Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Thailand Today
Thailand continues to ride a wave of prosperity. The standard and cost of living has
increased, the coming ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) promises expanded busi-
ness opportunities and tourism has discovered a new supply of visitors from China.
Relations with its neighbours, especially once cloistered Myanmar, have never been
better, enabling more open borders and trade. And the cities continue to modernise,
replacing soot-stained shophouses with fashionable shopping centres filled with cafes
and boutiques.
The Post Coup Years
Though Thaksin Shinawatra was removed
from the prime minister's position by a milit-
ary coup in 2006 and later self-exiled from the
country, he still exerts a sun-like gravitational
pull on Thailand's political process. His polit-
ically allied party, Puea Thai, won a clear ma-
jority of parliamentary seats in 2011, and his
sister Yingluck Shinawatra was elected prime
minister. She is Thailand's first female prime
minister and this is the fifth straight electoral
win for a Thaksin-backed political party. She is
often viewed as a proxy for her brother and
Thais refer to the brother and sister as one and
the same, rarely distinguishing between the
two. Despite the unusual balance of power,
Yingluck's administration has brought about a
degree of political unity with the military and
could finish its term without the interference of
a coup, a meaningful milestone in Thai polit-
ics.
Meanwhile, the legislature has spent two
years debating the details of the so-called am-
nesty bill that would allow Thaksin to return to
Best Non-Fiction Books
Very Thai (Philip Cornwell-Smith) Colourful
photos and essays on Thailand's quirks.
Chronicle of Thailand (William Warren) His-
tory of the last 50 years.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej: A Life's Work
(Nicholas Grossman et al.) The official bio-
graphy of the king.
Best Thai Literature
Pisat, Evil Spirits (Seni Saowaphong) Deals
with conflicts between the old and new genera-
tions.
Lai Chiwit (Many Lives; by Kukrit Pramoj) A
collection of short stories.
Monsoon Country (Pira Sudham) Brilliantly
captures the northeast's struggles against nature
and nurture.
The Judgement (Chart Korbjitti) A drama
about a young village man wrongly accused of a
crime.
Jasmine Nights (SP Somtow) An upbeat
coming-of-age novel that fuses traditional ideas
with modern Thai pop culture.
Married to the Demon King (Sri Doruang) Ad-
apts the Ramayana into modern Bangkok.
 
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