Historical Dictionary of Thailand

Gerald W. Fry, Gayla S. Nieminen, Harold E. Smith

• Publisher: Scarecrow Press
• Year: 2013
• eBook ISBN: 9780810875258
• Edition: 3
• Topic: Histoire
• Subtopic: Histoire de l'Asie

Throughout its history, Thailand has shown remarkable resiliency, adaptability, and creativity in responding to serious threats and crises, and this since much earlier times when it was known as Siam. This book, while focusing on the modern period, does reach back to ancient kingdoms but also shows the impressive rise to a modern democracy, although still endowed with a king, and even more impressively, an economic "tiger." Moreover, it has become a prime tourist destination and is thus known to vast numbers of foreigners as a sort of "instant Asia."

The Historical Dictionary of Thailand, now in its third edition, covers this amazing story in various ways. First, the chronology traces the most significant events from year to year. The introduction then provides a good overview of the land and people, the history and traditions, and where it now seems to be heading. The dictionary, which by now has hundreds of detailed and cross-referenced entries, looks more closely at important persons, places, institutions and events as well as more generally its politics, economy, society, culture and religion. So this is an excellent reference work not only for scholars but many others who have visited the country and were fascinated by it.

Table of contents

• Editor’s Foreword
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Reader’s Note
• Acronyms and Abbreviations
• Map
• Chronology
• Introduction
• THE DICTIONARY
• Appendix A Regions and Provinces of Thailand
• Appendix B Kings of Sukhothai
• Appendix C Kings of Lan Na and Chiang Mai
• Appendix D Kings of Ayutthaya, Thonburi, and Siam/Thailand
• Appendix E Population of Thailand by Province and Region (in thousands)
• Appendix F Population of Thailand, 1910–2010 (in thousands)
• Appendix G Population of 20 Largest Cities, 2010
• Appendix H Economically Active Population (millions of persons aged 15 years and over)
• Appendix I Principal Agricultural Crops (1,000 metric tons)
• Appendix J Gross Domestic Product by Industrial Origin (in billion baht)
• Appendix K Thailand’s Core Economic Indicators, 2001–2010
• Appendix L Core Performance Indicators (across sectors)
• Appendix M: Parties and Seats in the House of Representatives National Elections, 1933–2011
• Appendix N A Chronology of Coups d’Etat, Rebellions, and Revolutions in Thailand since 1782
• Appendix O List of Thai Constitutions
• Appendix P Prime Ministers, 1932–2012
• Glossary
• Bibliography
• About the Authors