I just finished the book "A History of Thailand" by Chris Baker and Pasuk Phongpaichit. I wanted to get a context for my Thailand experiences and some recognition of the names and events that I hear about. I found myself comparing time frames, the 1890's, the 1950's, etc and also the pace of change. In the United States we had a union movement and government violence against students. We had a cycle of special interests and corruption and then reform, and then more corruption. Maybe some of these cycles are a reflection of our human nature and the dynamics of government. I think the most amazing idea is the growth of Bangkok, how in 100 years the city has grown and developed.