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A Brief History of Thailand

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

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A Brief History of Thailand

By: Richard A. Ruth
Narrated by: Anne James
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About this listen

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 1930s. Listeners 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 bloodless Siamese Revolution of 1932 that established overnight the first constitutional monarchy in Asia
  • The Japanese invasion of Thailand and construction of the "Bridge Over the River Kwai
  • The mysterious death of King Ananda Mahidol, murdered in his bed in 1946, and a source of controversy ever since

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.

©2021 Richard A. Ruth (P)2022 Tantor Anthropology Asia Southeast Asia Royalty Thailand History
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This book covers in reasonable detail the history of Thailand starting from colonial times. It doesn't cover much before this period though. So there's not much about the ancient temples that dot the landscape or about how Hinduism and Buddhism first arrived in the area.

Good coverage of recent history

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