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Love and Death of King Ananda Mahidol of Thailand

Pavin Chachavalpongpun author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Springer Verlag, Singapore

Published:3rd Dec '22

Should be back in stock very soon

This paperback is available in another edition too:

Love and Death of King Ananda Mahidol of Thailand cover

This book examines two aspects of the abbreviated reign of King Ananda Mahidol (1935-1946), or King Rama VIII, of the current Chakri dynasty of Thailand. First, it discusses the royal family’s plot to thwart a romantic relationship between the young king, Ananda, and his Swiss girlfriend, Marileine Ferrari, a daughter of a famous pastor of Lausanne, Switzerland. Interracial marriage, particularly with Westerners, has been strictly forbidden for Thai kings or heirs apparent. The restriction stems from the interwoven connection between sexual relationship and the security of the throne. The second part investigates the mysterious death of King Ananda, a long-held taboo topic in Thailand. Although the two events were not specially related, both in their own way served to unavoidably shake the position of the monarchy and hence threaten its existence. The palace’s reactions to these events demonstrated its continuous search to maintain its power and ultimately to warrant its survival.

“In this new era of shattered taboos, nothing is off limits, and Pavin’s exploration of the life and death of a young monarch opens the door for more. Scholarship on the monarchy, despite the risks, is growing but it requires additional stimulus, which makes this book all the more compelling.” (Mark S. Cogan, Journal of Contemporary Asia, June 6, 2022)

ISBN: 9789811652912

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

183 pages

1st ed. 2021