Reviews (1)

A new perspective on an interesting region
After an historical overview of the upper-Mekong region this book provides four case studies that illustrate the growth in cross Mekong trade over the past decade. The case studies examine cross river boat operators, longdistance truck and boat operators, long distance traders and the exporttrade in Lao timber. My favorite was the study of long distance traders,which illustrates how Lao women have come to play an important part in thistrade. The study of cross river boat operators is also a detailedethnographic account of life on the border. The theoretical perspective onregulation (while I did not agree with it at times) provides a productivenew approach to the study of national borders. The author's claim that openborders can be more regulated that the closed borders they have replaced isbound to spark some interesting debate. This is a valuable book for thosewith an interest in the Mekong region, borders and the ethnography ofnorthern Thailand and Laos. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boundaries    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Commerce    4. Ethnology    5. Inland water transportation    6. International - General    7. Mekong River    8. Mekong River Region    9. Politics/International Relations    10. Ships & Shipbuilding - General    11. Transportation    12. Asian / Middle Eastern history    13. Asian studies    14. Domestic trade & commerce    15. Ethnography    16. Industry & Industrial Studies    17. Social & cultural anthropology    18. South East Asia   

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Asia - India & South Asia    3. Asia - Southeast Asia    4. Courts, Islamic    5. Domestic relations    6. Domestic relations (Islamic law)    7. History    8. History - General History    9. History: World    10. Legal History    11. Sociology - Marriage & Family    12. Thailand    13. Thailand, Southern    14. Jurisprudence & General Issues    15. Social history   

Subjects:  1. 1988-    2. Burma    3. Government policy    4. Political Science    5. Politics and government    6. Politics/International Relations    7. Reference    8. Refugees    9. Thailand    10. History    11. Asia - Southeast Asia   

Reviews (4)

Devastating Truth
I highly recommend Wave of Destruction. Ready or not, it places you in the midst of the horror.
A moving tale
There are not many books that can bring me to tears, but this one did it.The lives of the people in the book are as amazing as they are sad.It reminded me just how strong some people can be.And just how evil others can be. In the middle of the worst natural disater in history people were actually praying on those who had just lost everything.I spent some time in Thailand years ago, but I only went to the tourist places.After reading this book I know I am going back.I have a totally different outlook on the country and the people now.I think sometimes when we go to foreign countries and do the whole tourist thing we miss out on the beauty.This book has shown me what is beautiful about Thailand--it's people.I think this book will open a lot of eyes.

A MUST READ!
This book is a must read for all.The book not only sheds light on the worlds deadliest tsunami, but takes you through the hardships of what life was like before the wave struck--perhaps even more interesting than the tsunami itself.It is a jaw dropping tale of tragedy yet strength.I couldnt put the book down, and when I finished I was left in a shocked state of ah.The author tells the story with passion, keeping the reader locked in until the very end.This tragic true story reminds us all just how much the human spirit can endure... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - India & South Asia    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Indian Ocean    6. Indian Ocean Tsunami, 2004    7. Nam Keam    8. Natural Disasters    9. Ocean Floor    10. Thailand    11. Tsunamis    12. History / India   

Subjects:  1. Antiquities    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Art, Buddhist    5. Art, Medieval    6. Art, Thai    7. Asian    8. Thailand    9. Art / History / Asian    10. Art of indigenous peoples   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Asia - Southeast Asia    3. Communism    4. History & Theory - General    5. Insurgency    6. Political Ideologies - Communism & Socialism    7. Political Science    8. Politics and government    9. Politics/International Relations    10. Sociology    11. Thailand    12. Social Science / Anthropology / General   

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Art, Asian    5. Asian    6. History - General    7. History - Modern (Late 19th Century to 1945)    8. Modern Art    9. Western influences    10. China    11. History of art & design styles: from c 1900 -    12. India    13. Indonesia    14. Japan    15. Oriental art    16. Thailand   

Subjects:  1. Asia - General    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: American    5. Social life and customs    6. Thailand    7. Asian / Middle Eastern history: c 1500 to c 1900    8. Biography: historical    9. Language Arts & Disciplines / Journalism    10. TRAVEL & HOLIDAY   

Subjects:  1. 19th century    2. General    3. Political Science    4. Political culture    5. Politics and government    6. Politics/International Relations    7. Thailand    8. History & Theory    9. History    10. Asia - Southeast Asia   

Subjects:  1. Asia - Southeast Asia    2. Congresses    3. Ethnicity    4. History    5. History: American    6. Nationalism    7. Political Ideologies - Nationalism    8. Politics / Current Events    9. Social conditions    10. Sociology - General    11. Thailand   

Reviews (4)

Good Guide except for the Bangkok section...
I just returned from Thailand and I took four guides: Thomas Cook's,Lonely Planet, Let's Go, and this guide (see my reviews on the others guides, and do seriously consider Lonely Planet Islands & Beaches IF you are only going to spend time as a sun lizard).
Very inaccurate! Wrecked my Vacation!
I bought this book and relied on it to plan my Rough Guide to Thailand
Fed up with the traditional Lonely Planet I turned to the Rough Guide for an alternative view. While this guide gives detailed historical/background knowledge it severely lacks in the essentials, notably transport prices and detailed maps.�@There were just too many times when this book became a moreof a frustration than a help. This book is best read before you go and leftat home. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - Southeast    2. Southeast Asia - History    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel Guides    6. Travel / General   

Reviews (2)

Sulak gives a very honest account of Thai politics
This is one of the best books by Sulak.It is not only exciting to learn about his narrow escape from the threat from the military dictatorship in 1991, but also interesting to learn about this man's fight for socialjustice and democracy both domestically and globally. Daring to criticisethe revered monarchy, he is undoubtedly the most frank and outspoken amongthe Thai social critics. Not Only A Buddhist, But A Humanist.
On 26 April 1995, the eminent Thai social critical and writer, Sulak Sivaraksa, wes declared innocent of charges of lese majeste and defaming the former military strongman, Suchinda Kraprayoon. The final decision by the court to hear this case was almost simultaneously followed by Sulak'snomination for the Bobel Peace Prize, inviting obnoxious but inevitablecomparisons between Thailand and the military junta's suppression of NobelPeace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma (Myamar). This book isSulak's autobiography as well as memories. From my viewpoint, nevertheless,this book deserves to be an important reference for those who explore thesocio-political changes and democratisation in modern Thailand.Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Buddhists    6. Historians    7. Political activists    8. Religious    9. Southeast Asia - History    10. Sulak Sivaraksa    11. Thailand    12. Biography: general    13. Buddhism   

Subjects:  1. Buddhism    2. Foundations of law    3. History of religion    4. Laos    5. Laws of Other Jurisdictions & General Law    6. Myanmar (Burma)    7. Thailand   

Subjects:  1. Atrocities    2. Conscript labor    3. History    4. History - Military / War    5. Military    6. Military - Other    7. Military - World War II    8. Prisoners and prisons, Japanese    9. Railroads - History    10. World War, 1939-1945    11. Asian / Middle Eastern history: Second World War    12. History / Military / World War II    13. Myanmar (Burma)    14. Prisoners of war    15. Second World War, 1939-1945    16. Thailand    17. World history: Second World War   

Reviews (1)

Information on the book
The Colonel Nicholson character (in the movie the Bridge over the river Kwai) is based on the allied camp commander, Lieutenant Colonel Philip Toosey, who was a remarkable officer by any standards.
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Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Conscript labor    3. Design and construction    4. General    5. History: World    6. Military History - World War II    7. Prisoners Of War    8. Prisoners and prisons, Japanes    9. Prisoners and prisons, Japanese    10. Railroad bridges    11. Thailand    12. Toosey, Philip    13. World War, 1939-1945    14. Asian / Middle Eastern history: Second World War    15. Japan    16. Myanmar (Burma)   

Subjects:  1. History: World    2. History    3. Asia - Southeast Asia    4. Nan (Thailand : Province)    5. Laos   

Subjects:  1. Buddhism    2. Buddhism and state    3. History    4. Monasticism and religious orde    5. Thailand   

Subjects:  1. Asia - General    2. Asia - Southeast Asia    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Sociology - General    7. Southeast Asia - History    8. Thailand    9. Anthropology    10. Social Science / Sociology / General   

Reviews (4)

Thai Buddhism in a Historical and Social Context
This is a book which I :
Review of Buddha in the Jungle
Dr. Kamala Tiyavanich's latest book,"The Buddha in the Jungle," is a wonderful collection of fascinating tales, rich in the exotic beauty and mystery of 19th century Buddhist Thailand. From the horrors of the charnel grounds to the quiet serenity of tropical forest shrines, Dr. Tiyavanich's stories of Buddhist practioners and saints will captivate, inspire and teach the reader.A native of Thailand and a Buddhist practitioner in the Thai Theravada trdition, Dr. Tiyavanich writes in her characteristic style of detail and clarity, making this scholarly work fresh, exciting and easily accessible to every reader.I found this book to be a joy to read and I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in Bhuddism.

Review of Buddha in the Jungle
...."I recommend this book to anyone who harbors one of more of the following persona:The historian who enjoys pouring over colonial memoirs which detail exotic places and scenes of west-meets-east-for-the-first time;the ethnographer tracking wisdom traditions as expressed in lifestyles of rural villagers;the armchair thrill-seeker who longs for hair-raising jungle adventures; and the spiritual aspirant hoping to meet realized practitioners who are the living embodiment of the Buddha's teachings." ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Anthropology - Cultural    3. Archaeology / Anthropology    4. Asia - Southeast Asia    5. Buddhism    6. Buddhism - General    7. Buddhism - Theravada    8. Buddhism and social problems    9. Buddhist monks    10. History    11. Religion    12. Religious life and customs    13. Thailand    14. Asceticism    15. Asian studies    16. Community development    17. Religious communities & monasticism   

Subjects:  1. General    2. History    3. History: World    4. Modern - 19th Century    5. Reference    6. Asian / Middle Eastern history: c 1500 to c 1900    7. Historical geography    8. Maps, charts & atlases    9. Thailand    10. c 1800 to c 1900