Book On The Beach

My first book review column, Book On The Beach, has been published in the February issue of Guide Of Pattaya magazine (on page 8). The article is a review of Carlos Ruiz Zafon's novel The Shadow Of The Wind.

Seeds Of Peace

Sulak Sivaraksa, publisher of the journal Seeds Of Peace, is being investigated for lèse-majesté due to an article in the journal's January-April issue (volume 21, number 1). Sulak is a Buddhist writer and academic, who has spoken in opposition to Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The lèse-majesté charge relates to a feature titled Revenge Of The Forgotten Monarch.

The article, on pages 6-9, has no byline except for the initials BP. It discusses the unexplained death of King Rama VIII: "As for the killing of Ananda, officially it remains an unresolved mystery. In Thailand where even a hint of criticism of the monarchy is a serious criminal offense, inquiries are actively discouraged."