A Brief History of Thailand: Monarchy, War and Resilience: The Fascinating Story of the Gilded Kingdom at the Heart of Asia

by Richard A. Ruth

Overview

Thailand is known for its picturesque beaches and famous temples, but there's much more to this popular holiday destination than many realize.

A Brief History of Thailand offers an engaging look at the country's last 250 years—from coups and violent massacres to the invention of Pad Thai in the 1930's. Readers will learn the vibrant story of Thailand's emergence as a prosperous Buddhist state, its transformation from traditional kingdom to democratic constitutional monarchy and its subsequent rise to prominence in Southeast Asian affairs.

Thailand's dramatic history spans centuries of conflict, and this book recounts many of these fascinating episodes, including:

• The true story of Anna Leonowens, the British governess hired to teach the children of King Mongkut, fictionalized in Margaret Landon's bestselling novel Anna and the King of Siam and turned into a hit Rodgers and Hammerstein musical and film, The King and I
• The bloodless Siamese Revolution of 1932 that established overnight the first constitutional monarchy in Asia, ending almost eight centuries of absolute rule and creating a democratic system of parliamentary government
• The Japanese invasion of Thailand and construction of the "Bridge Over the River Kwai" made famous by the novel and Oscar-winning film
• The mysterious death of King Ananda Mahidol, murdered in his bed in 1946, and a source of controversy ever since
• The development of Thailand as an international playground during the Vietnam War, when American military used it as rowdy destination for servicemen on furlough
• The 70-year reign of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-serving monarch, who was born in the U.S., educated in Switzerland, loved to play the saxophone and was idolized by his people

With this book, historian and professor Richard A. Ruth has skillfully crafted an accessible cultural and political history of an understudied nation. Covering events through the King's death in 2016, A Brief History of Thailand will be of interest to students, travelers and anyone hoping to learn more about this part of the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780804851213
Publisher:	Tuttle Publishing
Publication date:	03/15/2022
Series:	Brief History of Asia Series
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	279,520
Product dimensions:	7.80(w) x 5.30(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Richard A. Ruth is a professor of Southeast Asian history in the United States. He holds two Master's degrees in History and Asian Studies, as well as a Ph.D. in History from Cornell. He worked in Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia for several years in non-governmental aid organizations (NGOs), and later became a research assistant in Yale University's Cambodian Genocide Project. He is the author of In Buddha's Company: Thai Soldiers in the Vietnam War.

Table of Contents

Introduction The Cultural Foundations of Modern Thailand 8

Chapter 1 Of Coups and Kings: The Making of Modern Thailand 21

Chapter 2 King Mongkut: The Threat of Western Imperialism 41

Chapter 3 King Chulalongkorn: Civilization and the Modernization of Siam 61

Chapter 4 King Vajiravudh: A New Thai National Identity 85

Chapter 5 King Prajadhipok and the Overthrow of the Absolute Monarchy 101

Chapter 6 Diminishing Democracy in Postabsolutist Siam 117

Chapter 7 The Difficult Time of Phibun Songkhram 132

Chapter 8 Thailand in World War II 151

Chapter 9 Taking Sides in the Cold War 167

Chapter 10 Sarit Thanarat's Regime 189

Chapter 11 Thailand in the Vietnam War: On the Frontlines 202

Chapter 12 Student Demonstrations and a Right-wing Backlash 218

Chapter 13 Military Rule and the Growth of a Rural Insurgency 236

Chapter 14 Populists and Royalists in Conflict 257

Chapter 15 Red Shirts and Yellow Shirts: Defining Thai-ness? 273

Chapter 16 A Struggle for Thailand's Political Future 293

Further Reading 305

Bibliography 308

Index 314