Kings in Love: Lilit Phra Lo and Twelve Months

Kings in Love: Lilit Phra Lo and Twelve Months
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2020
Genre: History
ISBN: 9786162151613

Kings in Love: Lilit Phra Lo and Twelve Months (Thawathotsamat) are among the earliest works of Thai literature. These translations by an award-winning team aim to convey not only the meaning of the Thai originals but also their beauty and emotional power. Lilit Phra Lo is a long narrative poem with an unusual romance, a contest of rival magic, an erotic climax, and a blood-soaked ending. It has been condemned as feudal and indulgent, but celebrated for its flowing poetry and emotional power. Twelve Months, a passionate lament for a lost lover, was once greatly acclaimed but has been quietly sidelined for being "too erotic." Each poem has an afterword tracing the work's origins, structure, publication history, and critical reception. Though rooted in Thai culture, both poems speak to universal themes and have echoes in world literature.

Holy Things

Holy Things
Author: Nathan McGovern
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 289
Release: 2024
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0197759882

A common religious practice in Buddhist Thailand is asking "holy things" for help in return for an offering. These holy things include local spirits, Hindu gods, and famous Buddha images, which Thai people worship all in the same way. Some people, and even Thai Buddhists themselves, have argued that this is "syncretism"--a mixture of religions. Holy Things shows that what appears to be syncretism is actually an illusion. The worship of "holy things" is not a mixture of different religions, but the category of "holy things" is a mixture of different ways of talking about religion.

A History of Ayutthaya

A History of Ayutthaya
Author: Chris Baker
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 345
Release: 2017-05-11
Genre: History
ISBN: 1107190762

The first full history of a great commercial and political center that rose in Asia over almost five centuries.

The Story of King Lo

The Story of King Lo
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 323
Release: 2020
Genre: History
ISBN: 9786162151606

Highly regarded as an important part of the poetic heritage of Thailand, The Story of King Law received royal acclaim in 1914 and is included in official school curricula. All students of Thai literature memorize parts of it and retain them for decades. The story has been extolled as beautiful and deeply moving poetry, with admirable and virtuous protagonists. It has also been vilified as undignified vulgarity, as a piece of ancient titillation unworthy of attention in the modern day. And, for admirers and critics alike, it has proven to be a source of great confusion and unresolvable obscurity. Robert Bickner uses comparative and historical linguistics as the foundation for his examination and interpretation of the poem and with this translation guides readers through the many complexities of this fascinating text.

Thailand, Economy and Politics

Thailand, Economy and Politics
Author: Pasuk Phongpaichit
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 476
Release: 1995
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN:

In the last few years, Thailand has emerged as one of the world's most dynamic economies. Yet Thailand is still little known and sparsely written about. This book is the first full-length overview of Thailand's economy and politics. It is based on a wide range of sources in both Thai and English. Its focus is on the second half of the twentieth century, set in a deeper historical context of Siam in the Bangkok era. It plots the transition from rice economy to emerging industrial power, and from absolutist monarchy to one of Asia's most open and lively democracies. The book will be useful for students, interesting for the general reader, and challenging for specialists.

Culture and Customs of Thailand

Culture and Customs of Thailand
Author: Arne Kislenko
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Total Pages: 222
Release: 2004-05-30
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0313058385

Thailand is rapidly industrializing, dramatically improving the living standards of its people, and gradually developing a more democratic society. Despite such profound changes, traditional Thai culture has not only survived, but has also, in many respects, prospered. Although famous for its food, and despite its increasing popularity as a tourist destination, Thailand remains relatively unknown to most Westerners. Culture and Customs of Thailand presents the traditional culture and customs against the backdrop of modern times. Thailand has always been an important Southeast Asian country. With a long-reigning monarchy, it is the only country in the region that has never been colonized by a Western power or suffered bloody revolutions and wars. It was the first Asian country to establish diplomatic relations with the United States, and has remained a constant ally. Thailand has emerged as a considerable economic force as the world's largest rice and rubber producer and remains a regional political power. Against this historical framework, Kislenko deftly introduces the traditional and modern strands of the dominant Buddhist faith and other religions, such as animism. Coverage includes literature, the arts, architecture-including the Thai Wat-food and dress, gender and marriage, festivals and fun, and social customs. Kislenko also balances the portrait with discussions of threats from globalization, AIDS and sex tourism, the drug trade, and corruption in business and government. Evocative photos, a country map, a timeline, and a chronology complete the coverage. This reference is the best source for students and general readers to gain substantial, sweeping insight into the Thais and their land of smiles.

Essays on Thai Folklore

Essays on Thai Folklore
Author: Anuman Rajadhon (Phrayā)
Publisher:
Total Pages: 414
Release: 2009
Genre: Folklore
ISBN: 9786165510318