Since the March-May 2010 incident, publications on Thai politics and history have become livelier than ever. Among these, the National Library of Australia has recently made a number of acquisitions that will be of interest to New Mandala readers. Two notable volumes published in 2012 are Wasana Nanuam’s р╕Бр╕╣р╕Др╕╖р╕нр╕Ыр╣Лр╕▓ р╕Вр╣Йр╕▓р╕Кр╕╖р╣Ир╕нр╣Ар╕Ыр╕гр╕б : р╕нр╕бр╕Хр╕░р╣Бр╕лр╣Ир╕Зр╕Ыр╣Лр╕▓р╣Ар╕Ыр╕гр╕б [I am Pa, my name is Prem: Pa Prem’s Immortality] (2012), now in its third and updated edition; and, the fifth installment in the famous р╕ер╕▒р╕Ъ р╕ер╕зр╕З р╕Юр╕гр╕▓р╕З [Secrets, trickery and camouflage] series, carrying the sub-heading р╕ир╕╢р╕Бр╕Кр╕┤р╕Зр╕нр╕│р╕Щр╕▓р╕И р╕Ьр╣Ир╕▓р╣Бр╕Ьр╕Щр╕Ыр╕Пр╕┤р╕зр╕▒р╕Хр╕┤р╣Ар╕ер╕╖р╕нр╕Ф [The struggle for power, insight into the bloody coup] (2012). Both books were bestsellers at the national book fair in Bangkok last month.

Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has continued to feature in popular publications. Recent acquisitions on him include р╕Ыр╕гр╕░р╣Ар╕Чр╕ир╣Др╕Чр╕вр╣Гр╕Хр╣Йр╕гр╕░р╕Ър╕нр╕Ър╕Кр╕┤р╕Щр╕зр╕▒р╕Хр╕г [Thailand under the Shinawatra regime] (2012) published by The Manager’s Ban Phra Arthit. Matichon Publishing House has Thaksin’s interviews with the foreign correspondent Tom Plate, р╕Ир╕▒р╕Ър╣Ар╕Вр╣Ир╕▓р╕Др╕╕р╕в р╕Чр╕▒р╕Бр╕йр╕┤р╕У р╕Кр╕┤р╕Щр╕зр╕▒р╕Хр╕г [Conversations with Thaksin Shinawatra] (2012) translated by Suranan Vejjajiva, cousin of former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. There’s also a book on Thaksin’s sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, the incumbent premier, with the rather interesting title of р╕нр╕бр╕Юр╕гр╕░р╕бр╕▓р╕Юр╕╣р╕Фр╕Бр╣Зр╣Др╕бр╣Ир╣Ар╕Кр╕╖р╣Ир╕н [I wouldn’t believe you even if you spoke with a Buddha amulet in your mouth] (2011).

The Library has also acquired new works which give alternative perspectives to the mainstream view of Thailand’s history. One is р╕Вр╣Ир╕▓р╣Ар╕Ир╕╖р╕нр╕З: р╕Бр╕Ър╕Пр╣Др╕Юр╕гр╣И р╕Вр╕Ър╕зр╕Щр╕Бр╕▓р╕гр╕Ьр╕╣р╣Йр╕бр╕╡р╕Ър╕╕р╕Н р╕лр╕ер╕▒р╕Зр╕кр╕Цр╕▓р╕Ыр╕Щр╕▓р╕Юр╕гр╕░р╕гр╕▓р╕Кр╕нр╕▓р╕Ур╕▓р╣Ар╕Вр╕Хр╕кр╕вр╕▓р╕б-р╕ер╣Йр╕▓р╕Щр╕Кр╣Йр╕▓р╕З [Kha Chueng: Phrai’s revolt, the “Holy Man” movement after the demarcation of Siam and Lan Chang] (2012). This book is a revised and edited version of a master’s thesis written at the Department of History, Chulalongkorn University. Another offers a close look at an important figure in Thai and Lao history, Chao Anuwong. Written in a documentary style, р╕Хр╕▓р╕бр╕гр╕нр╕вр╣Ар╕Ир╣Йр╕▓р╕нр╕Щр╕╕р╕зр╕Зр╕ир╣М р╕Др╕ер╕╡р╣Ир╕Ыр╕бр╕Ыр╕гр╕░р╕зр╕▒р╕Хр╕┤р╕ир╕▓р╕кр╕Хр╕гр╣Мр╣Др╕Чр╕в-р╕ер╕▓р╕з [Tracing Chao Anuwong: Untangling Thai-Lao history] (2012), should be enjoyable for readers whose interests lie beyond and between national boundaries