Have You Read Any Books About Thailand's Culture Or History?

[camerata]

All of us have opinions about every aspect of Thailand but I wonder how many of us have read any serious non-fiction books on the country's culture, history or politics? Feel free to list your favourites here. Some of mine are:

Thailand: A Short History by David K. Wyatt

Inside Thai Society: Religion, Everyday Life, Change by Niels Mulder

Culture Shock! Thailand: A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette by Robert Cooper and Nanthapa Cooper

Thais Mean Business by Robert Cooper

Thailand: Origins of Military Rule by David Elliott

Bangkok : The Story of a City by Alec Waugh

Forest Recollections: Wandering Monks in Twentieth-Century Thailand by Tiyavanich Kamala

The Buddha in the Jungle by Kamala Tiyavanich

Sons of the Buddha: The Early Lives of Three Extraordinary Thai Masters by Kamala Tiyavanich

Thaksin: The Business Of Politics In Thailand by Pasuk Phongpaichit and Chris Baker

Others I enjoyed that covered Thailand:

The Politics of Heroin in Southeast Asia by Alfred W McCoy

Lords of the Rim: the Invisible Empire of the Overseas Chinese by Sterling Seagrave

[Jingthing]

Don't forget the book that cannot be mentioned. It is one of those very rare those books that wil really change your perspective.

Edited December 21, 2007 by Jingthing

[Taijitu]

Don't forget the book that cannot be mentioned. It is one of those very rare those books that wil really change your perspective.

I've read that particular "unmentionable" book and what surprised me was that most Thais who wanted to know what the book was all about said......."Oh, but we know that already"!!!!!

[Jingthing]

Don't forget the book that cannot be mentioned. It is one of those very rare those books that wil really change your perspective.

I've read that particular "unmentionable" book and what surprised me was that most Thais who wanted to know what the book was all about said......."Oh, but we know that already"!!!!!

Yeah, but most farangs don't. And in my view, if you live here, you should.

Edited December 21, 2007 by Jingthing

[ukjackthai]

I had a mandatory Thai language and culture class at my university.

Interesting, but not something I would choose to study.

[SpacemanSpliff]

Does "Hello my big big honey" count?

But yeah, I also read the book that's apparently unmentionable.. Indeed most Thais know the stuff in there, and suspect loads more, but this book researches and references it very well.

[camerata]

Does "Hello my big big honey" count?

Well, what I'm really interested in is how many of us have made a serious effort to educate ourselves about Thai culture in general. I think just about everyone will have read books about BGs.

[canadiangirl]

I don't know if business history counts as history, but I read a great book called "big in asia" which talks about all of asia, including Thailand, the big business families, the role of the overseas Chinese in trade, as well as case studies of successful business partnerships in Thailand, like Big C, Tesco, Boots. Not exactly history, but I thought it was very interesting.

[siam-i-am]

I don't know if business history counts as history, but I read a great book called "big in asia" which talks about all of asia, including Thailand, the big business families, the role of the overseas Chinese in trade, as well as case studies of successful business partnerships in Thailand, like Big C, Tesco, Boots. Not exactly history, but I thought it was very interesting.

Haven't read any books but I've seen the musical. et cetera, et cetera. Does that count?

Shall we dance cha cha cha

[SpacemanSpliff]

Does 'Hello my big big honey' count?

Well, what I'm really interested in is how many of us have made a serious effort to educate ourselves about Thai culture in general. I think just about everyone will have read books about BGs.

Actually I was joking with that title.. I never read any book about bargirls. My fear with these is always that the author will be less knowledgeable than I am, and make a ridiculous misinterpretation somewhere on page 300, at that point I wouldn't be able to continue but I would have wasted several hours of my life getting to page 300.