Imagining Siam: A Travellers' Literary Guide to ThailandThailand has been systematically transformed into a classic neocolonial object of Western desire - an easily penetrated erotic zone that caters to the appetites of Western interlopers. In the first comprehensive critical study of Western literature about Thailand, Imagining Siam provides a thorough analysis - using Edward Said's concepts - of English language travelogues and travel literature. It offers a broad view, covering literary attempts to describe Siam in the 13th century, through the formative phase of Western engagement in the 16th century and the various competing European imperialisms in the 19th century, to today's era of mass tourism and the global reach of economically and culturally powerful 'First World' populations. Imagining Siam will appeal to those interested in Thailand, critiques of travel writing, and the Anna Leonowens' legacy (Anna of Anna and the King of Siam). |
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19th century Adiele adventure American Anna Leonowens Asian Australian Ayutthaya bar girls beach Beauvoir become Behdad biography Bristowe Bristowe's British character Chiang Christian civilisation claims colonial criticises critics depiction describes despite destination East edition English governess European example exotic expatriate experience farang fiction film foreign Fournereau guidebook harem Hicks images India Iyer jungle Kepner King Chulalongkorn King Mongkut King of Siam Kukrit Land of Smiles Landon Leonowens's Leonowens's books literature lived in Thailand Lonely Planet Loubère male Margaret Landon McGilvary memoirs missionaries Morgan Nang Harm Neale night novel Oriental paradise particularly Patpong Phaulkon Phuket political Pornsawan present prostitute published readers reveals romance says sex industry sex tourism Siamese Smithies Southeast Asia stereotypes story teacher temples Thai culture Thai women Thailand tourists travel guides travel writing tsunami visitors Warren West Western imagination Western writers Westernisation woman of Bangkok written