The Land of Smiles is no stranger to restricting literature

With rigid laws surrounding defamation due to a strong sense of cultural and national pride, Thailand is known to ban a lot of books that can threaten national peace, security, and order or portray the country in a negative light. So let’s take a look at some of the books that are banned in the Land of Smiles:

Anna and the King of Siam, Margaret Landon

This book is part biography, part fiction, and tells the life of Anna Leonowens, a young British lady who spent five years with the Thai royal family in the 1860s, in order to teach English to the royal wives and children. In her memoirs, she wrote her experiences but Thais believed that it portrayed King Mongkut in a negative light. The book’s movie adaptations are also banned.

The King Never Smiles, Paul Handley

Written in 2006, The King Never Smiles is an unauthorized and unofficial biography of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej and focuses on the reign of the monarch. The book talks about corruption, military might, and anti-democratic practices - all which show Thailand’s monarchy in a bad light.

The Devil’s Discus, Rayne Kruger

This book, published in 1964, tells Thailand’s history during the times of King Ananda Mahidol, the older brother of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. For the unversed, when he was made the king, Thailand was effectively led by the military, while he was completing his studies in Europe. Within a year of returning to Thailand, he was found dead and the book aims to unravel mysteries surrounding the young king’s death.

The Revolutionary King, William Stevenson

Published in 1999, this book ought to be a praiseful biography about Thailand’s King Bhumibol, and in fact, was sanctioned by him. The King, and the royal family, also helped him in the research. However, when it was released, everyone was appalled that Stevenson referred to the King by his nickname from childhood apart from several basic errors in the book, leading to its ultimately getting unofficially banned.

Bangkok Inside Out, Daniel Ziv & Guy Sharett

Published in 2005, Bangkok Inside Out is like a tourist guide to the Thai capital, Bangkok. However, it was banned as people perceived the negative image of the country with the talk about common scams, counterfeit goods, prostitution, etc. Although not officially banned, the booksellers discouraged its sale.