
The Passenger: Thailand
AA VV
(Author)This title will be released on
May 20, 2025
Description
Fully-illustrated, The Passenger collects the best new writing, photography, art and reportage from around the world.
IN THIS VOLUME: Buddhism, the State, and Superpowers by Pitchaya Sudbanthad - The Country of Spirits by Emma Larkin - Monarchy Under Attack by Claudio Sopranzetti - plus: soft power and the working class, the heart of rural Thailand and the separatism of the southern peninsula, the success of Boy Love, the palm oil scandal, and much more...
Thailand's recent history has been marked by political turbulence, with palace coups, intrigue, attempted revolution, restoration, and democratic elections. In this complex democracy, the working class, progressives, and young urban professionals push for reforms, often clashing with landowners and business elites. While Thailand is perceived as permissive and tolerant, it hides a conservative core. Yet, one of its main cultural exports is Boy Love stories, romantic tales featuring male protagonists, whose success epitomises a cultural revolution that is boosting the country's entertainment industry and soft power.
Behind Thailand's glittering image, exemplified by Bangkok--the world's most visited city in 2023--lie rural regions like Isaan, far from typical tourist paths. These areas reflect the country's diverse and complex identity and reveal that, despite government efforts to impose cultural uniformity, Thailand's true strength still lies in its ability to embrace diversity and syncretism.
Product Details
Publisher | Passenger |
Publish Date | May 20, 2025 |
Pages | 192 |
Language | English |
Type | |
EAN/UPC | 9781787705777 |
Dimensions | N/A |
Reviews
Praise for The Passenger
"These books are so rich and engrossing that it is rewarding to read them even when one is stuck at home."--The Times Literary Supplement
"The Passenger readers will find none of the typical travel guide sections on where to eat or what sights to see. Consider the books, rather, more like a literary vacation--the kind you can take without braving a long flight in the time of Covid-19."--Publishers Weekly
"A wonderful publication and a beautiful object. The Passenger is a pleasure to read, to hold, and to look at."--La Repubblica
"A must-read. Much more than a travel guide, The Passenger is indispensable for any reader who is curious about the world."--Il Venerdì
"Fresh and diverting, informative and topical without being slight or ephemeral [ . . . ] This supremely well-edited combination of current affairs, journalism, commentary, and fun facts is perfect for our pause-button moment."--Australian Financial Review, Best Books of the Year
"When you hold it your hands, The Passenger takes you back to another time, one when travel literature had a scent, and texture."--El País
"[The Passenger] has a strong focus on storytelling, with pages given over to a mix of essays, playlists and sideways glances at subcultures and thorny urban issues."--MONOCLE
"Half-magazine, half-book... think of [The Passenger] as an erudite and literary travel equivalent to National Geographic, with stunning photography and illustration and fascinating writing about place."--Independent.ie (Best series of the year, 2021)
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