Paul Handley’s political biography of King Bhumiphol, The King Never Smiles, is banned in Thailand. But I have noticed that that it has been scanned in full and is available, chapter by chapter, on a Thai website.
Banned but scanned
November 23rd, 2006 by Andrew Walker · 10 Comments
Tags: Publications · Thailand
10 responses so far ↓
1 T // Nov 24, 2006 at 2:31 pm
I found that site too. While the copy is unauthorised, I rather think that allowing people in Thailand to read the book justifies the copy.
The (Thai) person who posted it is also apparently thinking of contacting Handley and doing a Thai translation. That would be very courageous indeed !
2 patiwat // Nov 26, 2006 at 6:12 am
During a talk in NY, Handley mentioned to the audience that unauthorized samizdat xeroxed versions of his book were available around Tha Phrachan (Thammasat University) for a few hundred baht. So he knows that this stuff is going on, and he doesn’t discourage it. Besides, the book is already into its 3rd printing in 3 months.
3 New Mandala » Siam Rumoured: The Thongchai lecture in London // Dec 15, 2006 at 10:44 am
[...] In Thongchai’s historical overview, Series 3 describes the power relations among what he rather playfully called “M/P3”. This is the series that focuses on the interactions between “Politicians (elected)/Money; People/Mass; Palace/Monarchists, Monarchy”. He sees this series, which begins in 1973, as heralding “the revival of the monarchy”. Speaking of the bloody events of October 1976, Thongchai argued that nobody mentions that “the King’s intervention is part of the massacre”. This is all part of Series 3. In this scheme, “Royalists now talk democracy” and have, very cunningly, created an “upper floor of politics”. This is a “second floor [that] provides the moral authority”. On this point, and as a digression, Thongchai briefly noted that Paul Handley’s widely debated book, The King Never Smiles, is, in his view, “not academic but worth listening to”. [...]
4 Janus // Feb 25, 2007 at 6:11 pm
Can anyone provide a hint to the Thai website where the book is scanned. Have googled but haven’t found anything. Thanks
5 patiwat // Feb 25, 2007 at 8:51 pm
Read the Wikipedia articles on the book (english and thai).
The Thai translators never refer to it by its full title, but use TKNS instead. They translated the title rather imaginatively as สวรรค์ในอก นรกในใจ. Chapter 15 (on Prem) is translated as น้ำพึ่งเรือ-เสือพึ่งป่า and Chapter 16 is translated as ครอบครัวละเหี่ยใจ. It was originally posted on the Prachatai webboards. But you should also be able to find a Google Cache of the HTML version.
6 Srithanonchai // Feb 26, 2007 at 1:12 am
TKNS > Bangkok Post (February 25, p. 2) carries a footnote (advertisement/invitation) on 1973/1976. It reads, “His Majesty the King Graciously Designated Her Majesty the Queen to be His Majesty’s Representative to preside over the Cremation of Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn, Former Prime Minister, at the Main Royal Crematorium, Depsirin Temple, on Sunday February 25th, 2007.”
It tells us something about Thai political culture that Thanom is not treated as a corrupt former military dictator who sullied his hands with the blood of young Thai people.
7 anon // Feb 26, 2007 at 5:46 am
The King also paid for all of Thanom’s medical expenses after his 2004 stroke. See here.
8 nganadeeleg // Feb 26, 2007 at 8:54 am
Thanom’s great grand-daughter has some comments on her blog.
http://gnarlykitty.blogspot.com/
See “In his honour” Pts 1 & 2
9 anon // Mar 11, 2007 at 4:59 am
Some royalist editors on Thai Wikipedia insist on deleting the links on the partial translations of The King Never Smiles on the grounds that it is political propaganda.
The article stub is here, the stub discussion page is here.
The translated introduction is available here: http://www.geocities.com/kingneversmiles/intro.html.
The translated 15th chapter is available here: http://tknsthai.googlepages.com.
10 Jon Fernquest // Mar 12, 2007 at 1:26 pm
> Thanom’s great grand-daughter has some
>comments on her blog.
That link was fascinating.
Actually, that Thailand does so readily accommodate former military rulers that may have, by contemporary standards, some crimes in their past, actually probably allows them to relinquish power more easily, unlike some neighboring countries that can never seem to get rid of military rule.
Thais are pragmatic people and their pragmatic approach to politics certainly seems to work better than any other country in Southeast Asia, even if there are bumps along the way.
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