More hagiography than biography, David van Praagh has provided a highly lucid and very readable account of Thailand's democratization process covering a 50-year period.

This history is primarily based on the words and deeds of MR Seni Pramoj, accomplished lawyer, diplomat, musician and politician. The book is well researched and sourced, and the author has obviously conducted numerous interviews with the key players over a lengthy time frame. However, Seni is nearly always portrayed in all too good a light, and this becomes grating after a while. All too often in Thai history, the reality of any situation is obscured by various shades of grey, but in this book Seni, at least in his own view, played the unwilling and humble hero throughout many key events in Thailand dating back to 1932.

The author is especially strong on providing detailed background about events leading upto and after the end of the Second World War. As a wartime ally of Japan, Thailand (then Siam) was in danger of losing its sovereign status to the victorious Allied powers, and Great Britain in particular had designs on Thai land and resources. The description of how Britain was stymied (principally by Seni) in its aims reads more like a thriller than dry history, and the author is to be commended in this regard.

Military rule in the 1950's and 1960's and the tragic events of 1973, 1976 and 1992, when many students and others lost their lives in the fight for democracy, are all well documented by van Praagh, who also provides some interesting insights into the role played throughout by the Thai monarchy.

Unfortunately, the book ends as true hagiography in praising Seni almost without reserve.

I would certainly recommend this book to anyone interested in the fascinating period of Thai history it covers. I would also add the caveat, however, that one must take much of the information provided directly by or about Seni with a "pinch of salt".