Thailand

An account of the culture and history of the former kingdom of Siam, for 700 years the only country in South-East Asia not to be invaded by a foreign power. Thailand today is on odd hybrid of East and West, Buddhism and materialism, a revered Royal Family and a booming tourist industry.

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The former kingdom of Siam was, for 700 years, the only country in South-East Asia not to be invaded by a foreign power. Yet Thailand today is on odd hybrid of East and West, Buddhism and garish materialism, a revered Royal Family and a booming tourist industry. Richard West has gone on a journey round Thailand, meeting the people and, to help the reader understand the contradications that exist in this country, delving into its enigmatic past. With a blend of anecdote, history, travelogue and political analysis, Richard West examines the surrounding Communist countries of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia to show Thailand's story in context and explain why the American domino theory has been disproved, as well as evoking all the exoticism of the country and its people.