Tag Archives: Thailand

Recommendations For A Warts And All Reading of Thai History

An honest “warts and all” reading list on Thai history has to do two things at once: give you a reliable chronological framework, and poke holes in the comforting myths of “harmonious kings, grateful peasants, and benign coups.” Below is … Continue reading

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White Paper: Thailand’s Royal Succession in 2025: Legal Framework, Recent Signals, and Scenario Risks

Executive summary Thailand’s monarchy remains central to political legitimacy and social order. In 2025, no heir apparent has been proclaimed. The most significant new information is medical: Princess Bajrakitiyabha (long discussed by analysts as a potential successor) remains unconscious but … Continue reading

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White Paper: The Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords: A Pathway to Resolving the Thailand-Cambodia Border Dispute

Executive Summary The Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords, signed on October 26, 2025, represent a significant diplomatic breakthrough in the longstanding border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia.[^1] Facilitated by U.S. President Donald Trump during the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, … Continue reading

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White Paper: Between Stones and Sovereignty: The History and Future of Thai-Cambodian Border Disputes

The border disputes between Thailand and Cambodia are rooted in centuries of imperial rivalry, colonial cartography, and nationalist sentiment. Key flashpoints—such as the contested territory surrounding the Preah Vihear Temple—have periodically escalated into armed conflict, despite extensive diplomatic, legal, and … Continue reading

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The Problem of Thai Succession

The current heir to the throne in Thailand is a complex and uncertain matter. King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who became King Rama X in 2016 upon the death of his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, has not formally designated an heir apparent. … Continue reading

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Book Review: The Art Of Not Being Governed

The Art Of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History Of Upland Southeast Asia, by James C. Scott Far more than most people, I have a deep and abiding interest in the people of upland Southeast Asia. I have spent some … Continue reading

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Book Review: The Everything Thai Cookbook

The Everything Thai Cookbook, by Jennifer Malott Kotylo As someone who enjoys eating Thai food a great deal–spurred on by the time I spent in the country, where I found a couple of Northern Thai dishes I particularly appreciated–this is … Continue reading

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Book Review: Wave Of Destruction

Wave Of Destruction:  The Stories Of Four Families And History’s Deadliest Tsunami, by Erich Krauss It is easy to have compassion on the subjects of this book, as they represent the sort of Thai person I knew well when I … Continue reading

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Book Review: Thailand: A Short History

Thailand:  A Short History, by David K. Wyatt This is a book that would likely be banned in Thailand.  That is not to say that it is a bad book, although admittedly the book is far more sympathetic to left-wing … Continue reading

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Book Review: The Railway Man

The Railway Man:  A POW’s Searing Account Of War, Brutality And Forgiveness, by Eric Lomax Although I did not consciously intend it to happen, this book makes for an interesting selection to read in light of the book I had … Continue reading

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