An Illustrated History of Thailand is divided geographicallyaccording to the sequence of succeeding Thai kingdoms. Each section follows ahistorical chronology, covering accounts of major events during each reign,with an assessment of the character of individual kings and their particularachievements, together with those of other major players. This record of eventsis blended with descriptive passages about monuments surviving today that arerelevant to and help illuminate the history. Political development is thusparalleled by Thailand's cultural development, especially in relation to thereligious and royal architecture.Thailand's historical progression has been complex, andalthough the foundations of national identity - religion and monarchy inparticular - were established in the earliest days of statehood dating back tothe 13th century, it is only in comparatively recent times that all elements -social, political, cultural and linguistic - have cohered into what isrecognizable today as Thai and Thailand. By linking the text to existinglandmarks the history provides both an enjoyable read in its own right and afascinating guide to the monuments and buildings that visitors can see on theirtravels around the country.
