A kingdom in crisis: Thailand's struggle for democracy in the twenty-first century

Part I: Royalty versus reality -- 1. 'When the legends die, all collapses' -- Thailand's political awakening -- 2. 'In a never-never land, never mind' -- welcome to the land of smiles -- 3. 'Cosmological bluster' -- the dramatics of despotism -- Part II: Thai-style democracy and its discontents -- 4. 'Our country belongs to the people -- not to the king' -- Thailand's unfinished revolution -- 5. 'I really am an elected king' -- the royalist revival -- 6. 'There is magic, goodness and power in his heart' -- the deification of Rama IX -- Part III: The secrets of succession -- 7. 'Endless struggles for the throne' -- the causes of chronic palace conflict -- 8. 'One neither walks, speaks, drinks, eats, nor cooks without some kind of ceremony' -- the pleasures and privations of being king -- 9. 'I cannot afford to die' -- the tragedy of King Bhumibol -- Part IV: Crisis and confrontation -- 10. 'Living in horrifying times' -- twilight of the oligarchy -- 11. 'Coupmakers' hunted dreams' -- escalation and enlightenment -- 12. 'Returning happiness to the people' -- denying democracy, sabotaging succession -- Epilogue: 'Flip on the lights and flush out the ghosts' -- what the future holds.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [221]-231) and index