852) ISBN 974-8496-79-1
266 pp., 145 x 210 mm, pbk.
CENTRAL
AUTHORITY AND LOCAL DEMOCRATIZATION IN THAILAND
: a Cased Study from Chachoensao Province
Studies in Contemporary Thailand No. 6
by Nelson, Michael H.
US$ 22.50
Book order code : E 22
022
This book contributes to a political theory of contemporary Thailand.
This study does not accept the demise of the bureaucratic polity, rather,
center-periphery differences are emphasized as the bureaucratic polity
is very much alive in the countryside. The institutional aspects of
bureaucratic dominance, integration of the subdistrict level into the
central hierarchy, the introduction of elections of subdistrict and
village headmen and the often neglected provincial administrative organization
are emphasized. The question whether there already exists a politically
aware audience, indispensable as a countervailing force to the bureaucracy,
is addressed by focusing on the widely used practice of electoral influence
peddling and vote-buying. These questions are treated in the context
of two major political changes in Thailand: decentralization and a reform
of the relationship between the political system and the citizens.
(Bangkok 1998) ISBN 972-8434-17-6
346 pp., 24 pp. illus.,150 x 210 mm, pbk .
HINDU GODS OF PENINSULAR SIAM
by O’Connor, Stanley
US$ 70.00
Book order code : I 710
The sea flanked strip of land that is now Peninsular Siam is impacted with the débris of history. Rich in valuable minerals, and strategically located across the sea lanes between India and China, it was the seat of several of the earliest city states of Southeast Asia. Later on it was part of the Malay maritime empire of Srivijaya, and later still, in the 13th century, it entered the orbit of Siam.
While historical geographers have amassed a body of texts that show the vital role of the isthmus in early Asian trade, its art has received relatively little systematic study. In this book Professor O’Connor breaks new ground. After providing a general introduction to the art history of the isthmian tract, he discusses in detail a number of the most important statues of Hindu gods discovered there, several of which have not been published previously. By studying the stylistic development of this art, and comparing it with examples from India and Cambodia, he reaches new conclusions regarding its chronology and demonstrates the high level of cultural achievement of the ancient isthmian kingdoms.
Three isthmian statues of Visnu, because of their analogies with images excavated in India in a 4th century context, now appear to be the earliest surviving representations of the god in Southeast Asia. Sculpture in the service of the Hindu religions flourished on the isthmus from the 6th to the 8th century, and there is evidence of close artistic exchanges around the Gulf of Siam as well as with India. From the 9th century on, the bulk of patronage shifted to Mahayana Buddhism, which is thought to have been the state religion of Srivijaya. But statues of Hindu gods remained a feature of isthmian life until the 11th century and later. Some of them are so closely related to Cola art that the author thinks they were either imported from South India or else produced by South Indian sculptors working in the isthmus.
(Ascona, 1972)
92 pp., 16 pp. illus., 240 x 315 mm.
DESCRIPTION
OF THE THAI KINGDOM OR SIAM
:
Thailand under King Mongkut
by Pallegoix, Monsignor Jean-Baptiste
US$ 22.50
Book order code : E 22
110
This account gives a complete overview of basic features of the Thai
people and of Thailand during the reign of King Mongkut. The description
is directed at laymen in Western countries at a time when only a few
objective travelogues on the Orient, written by traders and missionaries,
reached the West. Monsignor Jean-Baptiste Pallegoix, for many years
a missionary working in Siam and later Bishop of Siam and neighboring
countries, elaborates on the daily life of the Siamese and on physical
features of the country, and its flora and fauna as he found it in the
early 1830s when he arrived. He describes the juridical and political
institutions of the Thai state, including its elaborate system of nobility,
and officials, serfs and slaves, its arts and crafts, and the growing
agricultural production and exports of a nascent economy. As a Roman
Catholic bishop he had a keen eye for the religion and history of the
Thai people with respect to the likelihood of conversions to Christianity.
Thai Buddhism and superstitions are treated in great detail, and the
foundations and rules of this religion are provided for laymen. The
book provides a detailed account of important events in the history
of the country starting with the arrival of the first French missionaries-for
example the behind-the-scene moves in the revolution of 1688 and King
Narai’s relations with the French priests and his embassies to
France-and concludes with a detailed description of the state of the
Catholic Church in Siam around 1850.
(Bangkok 1999, First English trans. from 1854) ISBN 974-7534-05-3
440 pp., illus., 1 folded map, 150 x 210 mm, pbk.
SCULPTURES
FROM THAILAND
by Piriya Krairiksh
US$ 30.00
Book order code : I 2
922
This is a fully illustrated catalog documenting 50 Thai sculptures.
The author uses his own state-of-the-art classification system to offer
a unique analysis of this form of Thai art.
(Hong Kong 1982)
197 pp., fully illus., partly in color, 270 x 260 mm
Books on Thailand A to H
Books on Thailand Q to Z
We also have rare and out-of-print books on Thailand, Laos, Cambodia,
and Southeast Asia.
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