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Book Review: The Kingdom of Thailand – An Overview
by Lang Reid
 I
often find I am looking for a book to give me some information about
Thailand. After all, unless you were born here, it is unlikely that you know
the names of the Thai kings off by heart. Add to the difficulties is the
fact that the names in Thai are not the same as the names in English! Try
Rama VI, for example. He is known as King Mongkut Klaew Jaow U Hua in Thai,
but King Vajiravudh in English, while King Mongkut in English is Rama IV.
Confused? Well don’t worry, just remember the old adage, “The more you know,
the less you understand!”
After that brave lead-in, unfortunately the Kingdom of Thailand – An
Overview (ISBN 974-9517-45-8, by J. Rowland Davies and Thomus Jim and
published by The Knowledge Center Chiang Mai) does not give you both, but at
least does run through the Kings using their English nomenclature.
Other chapters cover geography and climate, history and the people,
religion, king and government, festivals, the economy, wildlife, shopping,
cuisine, recreation and transportation.
In the history section, the book claims that the “Thai people began to
colonize Thailand in the 10th or 11th century” and goes on to describe the
migration. Whilst not wishing to be pedantic, the migration was of the Tai
speaking peoples, and the region was not known as “Thailand” in those days.
Later in the book, this is rectified by stating that the name “Thailand” was
coined by the then PM Phibun to cover the Tai speaking peoples, and the
country was renamed Thailand, instead of Siam, in 1939.
The section covering Buddhism is well researched and comprehensive, and does
show the casual reader the impact of the religion on the Thai society
following that discipline, which accounts for 95 percent of the Thais. It
also highlights the fact that, “there is no sense of remoteness from the
community sometimes felt in western churches. It is a repository for all
aspects of the life and culture of the people, as well as the spirituality
of the people it serves.”
At an RRP of B. 295 at the local Bookazine, this pocketbook does represent
good value, though I would have expected more color plates. It is, as the
title says, an overview. At times this is taken too literally, and important
details are not fleshed out, or in some cases, (deliberately?) omitted. For
a book written and published in Thailand to claim that the reason for the
deposing of King Taksin is not known is ludicrous, or shows poor research,
but if we revert to the ‘overview’ concept and look at the RRP, then perhaps
it can be forgiven. Perhaps. The other failure in this book is the raft of
spelling mistakes and poor grammar. The back cover states, “Some are well
develope (sic) with top class facilities for the visitor while otheres (sic)
almost completely unknown.” There are enough professional native English
speakers in Chiang Mai to facilitate proof reading, to make this
unforgivable. I got the feeling that this book was written first in Thai and
then translated into English.
Mott’s CD review: Jethro Tull
Bursting Out - Live
Mott the Dog
 3
Stars ***
By November 1978 Jethro Tull had been on the road for eleven years. Only
Ian Anderson (mad looking bloke who always led the band with flute at
his lips, hair like giant haystacks on a bad hair day, the dress sense
of a tramp, with a long rain coat, tights, and a codpiece, standing on
one leg, but for all of that probably had more talent in his little
finger than most of his contemporaries) was left from the original
line-up, but what did that matter?
The eleven years had sprouted the equivalent of eleven classic rock
albums. With an awesome reputation live, it was decided that it was time
for the essential live double album. Tull had had some live tracks
released on compilation album “Living In The Past” but nothing like an
actual concert setting. So during their European concert tour to support
the latest release, Heavy Horses (1978), all of their concerts were
recorded, and the best bits, in Ian Anderson’s opinion, put together for
this release.
So then it was with great distress that I remember, with trembling hand
putting the needle to the vinyl (nod your head sagely if you can
remember back that long) to hear the first track on side one.
After a rather feeble announcer hailed the band onto the stage, they
started out quite weakly with “No Lullaby”. Now, it is not exactly bad,
in fact Martin Barre’s guitar playing is magnificent, but nor is it
inspiring.
The band stutters through a couple more songs before putting aside their
electrically charged instruments to entertain us acoustically - very
ho-hum. After this we get the ridiculous situation where all the
musicians give up their specialist instrument to pick up something else,
to give us a rendition of “Skating away on the Thin Ice Of a New Day.”
Then after Barre has a bit of an axe work out, we are treated to nearly
fifteen minutes of Ian Anderson’s flute solo, including little snippets
from all sorts of things, but mostly Christmas carols. Now live in
concert, had you been there around Christmas time, this might have been
highly entertaining, but on record it just drags itself out.
But then with a sudden change (maybe it was another band? You can never
tell with these Jethro’s, one member of the band pictured in the sleeve
notes here with a full beard and smoking a pipe Mr. David Palmer, has
now changed himself into a lady, goes by the name of Dee, and doesn’t
have anything to do with the music business, instead working as a
librarian), the band slips several gears and “come out” (sic) playing
brilliantly.
Starting with “Songs from the Wood” everything jells perfectly. Next up,
completing the first CD from this double set, is a condensed version of
the “Thick As A Brick” epic. Clocking in at nearly forty minutes upon
its first release, but cut back to twelve minutes after six years in the
set, it still remains a monumental piece of music, with Anderson’s
unique vocals, and the interplay between Barre’s guitar and Anderson’s
flute is remarkable, reminding one of the magical duelling of Lord and
Blackmore in Deep Purple.
When you put on Disc Two the power does not stop, in fact it increases.
John Glasock’s jazzy bass playing on “Hunting Girl” is a joy to the
ears. The lyrics, followed by the jitterbug section of “Too Old To Rock
‘n’ Roll; Too Young to Die”, will having you laughing yourself into the
ground as you boogie away. Even the drum solo keeps your interest levels
up. John Evan and David Palmer keep up a sparkling barrage of keyboard
wizardry, whist Barriemore Barlow lives up to his marvellous moniker on
the drums.
“Minstrel In the Gallery” is spot on, the trio of songs from Tull’s
classic album “Aqualung”. The title track, along with “Crossed Eyed
Mary” and “Locomotive Breathe” combined with more instrumental duelling
on the improvisational “Quatrain” bring the set to a very satisfying,
and rousing conclusion. But the Metro’s are not done yet as they come
back one more time for their rendition of the “Damn Busters March”, by
which time the stiff British upper lip is fair aquiver.
What happened with the first seven songs I have no idea (or for that
matter what happened to Dee), but take my word for it, when the Tull are
allowed to build up a fair head of steam, live they are an awesome
beast.
According to reports the Tull are still worth your dollar at the door,
and usually drag themselves out for a round of stadium concerts every
year. Of course only Ian Anderson and Martin Barre remain from this
recording, with very much a revolving door policy being used for the
other positions in the band, and Ian Anderson himself spends most of his
time on his salmon farm.
But stick on the second CD of this collection and you have the power of
Jethro Tull at your beck and call.
Jethro Tull
Ian Anderson: Flute, Voice, Acoustic Guitar
Martin Barre: Electric Guitar, Mandolin, and Marimba
John Evan: Piano, Organ, Accordion, Synthesizers
Barriemore Barlow: Drums, Glockenspiel
David Palmer: Portative Pipe Organ, Synthesizers
John Glasock: Bass and Lead Guitars
Songs Sequence
Introduction by Claude Nobs (No don’t titter)
No Lullaby
Sweet Dream
Skating on the Thin Ice Of New Years Day
Jack In The Green
One Brown Mouse
A New Day Yesterday
Flute Solo Improvisations, including Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, God, and
Bouree
Right Now set your CD player to play from this point
Songs from the Wood
Thick As A Brick
Hunting Girl
Too Old To Rock ‘n’ Roll; Too Young To Die
Conundrum
Minstrel In The Gallery
Cross-Eyed Mary
Quatrain
Aqualung
Locomotive Breath
The Damnbusters March
To contact Mott the
Dog email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.mott-the-dog.com
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