{"product_id":"9780804851213","title":"A Brief History of Thailand","description":"Author: Richard A. Ruth\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 9780804851213\u003cbr\u003ePublisher: Berkeley Books\u003cbr\u003eYear first published: 01 Feb 2022\u003cbr\u003ePages: 352\u003cbr\u003eFormat: Paperback \/ softback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThailand is known for its picturesque beaches and famous temples, but there\u0026amp;#x27;s much more to this popular holiday destination than many realise.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eA Brief History of Thailand\u003c\/i\u003e offers an engaging look at the country\u0026amp;#x27;s last 250 years -from coups and violent massacres to the invention of Pad Thai in the 1930\u0026amp;#x27;s. Readers will learn the vibrant story of Thailand\u0026amp;#x27;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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThailand\u0026amp;#x27;s dramatic history spans centuries of conflict, and this book recounts many of these fascinating episodes, including:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe true story of Anna Leonowens, the British governess hired to teach the children of King Mongkut, fictionalised in Margaret Landon\u0026amp;#x27;s bestselling novel \u003ci\u003eAnna and the King of Siam\u003c\/i\u003e and turned into a hit Rodgers and Hammerstein musical and film, \u003ci\u003eThe King and I\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe 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\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Japanese invasion of Thailand and construction of the \u0026amp;quot;Bridge Over the River Kwai\u0026amp;quot; made famous by the novel and Oscar-winning film\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe mysterious death of King Ananda Mahidol, murdered in his bed in 1946, and a source of controversy ever since\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe development of Thailand as an international playground during the Vietnam War, when American military used it as rowdy destination for servicemen on furlough\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe 70-year reign of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world\u0026amp;#x27;s longest-serving monarch, who was born in the U.S., educated in Switzerland, loved to play the saxophone and was idolised by his people\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith 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\u0026amp;#x27;s death in 2016, \u003ci\u003eA Brief History of Thailand\u003c\/i\u003e will be of interest to students, travellers and anyone hoping to learn more about this part of the world.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ships in 10 to 15 days","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46814069555358,"sku":"ADS-9780804851213","price":29.78,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0400\/9043\/5742\/files\/9780804851213.jpg?v=1778333885","url":"https:\/\/classicbargains.com.au\/products\/9780804851213","provider":"Classic Bargains Australia","version":"1.0","type":"link"}