no single person has had more of an impact on contemporary Thailand than King Rama V, who reigned from 1868 to 1910. In the late 19th century when he became the first Siamese monarch to visit Europe, he brought back with him a taste for Western-style suits, cigars and bowler hats, along with ideas to modernize the country by building roads and hospitals and abolishing slavery. His former palace, the Wimanmek Mansion, shows a willingness to counterpoint Western styles with Siamese iconography: the upholstered chairs in the world’s largest golden teakwood mansion are ornamented with the gilded heads of the “serpent king” of Buddhist lore.
Contemporary Thai pop culture is as globalized, materialistic and mall-spawned as anywhere else in the developed world, with the influences of Korean and British pop, Japanese manga, and Hollywood and MTV hip-hop largely ensuring that classical Thai culture (the dances, masked dramas and trebly orchestras) plays second fiddle and is largely relegated to providing tourist entertainment and sporadic shows in the bigger urban areas like Bangkok.
But the portraits of King Rama V, which predominate in homes, offices, nightclubs, restaurants and even massage parlors, which are still worshipped as totems of the monarch who became a messiah from beyond the grave, go to show that beneath the globalized façade is a very Thai soul.
Thailand’s STORIED PAST
The founding of the Sukhothai (“Dawn of Happiness”) kingdom in 1238, after the expulsion of Khmer forces, was truly the dawning of a new era in the country’s history. Of all the kingdom’s rulers, King Ramkhamhaeng (1275–1317) is one of the most legendary. He made Theravada Buddhism the main religion and, using Mon, Khmer and south India models, created the first Thai alphabet.
Under his rule, trade routes were established through much of Asia, and the arts blossomed. King Ramkhamhaeng (a long road in Bangkok is named after him) also gave his blessing to the formation of the northern Thai kingdom known as Lanna (“A Million Ricefields”) in 1296, which was overrun by Burmese hordes in 1558. During the Sukhothai period, such still-running festivals as Loy Krathong, where tiny floats adorned with flowers and candles are floated on the waterways, also began.
For more than four centuries (beginning in 1350), and through 34 reigns, the kingdom of Ayutthaya prospered until it finally went down in flames—torched and vanquished by the Burmese in 1767. During its heyday, this island was the richest port in the region. From the chronicles written by European traders, missionaries and diplomats, the city, and its royal court and golden Buddha images, made London and Paris seem drab by comparison.
The war hero who eventually drove the Burmese out of Ayutthaya, and then moved the new Siamese capital to Thonburi, had himself crowned as King Taksin. Having to continually fight off the Burmese and modify the country’s political system took its toll on his mental health—to the point where he thought himself to be a Buddha-like figure, even if his violent behavior proved the opposite. He was forced to abdicate the throne in 1782. Later, fearing reprisals on his part, a group of generals stuffed him in a sack and pummeled him to death with sandalwood clubs, because royal blood cannot touch the earth.
The Rattanakosin period was a tumultuous time that saw the capital moved across the banks of the Chao Phraya River to Bangkok, and the coronation of the first king of the Chakri dynasty.
In 1932, a coup d’état (sans blood-letting), led to the development of a constitutional monarchy. Six years later, the name of the country was changed from Siam to Thailand. During World War II, the Japanese occupied parts of Thailand, perpetuating the atrocities involved with the construction of the infamous “Death Railway”.
In 1946, a young monarch named Ananda Mahidol ascended the throne only to be shot dead a year later by a killer who has escaped detection. Next in line to the throne was his brother, Bhumibol Adulyadej, who became the world’s longest reigning monarch in 1988. In 2011, there were countrywide tributes and events to mark the auspicious occasion of his 84th birthday.
After World War II, Thailand was ruled by a series of military strongmen who brooked no political opposition for the next few decades. Finally, in 1973, great masses of students began protesting for a real constitution and an end to dictatorships. A non-violent demonstration in October of that year turned the grounds of Thammasat University into a killing field when soldiers stormed in to break up the protest. The bloodbath in October of 1976 was considerably worse. These atrocities came full circle in 1992 during the “Black May” crisis, and once again during the “red shirt” protests on the streets of Bangkok in 2010 that left at least 91 people dead and thousands injured.
Much of Thailand’s modern history has been scarred by political infighting and tainted with cases of corruption. After a series of short-lived governments following the coup that ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006, the country’s political situation remains shaky, even if it does have the second largest economy in Southeast Asia, and remains the undisputed leader in tourism.
Tuttle Travel Pack Thailand
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
One thing that separates the Tuttle series of Travel Packs from the competition is that they are all written by insiders and expatriates with their fingers on the jugular of what makes a destination pulse.
What’s more, the small size (easy to stick in a purse or back pocket) makes them portable companions, suitable for the repeat visitor or the first-timer. The format is a model of simplicity. At the front, you’ll find all the background you need to enjoy Thailand, its rainbow of races, its tolerant and sometimes turbulent history, Buddhist underpinnings, regal lineage and diverse topography.
In Part 1, we cherry pick the can’t-miss highlights of the country, from visiting the time capsule of Ayutthaya, the World Heritage Site only 90 minutes from Bangkok, to a night at the Muay Thai fights, navigating the Byzantine bazaar that is the Weekend Market, to sea kayaking Phang-nga Bay studded by 100-meter-high limestone karsts, and drinking in the neon-splashed nightscape from Bangkok’s best rooftop bar.
In Part 2, we provide you with some overviews and sample itineraries to explore different parts of the country. In the central region, you can visit the country’s oldest national park, Khao Yai, a small city overrun by monkeys (Lopburi) and the UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site of Ayutthaya.
Up north, you can explore the country’s most famous treasure chest of antiques and new wave artworks, Chiang Mai, with its Night Bazaar, archaic temples and super cool boutique hotels, then head for the great green hills on a trek.
Down south, any visitor must avail themselves of the impeccable beaches, turquoise seas, seafood restaurants freshened with sea breezes and the many water sports available on Phuket, Ko Samui, Ko Lipe and other smaller islands, where your castaway fantasies become reality. We also let you in on some travel trade secrets about the new greenbelt of eco-tourism and green resorts that has sprouted in the North Andaman around Khao Lak.
In Part 3, our author on the inside puts forth his recommendations for the country’s best hotels, spas, temples, shows, boutiques and restaurants.
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