Hot New Titles S RED NOTICE By ANDY MCNAB Bt.595 9780593069493
SIAMESE COINS: FROM FUNUN TO THE FIFTH REIGN By VASILIJS MILHAILOVS & RONACHAI KRISADAOLAN Bt.2,495 9789749863541
THE BONE BED By PATRICIA CORNWELL Bt.750 9781408703441
BALI: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS TROPICAL ISLAND By LINDA HOFFMAN Bt.850 9780804842068
THE ECONOMICs BOOK Bt.750 9781409376415
LIFE THE BEATLES By LIFE MAGAZINE Bt.395 9781603207256
NO EASY DAY: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A NAVY SEAL By MARK OWEN Bt.825 9780525953722
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHER’S HANDBOOK (5TH ED.) By TOM ANG Bt.1,195 9781405393195
HIGGS DISCOVERY: THE POWER OF EMPTY SPACE By LISA RANDALL Bt.250 9781847922571
SECONDS AWAY (MICKEY BOLITAR 2) By HARLAN COBEN Bt.495 9781409124498
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Asia Books, Destination for Books on Thailand & Southeast Asia Asia Books Publishing
4 3 r d A nn i v e r s a r y :
Pictorial
PRESENTING THAILAND 9781906780371
ENCHANTING CAMBODIA 9781906780517
ENCHANTING THAILAND 9781906780678
COUNTRIES: Thailand 9781855014770
ENCHANTING LAOS 9781906780524
BANGKOK: Then and Now 9789740470304
Cuisine
THAI COOKING STEP-BY-STEP 9789748364667 EASY THAI COOKING: 75 FAMILY-STYLE DISHES YOU CAN PREPARE IN MINUTES 9780794607166 THAI COOKING CLASS 9781863782272
C u lt u r e & L a n g u a g e
THE THAI AND I: THAI CULTURE AND SOCIETY 9789748303963 THE THAI AND I: SUCCESSFUL LIVING IN THAILAND 9789748303956 BRIDGING THE GAP 9789748303932
THAI FOR TRAVELLERS 9789748303949 LEARNING THAI: JUST ENOUGH TO GET BY AND MORE 9789748237336 GLOBETROTTER IN YOUR POCKET: THAI 9781845375577
N at u r e
DIVING & SNORKELLING GUIDE TO TROPICAL MARINE LIFE OF THAILAND AND THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION 9781906780555 A FIELD GUIDE TO THE REPTILES OF THAILAND & SOUTH-EAST ASIA 9781847738431
FIELD GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OF THAILAND AND SOUTHEAST ASIA 9781847734471 PHOTOGRAPHIC GUIDE TO MAMMALS OF THAILAND AND SOUTHEAST ASIA 9781847734648
Asia Books, Destination for Books on Thailand & Southeast Asia Asia Books Distribution
4 3 r d A nn i v e r s a r y :
T r av el G u i d es & M a p s
LONELY PLANET ENCOUNTER: KO SAMUI 9781741794274 LONELY PLANET: THAILAND 9781741797145
LONELY PLANET: CAMBODIA 9781741799651
LONELY PLANET: MYANMAR (BURMA) 9781741794694
LONELY PLANET : INDIA 9781741797800
LONELY PLANET: 1000 ULTIMATE SIGHTS 9781742202938
LONELY PLANET: 1000 ULTIMATE EXPERIENCES 9781741799453
LONELY PLANET: THE WORLDS BEST STREET FOOD 9781742205939
NELLES MAPS: THAILAND 9783865742629 NELLES MAPS: BANGKOK AND GREATER BANGKOK 9783865742049 NELLES MAPS: SOUTHEAST ASIA 9783865742568
LONELY PLANET ENCOUNTER: PHUKET 9781741797114
LONELY PLANET DISCOVER: PARIS 9781742202792
LONELY PLANET DISCOVER: LONDON 9781742205854
LONELY PLANET DISCOVER: CHINA 9781742202891
ODYSSEY MAPS: LAOS 9789622178274 ODYSSEY MAPS: THE MEKONG RIVER FROM SOURCE TO SEA 9789622178335 ODYSSeY MAPS: MYANMAR 9789622178311
ARTS, ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN Highlight
CUTTING-EDGE WOODEN HOUSES By CARLES BROTO Bt.1,650 9788415123347
WOOD ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN By MICHELLE GALINDO Bt.1,650 9783037681237 Wood has always been a strong contributing factor in the creation of interesting architecture. To build with wood has been for years and is still a trend topic, this volume is a road tour of contemporary wood architecture. The many possibilities for use of this natural building material are shown with texts, photos, facts and drawings, as well as the innovative construction techniques which have extended these possibilities.
AT HOME IN ITALY: UNDER THE SUMMER SUN By LISTRI & BUONO Bt.1,395 9780865652866
LIVE IN SCENERY: FINEST RESORTS By EBBY FANG Bt.2,495 9789881607454
NEW GRAPHIC DESIGN: ART & CREATIVITY GRAPHICS By DIMITRIS KOTTAS Bt.1,850 9788415123682
COMMUNICATING FASHION BRANDS By LIN SHIJIAN Bt.1,550 9789881562586 Communicating Fashion Brand is edited to create the new narrative of fashion by introducing the famous fashion brands in Garment, Beauty and Accessory industries with detailed graphic and interior images. Reading the book, the readers will experience the story and philosophy of every single brand. Communicating Fashion Brand collects some well-known fashion brands such as Nike, Victoria Beckham, ELTTOB TEP ISSEY MIYAKE etc.
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHER’S HANDBOOK (5TH ED.) By TOM ANG Bt.1,195 9781405393195
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN: THE LEGEND AND THE LEGACY By JUDITH WATT Bt.1,395 9781847960313
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BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT Highlight
HOW TO MANAGE YOUR MAMMOTH By WENDY JAGO Bt.450 9780749957353
DESIGN LIKE APPLE By JOHN EDSON Bt.795 9781118290316
WHAT COLOUR IS YOUR PARACHUTE? 2013 By RICHARD N. BOLLES Bt.595 9781607741473
THE CAREERIST By RHYMER RIGBY Bt.725 9780749465926 “The Careerist: 100 Ways to Get Ahead at Work” is a handy, quick-fix reference guide on how to improve your career prospects. Based on the weekly column in the “Financial Times” by Rhymer Rigby, it provides expert advice for those difficult career moments. With expert opinions from industry professionals on every topic, “The Careerist” provides rubber-stamped career advice you can trust.
BANK 3.0 By BRETT KING Bt.1,195 9789814382120
HOW TO SET UP & RUN A FASHION LABEL By TOBY MEADOWS Bt.950 9781856698924
HEART, SMARTS, GUTS, AND LUCK By TJAN, ET. AL. Bt.850 9781422161944
DEBT: THE FIRST 5,000 YEARS By DAVID GRAEBER Bt.595 9781612191812 Now in paperback: David Graeber’s “fresh, fascinating, thought-provoking and exceedingly timely” (Financial Times) history of debt. Here anthropologist David Graeber presents a stunning reversal of conventional wisdom. He also brilliantly demonstrates that the language of the ancient works of law and religion (words like “guilt,” “sin,” and “redemption”) derive in large part from ancient debates about debt, and shape even our most basic ideas of right and wrong.
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Children’s Book Highlight
RATBURGER By DAVID WALLIAMS Bt.495 9780007453535
HEROES OF OLYMPUS #3: THE MARK OF ATHENA By RICK RIORDAN Bt.395 9780141335759 The Greek and Roman demigods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. Then, they will have to sail together to the ancient land to find the Doors of Death. What exactly are the Doors of Death? Much of the prophesy remains a mystery. . . . With old friends and new friends joining forces, a marvelous ship, fearsome foes, and an exotic setting, The Mark of Athena promises to be another unforgettable adventure by master storyteller Rick Riordan.
RIPLEY’ S BELIEVE IT OR NOT! SPECIAL EDITION 2013 Bt.550 9780545435055
ONE DIRECTION: THE OFFICIAL ANNUAL 2013 By ONE DIRECTION Bt.350 9780007487554
MY FIRST DICTIONARY Bt.450 9781409386117
CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS AND THE TERRIFYING RETURN OF TIPPY TINKLETROUSERS By DAV PILKEY Bt.325 9780545175340
LENTICULAR PLAY-A-SOUND: DISNEY PRINCESS Bt.725 9781450832366
The worst thing George and Harold had to face was NOT evil mad scientists or alien cafeteria ladies but a sixth-grade bully named Kipper Krupp, the nephew of their clueless school principal. And because George and Harold don’t actually invent Captain Underpants until fourth grade, the two clever kindergartners are on their own. Hold on to your UNDERPANTS -- the Captain is back!
DINOSAURS COLOURING AND STICKER BOOK By SAM TAPLIN Bt.325 9781409551355
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LEISURE & LIFESTYLE
S THE CAR: THE HISTORY OF THE AUTOMOBILE By ROD GREEN Bt.1,195 9781847328762
RHS ENCYCLOPEDIA OF GARDENING By CHRISTOPHER BRICKELL Bt.1,595 9781409383949
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Highlight
S MINI By PARK LANE Bt.395 9781908816436
SPIELBERG: A RETROSPECTIVE By RICHARD SCHICKEL Bt.1,195 9780500516089 The distinguished writer and critic Richard Schickel, himself a documentary filmmaker, applies his unique knowledge of every one of Spielbergs 27 major films to appraise the directors remarkably prolific and varied career. Featuring many first-person observations drawn from Schickels interviews with Spielberg, as well as a personal foreword by the director himself, this book presents an insiders perspective on Spielbergs legendary achievements.
INGREDIENTS (WITH MEAT CHART) By H.F. ULLMANN Bt.775 9783848000180
GARFIELD TAKES HIS LICKS: HIS 24TH BOOK By JIM DAVIS Bt.395 9780345525871
NIGELLISSIMA: INSTANT ITALIAN INSPIRATION By NIGELLA LAWSON Bt.995 9780701187330
BOO: LITTLE DOG IN THE BIG CITY By J.H. LEE Bt.395 9781452109718
“Nigellissima” takes inspiration from Italian cooking to bring the spirit of Italy into the kitchen and onto the plate, pronto. At the heart of Italian cookery lies a celebration of food that is fresh, tasty and unpretentious; Nigella Lawson reflects this in recipes that are simple and speedy, elevating everyday eating into no-fuss feasts. Italian food has colonised the world. “Nigellissima” shows us how and why in over 100 delicious dishes
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F e at u r e
Author of The Month Quick cook - make it in 15 minutes !! Knockout smells of spice and the sizzle of juicy meat fill the kitchen set of Jamie’s latest TV and book project, 15-Minute Meals. And yes, Jamie’s concept delivers exactly what it claims – simple, delicious recipes crammed with flavour that can be delivered to the table in that magic quarter of an hour. All the recipes have been tested meticulously by cooks of all standards to ensure they beat that 15-minute buzzer and, as you would expect from Jamie, inspiration has come from many corners of the culinary world. So go on Jamie, what’s it all about? “When I had a look back at 30-Minute Meals,” he says, “I thought: ‘These are actually quite big meals , and more of a Friday or Saturday night thing’. So I wanted to strip it back and make it quicker, with meals you can cook any day of the week.
I wanted to come up with a ‘Top of the Pops’ of cooking. I wanted meals to be really quick and the flavours to be obvious, easily recognisable and loved. “When I started writing the recipes, it wasn’t just a process of getting cracking combinations and brilliant ideas, it was also about reflecting produce that was in season and available to everyone through supermarkets. The real cleverness of it is maximum flavour and this superquick time, so we rewrote and rewrote them until even the most average of cooks in our office could do it in under 15 minutes.” This is still real, hands-on cooking; nothing is hidden away inside an oven or a covered casserole dish. But even though it’s hands on, this book is also about finding timesaving kitchen shortcuts. Jamie believes that the availability of basic electrical kitchen equipment these days means there is no barrier for the budget cook to get stuck into 15-Minute Meals: JAMIE’ S 15-MINUTE MEALS Bt.995 9780718157807
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“In this day and age, to expect someone to have a food processor or a liquidiser isn’t a big ask, the success of these recipes is definitely down to relying on a few small bits of kit.”
And what of the inspirations? What flavours can we expect from the series?“I wanted to come up with a ‘Top of the Pops’ of cooking. I wanted meals to be really quick and the flavours to be obvious, easily recognisable and loved. If you look through the recipes, we go from Cajun to jerk and Indian to barbecue, through to beautiful Thai-Asian flavours. There’s a whole mixture of the typical ingredients we cook with; beef, chicken, lamb, pork and fish, as well as some cracking vegetarian options.” “In 15-Minute Meals there is only a certain number of moves you make, it is like a dance. There is only a certain number of ingredients you can get away with too, because you would probably spend a lot of time opening stuff. So instead of using six different spices I’ll use garam masala; instead of using roast and puréed chilli and oil, I’ll just use harissa.” There may be short cuts, but there’s definitely no compromise – it’s about being clever. Jamie reveals one of the ways to get bang on flavours with little effort and fewer ingredients: “One of the big flavours for making the rice and carbohydrates taste incredible is easy – just use salted preserved lemons. A lot of Brits don’t know how to use them and they just sit there on the shelf. Plonk one of those in and it’s like putting rocket fuel in a little Ford Fiesta, it’s going to go a thousand-miles-an-hour, the flavours are incredible.” “You don’t have to be able to cook like a ninja to create these dishes,” Jamie promises, “but these meals have flavour combinations that will put big smiles on the faces of your family and mates.” Jamie spent time wondering whether he was going to do the same as he did in 30-Minute Meals with the step-by-step pictures: “I just liked the simplicity of the dish, and the finished dish said quite a lot – not just about how cool it looks but also how to serve it. Instead of being a bit camp about how it’s all served up, it’s all a bit family and a bit DIY.” “It’s there to get stuck into and I love that. It’s bold colours, dark meats, light sauces and contrasting salads. Then I started tweaking recipes, and I was almost cooking by colour. Not only would you have textures – something crispy with something soft – but I’d also be putting something dark with something light. I think that is a really beautiful way to cook. It started to really work.” Others Related Books
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AB’s ChoiceS
LIFE OF PI By YANN MARTEL Bt.275 9780544045200 One boy, one boat, one tiger...After the tragic sinking of a cargo ship, a solitary lifeboat remains bobbing on the wild, blue Pacific. The only survivors from the wreck are a sixteen years-old boy named Pi, a hyena, a zebra (with a broken leg), a female orang-utan? And a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger. The scene is set for one of the most extraordinary and best-loved works of fiction in recent years. This title is now a major motion picture from Academy Award-winning director Ang Lee.
Quote We Love! 12
ON THE ROAD (FILM TIE-IN) By JACK KEROUAC Bt.425 9780140265002
THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER By STEPHEN CHBOSKY Bt.375 9781471100482
Sal Paradise, a young innocent, joins the slightly crazed Dean Moriarty on a breathless, exuberant ride back and forth across the United States. Their hedonistic search for release or fulfilment through drink, sex, drugs and jazz becomes an exploration of personal freedom, a test of the limits of the American dream. A brilliant blend of fiction and autobiography, Jack Kerouac’s exhilarating novel swings to the rhythms of 1950s underground America, racing towards the sunset with unforgettable exuberance, poignancy and autobiographical passion.
Charlie is a freshman. And while he’s not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up.
Cloud Atlas By David Mitchell Bt.325 9781444761788
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ALEX CROSS By JAMES PATTERSON Bt.350 9780755395149 Alex Cross was a rising star in the Washington, DC, Police Department when an unknown shooter gunned down his wife, Maria, in front of him. Years later, Alex has left the FBI and set up practice as a psychologist once again. His life with Nana Mama, Damon, Jannie, and little Alex finally feels like it’s in order. He even has a chance at a new love. Then Cross’s former partner, John Sampson, calls in a favor. Now Cross must go on the hunt for the most cunning, psychotic killer he has ever faced.
“Souls cross ages like clouds cross skies, an’ tho’ a cloud’s shape nor hue nor size don’t stay the same, it’s still a cloud an’ so is a soul. Who can say where the cloud’s blowed from or who the soul’ll be ‘morrow? Only Sonmi the east an’ the west an’ the compass an’ the atlas, yay, only the atlas o’ clouds.” - - - David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas Cloud Atlas is now a major motion picture and scheduled to be released on October 26, 2012
FICTION Highlight
S THE INNOCENT By DAVID BALDACCI Bt.350 9781447208914
S I, MICHAEL BENNETT By JAMES PATTERSON Bt.350 9780099576792
CHRIS RYAN EXTREME: HARD TARGET By CHRIS RYAN Bt.350 9781444756401
WINTER OF THE WORLD By KEN FOLLETT Bt.950 9780230710108 Berlin in 1933 is in upheaval. Eleven-year-old Carla von Ulrich struggles to understand the tensions disrupting her family as Hitler strengthens his grip on Germany. Winter of the World is the second novel in Ken Follett’s uniquely ambitious and deeply satisfying trilogy ‘The Century.’ On its own or read in sequence with Fall of Giants, this is a magnificent, spellbinding epic of global conflict and personal drama.
A DEVIL IS WAITING By JACK HIGGINS Bt.325 9780007452248
THE TEMPLAR LEGION By PAUL CHRISTOPHER Bt.350 9780718159771
LONE WOLF By JODI PICOULT Bt.325 9781444729023
ONE HUNDRED NAMES By CECELIA AHERN Bt.595 9780007350476 At her terminally ill friend’s bedside, Journalist Kitty Logan asks - what is the one story she always wanted to write? Kitty is assigned the most important task of her life. Kitty not only has to track down and meet the people on the list, but find out what connects them. And, in the process of hearing ordinary people’s stories, she starts to understand her own.
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THAILAND & SOUTHEAST ASIA Highlight
S SCULPTING TROPICAL SPACES: AAMER ARCHITECTS By AAMER TAHER Bt.1,450 9781935935117
ANCIENT THAI MASSAGE: HEALING WITH LIFE FORCE (3RD ED.) By JAN CHAITHAVUTHI & KANCHANOO MUANGSIRI Bt.1,150 9786169132400 The Reality of Life Force and How Thai Massage can Heal Presented by Founders of Thai Massage Schools in Thailand Ancient Thai Massage Healing with Life Force, third edition, is the compilation of ten years in search of knowledge from all sources of ancient teachings and integrating them with modern application to achieve the healing benefits with the life force.
A PHOTOGRAPHIC GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OF INDONESIA By MORTEN STRANGE Bt.1,150 9780804842006
CAMBODIA’ S CURSE: THE MODERN HISTORY OF A TROUBLED LAND By JOEL BRINKLEY Bt.550 9781610391832
S VIETNAMESE HOME COOKING By CHARLES PHAN Bt.1,050 9781607740537
LONELY PLANET: FOOD LOVER’ S GUIDE TO THE WORLD (1ST ED.) Bt.1,350 9781743210208 Food Lover’s Guide to the World” presents a lifetime of eating experiences that will lead you from one end of the globe to the other. Includes celebrity food-lover contributions, best places to find local dishes in cities great and small, cultural tips and how-to-eat etiquette, introductions by Mark Bittman and James Oseland, and more than 50 recipes to cook back home.back home.
EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDES: THAILAND (7TH ED.) Bt.850 9781405370691
LONELY PLANET: NEW ZEALAND (16TH ED.) By CHARLES RAWLINGS-WAY Bt.925 9781742200170
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หนังสือภาษาไทย Highlight
Tropical Modern House โดย ศรายุทธ ศรีทิพย์อาสน์ 395 บาท 9789742474416
รู รัง เรือน โดย ยรรยง บุญ- หลง 155 บาท 9786167707433
มหัศจรรย์อาหารญี่ปุ่น (Japanese Foods That Heal) โดย จอห์นและแจน เบลเลม 280 บาท 9789740209676
กฎทองของผู้นำ� โดย KAREN MCCREADIE, TIM PHILLIPS AND STEVE SHIPSIDE 250 บาท 9786165153041
เรื่องเล่าของข้าวของ (The Story Of Stuff) โดย แอนนี่ เลียวนาร์ด 330 บาท 9789740209713 ปัญหาใหญ่สำ�หรับโลกเราในตอนนี้และเป็นปัญหาที่ แก้ ไขยากมากก็ คื อ ภาวะโลกร้ อ น ทั้ ง หมดนี้ เป็ น ผล พวงจากยุคอุตสาหกรรมที่มนุษย์สามารถใช้เครื่องจักร และเทคโนโลยีผลิตสินค้าข้าวของเครื่องใช้ต่าง ๆ ได้ คราวละมาก ๆ สิ่งที่ตามมาก็คือมนุษย์เราบริโภคข้าว ของกันอย่างฟุ่มเฟือยล้นเกิน หนังสือเล่มนี้ผู้เขียนเป็น นักสิ่งแวดล้อมจะพาเราไปดูเส้นทางการเคลื่อนที่ของ วั ต ถุ ดิ บ ต่ า ง ๆ ผ่ า นระบบเศรษฐกิ จ อย่ า งเข้ า ใจง่ า ย ที่สุด
ชวนลูกเที่ยว กาลาปากอส โดย เพชรี กิติมหาคุณ 540 บาท 9786167007977
อยากมีธุรกิจส่วนตัวไม่ยาก ฉบับพื้นฐาน โดย คณิต นิมมาลัยรัตน์ 185 บาท 9786162362316
จุ ด เริ่ ม ต้ น เกิ ด ขึ้ น จากนิ ท านก่ อ นนอนที่ คุ ณ แม่ แ ละ ลูกสาววัย 4 ขวบมีร่วมกันทุกคํ่าคืน ผสมกับความ เชื่อที่ว่า ‘Real life experience is a good teacher’ การเดินทางครั้งนี้จึงเกิดขึ้น บนหมู่เกาะกาลาปากอส หมู่เกาะที่ได้ช่อื ว่าแห้งแล้งและกันดาร มีกระแสนํ้าเย็น ไหลผ่ า นมาพบกั บ กระแสนํ้ า อุ่ น ที่ ที่ จ ะทำ � ให้ เราได้ พบเจอกับสิงโตทะเล นกเพนกวินและสัตว์อื่น ๆ อีก มากมาย
ทายนิสัยจากสัตว์เพื่อค้นพบตัวตนของคุณ โดย กองบรรณาธิการบิ๊กคอมิคส์สปิริต 215 บาท 9786165151917
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F e at u r e
Author of The Month BURMA: A Nation at the Crossroads Benedict Rogers The first major book on the contemporary situation in Burma - at a fascinating time of fast-moving change in the country For more than 50 years, Burma has been ruled by a succession of military regimes which rank among the most oppressive dictatorships in the world. Accused of crimes against humanity, they have brutally mistreated their people. Benedict Rogers is a writer and human rights advocate specialising in Asia. Based in London, he works for the international human rights organisation CSW, and is a regular contributor to the Guardian, Wall Street Journal, International Herald Tribune and The New York Times. He has given briefings and speeches at Oxford University, the LSE, Columbia University, Yale University,
I was in a position to try to weave together the different strands of Burma’s story – the story of the struggle for democracy with the story of the plight of the ethnic nationalities along all the borders the White House, US Congress, European Parliament, and other venues around the world, and appears regularly on television and radio. Focused on Burma for much of the past 15 years, he has travelled almost 40 times to the country and all of its borders. Previous books include Than Shwe: Unmasking Burma’s Tyrant and A Land Without Evil: Stopping the Genocide of Burma’s Karen People. WHY ARE YOU INTERESTED IN BURMA?
Bt.595 9781846043468
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I first became aware of the situation in Burma soon after I became involved in the human rights organisation Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) in 1994. In 1997, I moved to Hong Kong to work as a journalist and, in my spare time, to establish CSW in Hong Kong. I learned more about Burma and gradually got involved, but it was when I travelled to East Timor with a friend who has worked on Burma, particularly with the Karen refugees along the Thailand-
Burma border, since 1988, and he shared more with me about the situation, that I first started to get more actively involved. I travelled with him to the Thai-Burmese border in early 2000, and I was very struck by three factors: the remarkable beauty, gentleness, lack of bitterness, courage and resilience of the people I met, the scale and severity of the suffering, and the fact that it was so underreported and not receiving the international attention it deserves. Over the years, my involvement grew and I started to travel to the other peoples of Burma in addition to the Karen – the Shan, Karenni and Mon along the Thai border, the Chin along the India border, the Rakhine and Rohingyas along the Bangladeshi border and the Kachin along the China border. I also started to travel inside the country, to Rangoon and other cities and towns across Burma. I am committed to supporting all the peoples of Burma in their search for freedom and genuine peace, because I have been continually inspired by their courage and resilience, and struck by the potential of this beautiful country full of amazing natural and human resources that has the possibility to become what it once was, a ‘rice basket of Asia’ if the economic mismanagement and corruption can be dealt with, democracy and freedom, developed, and true peace and respect for human rights achieved. WHAT INSPIRE YOU TO WRITE THIS BOOK? Over the years of involvement with Burma, I have read a lot of excellent books by a variety of authors and experts. There are several superb books, but I have felt that, with a few valuable exceptions, most authors tend to view Burma through the lense of one particular dimension: whether it be the democracy movement and Aung San Suu Kyi, the ethnic issues or one particular ethnic group, religion, culture, the economy, the military, or whatever it might be. I felt that, as one of only a few people to have travelled regularly to all the borders and inside the country, I was in a position to try to weave together the different strands of Burma’s story – the story of the struggle for democracy with the story of the plight of the ethnic nationalities along all the borders – within some historical context, looking at Burma’s past, present and future, and telling in as comprehensible but also accessible a way as possible the story of Burma from independence in 1948 to the present day. HOW OFTEN DO YOU TRAVEL TO BURMA? I travel to the region several times a year – at least once or twice, if possible, inside the country and at least once or twice to the border areas. I have made over 40 visits to Burma and its borders. HUMAN RIGHTS? Burma has one of the worst human rights records in the world. In the past, several thousand political prisoners were in jail, enduring horrific conditions of torture and mistreatment. Most have been released over the past year, which is very welcome, but there are still several hundred in prison. In the ethnic areas, rape is used as a weapon of war, civilians are killed, tortured or used for forced labour, in eastern Burma since 1996 over 3700 villages have been destroyed, people used as human minesweepers and children forcibly conscripted to be soldiers. Burma’s regime has been accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes. There has been a reduction in some of these abuses, but in Kachin State in particular, where there is still an active conflict and the military is attacking civilians, these abuses are continuing.
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