Kingdom in Crisis

Struggling to emerge from a despotic past, and convulsed by an intractable conflict that will determine its future, Thailand stands at a defining moment in its history. Scores have been killed on the streets of Bangkok. Freedom of speech is routinely denied. Democracy appears increasingly distant. Long dreaded by Thais, the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej is expected to unleash even greater instability. Yet in spite of the impact of the crisis, and the extraordinary importance of the royal succession, they have never been comprehensively analyzed, because Thailand's draconian lese majeste law has silenced most discussion - until now. Veteran foreign correspondent Andrew MacGregor Marshall is the only journalist covering contemporary Thailand who has taken the decision to break Thai law and tell the whole story. In this book he provides a comprehensive explanation that makes sense of the crisis for the first time, revealing the unacknowledged succession conflict that has become entangled with the struggle for democracy in Thailand. Besides shedding light on Thailand's divisions, Marshall provides the only detailed discussion of the looming succession available in the public domain. It is essential reading for anybody wanting to know what is happening in 21st century Thailand, and what the future holds.