Four Reigns

Rating:
Summary: Very strange "translation"
Review: I just spent the afternoon reviewing the first few pages of this book in Thai and in English. The English translation hardly corresponds to the Thai at all! That is to say, where the Thai might read, "The house was big," the translation reads, "The house was big and beautiful. Everyone in the neighborhood admired it, especially because of the huge, lovely tamarind tree in the front garden." Really!

Entire English sentences appear which have no basis in the Thai text, and conversely, entire sentences in the Thai version vanish from the English -- as well as people!

Since the author was apparently closely involved with this "translation" into English, one suspects that he took advantage of this opportunity to make a major revision of his novel. And so there is a chance that the English version is markedly better than the classic Thai original. (?!)

It's a good book, in both languages. This note is only to point out the really glaring differences between the Thai version and the English version.

Rating:
Summary: Spirits of Siam
Review: Kukrit Pramoj made time machine and let us use it travel to old period of Thailand when it called SIAM. I feels Bangkok in his book is totally difference from Bangkok nowaday.I touches the real Bangkok, Spirits of Siam and learn how Thailand become city of angel. Every of my foriegner friend, read this book, falls deeply in love with Thailand and wish to come to Thailand once...Every places he was described in his book is the real places and still enchanting till nowaday. If you like to learn more about Thailand..Background of Thai people..and if you like to getting into the center of Spirits of Siam..take this book and place it close to your pillow..lie down and start to read...when you realise time maybe pass so quickly and it's morning... Kukrit Pramoj passaway many years ago..but His book last forever..