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). |
From inside the book
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Page 141
... Thailand , they are considered misfits , women who have escaped bad marriages , women who cannot find a husband or who are poverty - stricken , old or infirm ( Adiele 2005 : 33 ) —the antithesis , in fact , of the image of harem women ...
... Thailand , they are considered misfits , women who have escaped bad marriages , women who cannot find a husband or who are poverty - stricken , old or infirm ( Adiele 2005 : 33 ) —the antithesis , in fact , of the image of harem women ...
Page 146
... Thai women today ( Morgan 1996 : 233–4 ) . Morgan believes today's extensive sex industry in Thailand , ' complete with child prostitution , poor families selling their daughters , and slave markets where you can buy young girls ' can ...
... Thai women today ( Morgan 1996 : 233–4 ) . Morgan believes today's extensive sex industry in Thailand , ' complete with child prostitution , poor families selling their daughters , and slave markets where you can buy young girls ' can ...
Page 156
... Thai women , danger in an exotic location , the perfect beach with white sand and palm trees and so on — are similar to those found in travel writing about Thailand . So the ' beach reading ' reinforces what the travel guides have told ...
... Thai women , danger in an exotic location , the perfect beach with white sand and palm trees and so on — are similar to those found in travel writing about Thailand . So the ' beach reading ' reinforces what the travel guides have told ...
Common terms and phrases
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 Loubčre 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