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A Good True Thai
Finalist for the 2020 Epigram Books Fiction Prize
In 1970s Thailand, three young people meet each other with fateful results.
Det has just lost his mother, the granddaughter of a king. He clings to his best friend Chang, a smart boy from the slums, as they go to college; while there, Det falls for Lek, a Chinese immigrant with radical ideals. Longing for glory, Det journeys into his friends’ political circles, and then into the Thai jungle to fight. During Thailand’s most famous period of political and artistic openness, these three friends must reconcile their deep feelings for one another with the realities of perilous political revolution.
In 1970s Thailand, three young people meet each other with fateful results.
Det has just lost his mother, the granddaughter of a king. He clings to his best friend Chang, a smart boy from the slums, as they go to college; while there, Det falls for Lek, a Chinese immigrant with radical ideals. Longing for glory, Det journeys into his friends’ political circles, and then into the Thai jungle to fight. During Thailand’s most famous period of political and artistic openness, these three friends must reconcile their deep feelings for one another with the realities of perilous political revolution.
368 pages, Paperback
First published October 17, 2020
41 people are currently reading
1326 people want to read
About the author
Sunisa Manning
1 book28 followersSunisa Manning was born and raised in Bangkok by Thai and American parents. She went to Brown University and now lives in California. Her work has appeared in Prairie Schooner, The Rumpus and other places. She's been honoured with residencies at Hedgebrook and Hambidge, and awarded fellowships at San Jose State and the SF Writer’s Grotto. A Good True Thai is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
August 5, 2021
I read two-thirds of A Good True Thai in February before putting it on hold, and I thought I’d finish it because I don’t like DNFing books, but I honestly don’t have any intentions of coming back to it. It is just extremely, mind-numbingly boring, and I was reading this in the middle of the Texas winter storm where I was freezing in my house and literally had nothing to do. Staring at the fire in my fireplace was more interesting than reading this, basically. First, the characters are extremely hard to connect to, because their development and relationships with each other are surface-level. (Especially the romance(s?)—how quickly it formed gave me whiplash.) The writing doesn’t help either; the dialogue feels so stilted and unnatural. And second, the book skips over so many key scenes that I feel like would have offered a lot of insight into the characters and the plot, relying instead on explanations. This made those events lose so much depth and emotion—one part I think was especially poorly written was the Thammasat Massacre, a tragic, complex event that the book didn’t do justice.
I think the themes of this book and the history it is about are so interesting, and they were the main reason why I wanted to read this. A Good True Thai talks of revolution and the politics of Thailand in the 1970s, including power, class, and how Thai politics were affected by Western politics. It asks whether or not—and how—young people can actually make a change, especially in a country so against it and filled with political turmoil. But again, I don’t think this book did any of that history much justice with the way it was written. It’s a great look at the time period through the specific lenses of a Chinese immigrant woman, a formerly privileged man, and a man who grew up poor, but if you don’t care much to read from those perspectives, you might be better off reading a nonfiction book instead.
I think the themes of this book and the history it is about are so interesting, and they were the main reason why I wanted to read this. A Good True Thai talks of revolution and the politics of Thailand in the 1970s, including power, class, and how Thai politics were affected by Western politics. It asks whether or not—and how—young people can actually make a change, especially in a country so against it and filled with political turmoil. But again, I don’t think this book did any of that history much justice with the way it was written. It’s a great look at the time period through the specific lenses of a Chinese immigrant woman, a formerly privileged man, and a man who grew up poor, but if you don’t care much to read from those perspectives, you might be better off reading a nonfiction book instead.
February 13, 2021
A Good True Thai surrounds 3 students during the Bangkok student uprising in the 1970s.
My main gripes are the characterization and writing. I couldn't understand the motivation of Det, Lek and Chang in participating in the Communist movement. They felt like puppets controlled by the author to cover the events in the book. The tone would jump from one end to the other end. Besides that, the writing is kinda hard to understand. There are sentences that I couldn't grasp its meaning even after reading a few times. However, I'm still able to capture the whole story.
It does expose me to Thai's history which I had never learnt about, albeit hoping the author delves deeper into these topics: The Nation-Sangha (Buddhist)-Monarchy system, the patriarchal system in Thai monarchy, lèse-majesté laws in Thailand, student activism, the 1973 Thai popular uprising and the Thammasat massacre.
Overall, I felt the author aspire to write an ambitious story, it strives in historical aspects, but failed in the other parts.
Overall: 3 stars
My main gripes are the characterization and writing. I couldn't understand the motivation of Det, Lek and Chang in participating in the Communist movement. They felt like puppets controlled by the author to cover the events in the book. The tone would jump from one end to the other end. Besides that, the writing is kinda hard to understand. There are sentences that I couldn't grasp its meaning even after reading a few times. However, I'm still able to capture the whole story.
It does expose me to Thai's history which I had never learnt about, albeit hoping the author delves deeper into these topics: The Nation-Sangha (Buddhist)-Monarchy system, the patriarchal system in Thai monarchy, lèse-majesté laws in Thailand, student activism, the 1973 Thai popular uprising and the Thammasat massacre.
Overall, I felt the author aspire to write an ambitious story, it strives in historical aspects, but failed in the other parts.
Overall: 3 stars
January 8, 2021
A tremendous, tremendous novel with a level of immersive detail that astonishes. I loved all the characters and broke for them; the way the novel articulates the struggle between love for king, young headstrong idealism and burning frustration and rage at injustice is so very and compassionately precise.
I know almost nothing about the Thai struggles for democracy post Chulalongkorn, although the King himself is familiar from history class. This novel lays it out clearly without over explaining and almost no translating. It doesnt take the reader’s knowledge for granted exactly, but instead matter of factly brings the reader along. You scramble to understand the Thai references, but there’s just enough context that you can get it (although I did google a lot of the fruit and plant names)
Anyway a heartbreaking and tremendous and - an important novel. A must read.
I know almost nothing about the Thai struggles for democracy post Chulalongkorn, although the King himself is familiar from history class. This novel lays it out clearly without over explaining and almost no translating. It doesnt take the reader’s knowledge for granted exactly, but instead matter of factly brings the reader along. You scramble to understand the Thai references, but there’s just enough context that you can get it (although I did google a lot of the fruit and plant names)
Anyway a heartbreaking and tremendous and - an important novel. A must read.
November 15, 2020
Set against the backdrop of Thailand in the tumultuous ‘70s, we follow the three friends and student activists as they navigate themselves in the political and personal sphere: Det, the tender-hearted royal whose pride in his ancestry and respect for the monarchy renders his anxiety and doubt in the face of people’s revolution; Chang, the idealist student movement leader who was born into a destitute working-class family and strive to bring his country a radical change; Lek, an immigrant daughter and a writer who embraces Chit Pumisak’s ideology and sets her heart on changing her country through words.
***
In the formation and disintegration of their friendship, the author has attempted a nuanced yet nebulous interrogation of identity, subjectivity, nationalism, and political spectrum. The ambivalence of the relationship between the four subject matters is observed in the power dynamic of the frayed yet friendship, the different views on constitutional monarchy, and the heated argument about democracy. Instead of taking sides, Mrs Manning chose to focus on shaping the characters and give each of them the voice to articulate their and the people’s concerns and yearnings. In these characters, we see their hope which is ultimately shattered into razor-sharp shards of disillusionment, and how their fighting spirit and burning conviction keeps them to move forward in life. The characters who are part of the upper class are not represented as caricatures who exploit the working class. Aware of the unjust wealth distribution in urban and rural areas, these characters’ desire to involve themselves in mitigating the situation is made difficult by their affiliation to the authority and monarchy. It is a humane and rounded characterisation.
***
A Good True Thai is not a textbook-like historical novel. It requires one to research on its cultural, socio-political, and historical context, such as food, Buddhism, Thai monarchy, student activism, the 1973 Thai popular uprising, the Thammasat massacre, and the Communist insurgency in Thailand. Written in a meticulous and poignant prose, the story explores both small and big things, ranging from familial values, ancestry, privilege, youth, friendship, love, to class, lèse-majesté, freedom of expression, state censorship, patriotism, and power of language. It is also a meditation on betrayal, guilt, and forgiveness. The author depicts Thailand not as the “Land of Smiles”, but a brutal, struggling, resilient kingdom. Considering what’s happening in Thailand, there is no more timely read than this remarkable and highly charged debut novel. An instant SEA classic indeed.
***
In the formation and disintegration of their friendship, the author has attempted a nuanced yet nebulous interrogation of identity, subjectivity, nationalism, and political spectrum. The ambivalence of the relationship between the four subject matters is observed in the power dynamic of the frayed yet friendship, the different views on constitutional monarchy, and the heated argument about democracy. Instead of taking sides, Mrs Manning chose to focus on shaping the characters and give each of them the voice to articulate their and the people’s concerns and yearnings. In these characters, we see their hope which is ultimately shattered into razor-sharp shards of disillusionment, and how their fighting spirit and burning conviction keeps them to move forward in life. The characters who are part of the upper class are not represented as caricatures who exploit the working class. Aware of the unjust wealth distribution in urban and rural areas, these characters’ desire to involve themselves in mitigating the situation is made difficult by their affiliation to the authority and monarchy. It is a humane and rounded characterisation.
***
A Good True Thai is not a textbook-like historical novel. It requires one to research on its cultural, socio-political, and historical context, such as food, Buddhism, Thai monarchy, student activism, the 1973 Thai popular uprising, the Thammasat massacre, and the Communist insurgency in Thailand. Written in a meticulous and poignant prose, the story explores both small and big things, ranging from familial values, ancestry, privilege, youth, friendship, love, to class, lèse-majesté, freedom of expression, state censorship, patriotism, and power of language. It is also a meditation on betrayal, guilt, and forgiveness. The author depicts Thailand not as the “Land of Smiles”, but a brutal, struggling, resilient kingdom. Considering what’s happening in Thailand, there is no more timely read than this remarkable and highly charged debut novel. An instant SEA classic indeed.
January 25, 2021
4.8.
I have learned in high school briefly that Thailand is the only country in South East Asia that has never been conquered by any foreign powers in 19th and 20th century, be it Japanese or American. I have never thought deeply about the political landscape of Thailand until A Good True Thai came into picture last year.
Inspired by Thailand’s 1970s protest movement that briefly stumbled the real-life military dictatorship of Thanom, the book narrates the country’s politics turbulence in the 1970s via POVs of three university aged students : Det, Chang and Lek.
The author adds depth to her story by diversifying the background of her three main narrators: royals, lower-class and immigrant.
The differences in the upbringings and social status resulted in them holding aggressive and uncompromised political reasoning on the definition of “real” citizens of Thailand.
This put them in insoluble relationship dilemmas as their disagreements gradually filtered away their loves and trusts for each other.
I highly recommend this book because Manning explores the theme of dictatorship and democracy along with other political ideas in the modern Thailand history and what defines “real” citizen of Thailand today.
I have seen people praised this book as “it vividly evokes a poorly-understood period of Thai history to which young activists are looking for inspiration today” and that “foreigners who want to understand the long-lasting crisis in Thai society, and the complex psyche behind the famous “Thai Smile”, should read this book. AND I TOTALLY AGREE.
Minus the less impactful and plain ending, nothing can stop me from giving this astonishing novel 4.5 stars. I apologise for giving this book 3.8 initially, and to only realise that I didn’t read this book for the characters. Also, it is the flawed characters that give more life to the story. After all, they were just acting their age.
As South East Asian born in 1990s, I thank you Manning for reconnecting me to the most significant and controversial movement in Thai’s history way before Thai gained its reputation as Travellers’ Paradise. This book makes me understand geopolitical in SEA and the clashes between western and oriental values better.
“They think we are a quiet kingdom of docile people!...Those good, true Thais who elaborate hospitality to mask the machinations underway…No wonder King Chulalongkorn had been able to manipulate Western powers to keep Thailand free. Those “squishy-fleshed pink skins” (Westerners) swallowing the dream of Siam. They conjured headdresses and archaic language, predictions based on the waning of moon. Good True Thais encouraged the fantasy, the deception. It kept the Kingdom free.”
I have learned in high school briefly that Thailand is the only country in South East Asia that has never been conquered by any foreign powers in 19th and 20th century, be it Japanese or American. I have never thought deeply about the political landscape of Thailand until A Good True Thai came into picture last year.
Inspired by Thailand’s 1970s protest movement that briefly stumbled the real-life military dictatorship of Thanom, the book narrates the country’s politics turbulence in the 1970s via POVs of three university aged students : Det, Chang and Lek.
The author adds depth to her story by diversifying the background of her three main narrators: royals, lower-class and immigrant.
The differences in the upbringings and social status resulted in them holding aggressive and uncompromised political reasoning on the definition of “real” citizens of Thailand.
This put them in insoluble relationship dilemmas as their disagreements gradually filtered away their loves and trusts for each other.
I highly recommend this book because Manning explores the theme of dictatorship and democracy along with other political ideas in the modern Thailand history and what defines “real” citizen of Thailand today.
I have seen people praised this book as “it vividly evokes a poorly-understood period of Thai history to which young activists are looking for inspiration today” and that “foreigners who want to understand the long-lasting crisis in Thai society, and the complex psyche behind the famous “Thai Smile”, should read this book. AND I TOTALLY AGREE.
Minus the less impactful and plain ending, nothing can stop me from giving this astonishing novel 4.5 stars. I apologise for giving this book 3.8 initially, and to only realise that I didn’t read this book for the characters. Also, it is the flawed characters that give more life to the story. After all, they were just acting their age.
As South East Asian born in 1990s, I thank you Manning for reconnecting me to the most significant and controversial movement in Thai’s history way before Thai gained its reputation as Travellers’ Paradise. This book makes me understand geopolitical in SEA and the clashes between western and oriental values better.
“They think we are a quiet kingdom of docile people!...Those good, true Thais who elaborate hospitality to mask the machinations underway…No wonder King Chulalongkorn had been able to manipulate Western powers to keep Thailand free. Those “squishy-fleshed pink skins” (Westerners) swallowing the dream of Siam. They conjured headdresses and archaic language, predictions based on the waning of moon. Good True Thais encouraged the fantasy, the deception. It kept the Kingdom free.”
January 27, 2021
2.5 stars. I really wanted to like the book because of its premise: the lives of three students during the 1970s student protests in Thailand. But I found the dialogues unnatural and awkward. I also couldn’t understand the characters’ motivations in their decisions (they make choices that are questionable so it was hard to believe in the characters’ authenticity). I ended up feeling disconnected with the cast, which made the read less satisfying. Many of the sentences were clipped, and read like instructions to the characters and plot. The shifts in mood between sentences were also abrupt, so important emotions fly past your head before you even know it. There were also a few typos that missed copyediting.
January 5, 2021
For me, this is one of those rare books about Thailand that is both in English and not about expats. Instead, we journey with Det, Lek and Chang as they grow and participate in the political upheaval of the 1970s. Right away I appreciated that there were three main characters from three different parts of Thai society. I feel that foreigners/ex-pats, like myself, often fail to appreciate the width and depth of differences in Thai society and the disparity amongst its citizens. It’s not just little gaps here and there, the difference in living conditions, quality and status are canyons from section to section. So, right off the bat, I was happy to see that represented in the book and that a Chinese experience was included in the narrative.
For the most part, I loved reading this book. It has a compelling writing style that transitions from one salient moment to the next. It is hard to describe but I felt like nothing in the book was wasted. If the point of the scene had been conveyed the author moved on to the next chapter and POV and didn’t try to pad the chapter to a “respectable” length. At first, I wasn’t completely sold by her prose especially in regards to how flashbacks were written, but eventually, I got into its rhythm and I found myself enjoying it. Especially in the last section of the book. The end of the book destroyed me in all the right ways. I was sitting at my desk figuring that I would read a little before going home and the next thing I know I’m begging for mercy because everything is all happening too fast and it all hurt. Especially in chapter 51, I did not expect to feel that much about a secondary character and in only two pages.
“How the struggle ends depends on when you stop telling the story.” I felt this quote sums up my final thoughts very well. The end of the book has an undercurrent of hope and continued struggle but seems to kind of fade away, which I feel is similar to what is happening now. Just a few months ago we were sending each other road closures and warning about protests. Changing how we dress so as not to invoke misunderstandings with either side. All of us fearing the worst and then it just faded away. Nothing seems to have changed from this foreigner’s point of view, but the struggle, I think, will always be there in the Thai youth, just as it was with Det, Lek and Chang. I also see all three of them in the rhetoric I hear in private conversations around Bangkok and it makes the 1970s seem not all that far away. Which considering, the fervour that was kicked up, is scary. That’s what I loved so much about this book, it isn’t just historical, it’s happening now and the things that inspired the students back then exist now too, as well as the problems and roadblocks.
I wish I had more people to recommend this book too, it’s simply fantastic. You know a book about the protests is done right when you’re on the Bangkok MRT and you have to angle the cover down just in case or you have to debate whether to risk bringing it into your clearly royalist school. I hope this is just the beginning for the author and she tackles more parts of Thai history because I’m starving for more English literature about Thai history and culture. Truly glad I got to read this book.
For the most part, I loved reading this book. It has a compelling writing style that transitions from one salient moment to the next. It is hard to describe but I felt like nothing in the book was wasted. If the point of the scene had been conveyed the author moved on to the next chapter and POV and didn’t try to pad the chapter to a “respectable” length. At first, I wasn’t completely sold by her prose especially in regards to how flashbacks were written, but eventually, I got into its rhythm and I found myself enjoying it. Especially in the last section of the book. The end of the book destroyed me in all the right ways. I was sitting at my desk figuring that I would read a little before going home and the next thing I know I’m begging for mercy because everything is all happening too fast and it all hurt. Especially in chapter 51, I did not expect to feel that much about a secondary character and in only two pages.
“How the struggle ends depends on when you stop telling the story.” I felt this quote sums up my final thoughts very well. The end of the book has an undercurrent of hope and continued struggle but seems to kind of fade away, which I feel is similar to what is happening now. Just a few months ago we were sending each other road closures and warning about protests. Changing how we dress so as not to invoke misunderstandings with either side. All of us fearing the worst and then it just faded away. Nothing seems to have changed from this foreigner’s point of view, but the struggle, I think, will always be there in the Thai youth, just as it was with Det, Lek and Chang. I also see all three of them in the rhetoric I hear in private conversations around Bangkok and it makes the 1970s seem not all that far away. Which considering, the fervour that was kicked up, is scary. That’s what I loved so much about this book, it isn’t just historical, it’s happening now and the things that inspired the students back then exist now too, as well as the problems and roadblocks.
I wish I had more people to recommend this book too, it’s simply fantastic. You know a book about the protests is done right when you’re on the Bangkok MRT and you have to angle the cover down just in case or you have to debate whether to risk bringing it into your clearly royalist school. I hope this is just the beginning for the author and she tackles more parts of Thai history because I’m starving for more English literature about Thai history and culture. Truly glad I got to read this book.
January 22, 2021
This is a beautifully written, sweeping historical novel about a country that so many people have visited and know the surface of but very few really get to see the truths behind the smiles, great food, beautiful beaches and polite people. A Good True Thai also strikes a balance between the cerebral and the entertaining. You learn so much about the 1970s student democracy movement and, if you follow Thai current affairs at all, you’ll see echoes of today’s struggles but you also get swept along in the love triangle between the 3 main characters. Those characters also come from diverse Thai backgrounds: one descended from royalty, one a second generation Chinese immigrant and one living in the Klong Toey slums. They all have important experiences to share and radicalise for different reasons, which lends this novel a wonderful sense of balance without judgment. It shows us the complexities of being Thai and fighting for justice and equality in a world that is still so governed by who you know and who you were born to. Being half Thai I also loved how at times, especially in the dialogue, I felt the rhythm of spoken Thai eventhough it is obviously written in English. It is so heartening to see a story about a place I grew up that shows Thai people in all our glories and glorious imperfections and really digs deep into difficult social and political issues still pertinent to this day.
It made me think, it made me laugh and it made me cry. What more could you ask of a book?
It made me think, it made me laugh and it made me cry. What more could you ask of a book?
February 24, 2021
I fell in love with the writing style. Beautiful, subdued and lyrical, reminiscent of Hanya Yanagihara, but more than that it has the same quality as the sing-song inflections of how Thai people speak. The story is about a royalist with royal blood, a slum rat who wants a better life for people like him, and the daughter of Chinese immigrants who believes in the ideals of Communism, set around the time of the Three Tyrants and the resulting student uprising in 1973, and culminates in the Thammasat Massacre in 1976. The three teenagers are swept in the revolution, and in the process become radicalised and join the Communist Party of Thailand (CPT). Det, the main protagonist, is a reluctant idealist. He wants a fairer, democratic Thailand that is still securely based on the three pillars of Thai society: nation, religion and monarchy. His best friend, Chang, wants a Thailand where everyone is on equal ground with equal opportunities, whereas Det's girlfriend, Lek, wants to revive the writings and ideology of Chit Phumisak, a Thai poet and communist revolutionary.
The bond between two best friends of different social classes and the ensuing love triangle are there, as expected. And the story itself is an eye-opener with regards to Thailand's political and societal situations. And did I mention that the writing is beautiful?
But here's where it falls short. It's all about the writing. Where Hanya Yanagihara's brilliant novel "A Little Life" displays beautiful, literary prose, it also doesn't shy away from the full gamut of heart-wrenching emotions. This novel, however, is somewhat monotonous. Lek picks food at a train station before visiting her hospitalised brother, learns about her friend's assassination, and discovers for herself how badly her brother has been beaten, all seemingly in the same tone and breath. There is no evocation of elation or desolation. There is no pride, no anger, no excitement. I'm not sure if this is because of the aforementioned subdued, demure Thai voice pattern or if it's just the author.
Whatever it is, the storytelling is reliant on the beautiful prose alone. It's a shame, because the story is an important one. The revolution, the struggles of immigrants and lower class citizens, the rebellion, the student uprising, the massacre, they are all part of an important history. All the events, including fictional embellishments that the author explains in the last few pages of the book, feel real. I wanted to feel engaged, but I had to put down the book several times due to the monotony of the storytelling.
If the author can evoke all the emotions in her storytelling in her future works...I truly am excited to see what she has in store.
3.5-star rating, rounded up.
The bond between two best friends of different social classes and the ensuing love triangle are there, as expected. And the story itself is an eye-opener with regards to Thailand's political and societal situations. And did I mention that the writing is beautiful?
But here's where it falls short. It's all about the writing. Where Hanya Yanagihara's brilliant novel "A Little Life" displays beautiful, literary prose, it also doesn't shy away from the full gamut of heart-wrenching emotions. This novel, however, is somewhat monotonous. Lek picks food at a train station before visiting her hospitalised brother, learns about her friend's assassination, and discovers for herself how badly her brother has been beaten, all seemingly in the same tone and breath. There is no evocation of elation or desolation. There is no pride, no anger, no excitement. I'm not sure if this is because of the aforementioned subdued, demure Thai voice pattern or if it's just the author.
Whatever it is, the storytelling is reliant on the beautiful prose alone. It's a shame, because the story is an important one. The revolution, the struggles of immigrants and lower class citizens, the rebellion, the student uprising, the massacre, they are all part of an important history. All the events, including fictional embellishments that the author explains in the last few pages of the book, feel real. I wanted to feel engaged, but I had to put down the book several times due to the monotony of the storytelling.
If the author can evoke all the emotions in her storytelling in her future works...I truly am excited to see what she has in store.
3.5-star rating, rounded up.
November 9, 2020
Det, born into a Thai royal class, begins to see cracks in the veneer of his society through Lek, a radical Chinese immigrant and Chang, his best friend from officer training who was raised in a slum. Despite their differences, all three believe in democratic reform and work together to fight for fairness during a violent time in Thai history. Together they force the reader to consider what it means to be a citizen and who gets to define the terms of citizenship.
The publication of this book is aptly timed, its narrative running parallel in so many ways to the current protest movement in Thailand. While today’s unrest is posed by Western press as something new, the fire beneath it was lit long ago, and A Good True Thai is an excellent introduction to this past.
There is a failure in most written history (and in the news) to capture human experience. Well researched and composed historical fiction like A Good True Thai is for me a remedy to this shortcoming. This is a story of class and revolution, and the world within exists in true past events, but its characters are more than their socioeconomic status and political actions. They are complex individuals navigating the cost of equality and what it means to take action.
The book was unputdownable (is that a word? It’s a word, right?), but I forced myself to be patient and enjoy it over several days. I know I will read it again and very much look forward to reading any future works by this author.
The publication of this book is aptly timed, its narrative running parallel in so many ways to the current protest movement in Thailand. While today’s unrest is posed by Western press as something new, the fire beneath it was lit long ago, and A Good True Thai is an excellent introduction to this past.
There is a failure in most written history (and in the news) to capture human experience. Well researched and composed historical fiction like A Good True Thai is for me a remedy to this shortcoming. This is a story of class and revolution, and the world within exists in true past events, but its characters are more than their socioeconomic status and political actions. They are complex individuals navigating the cost of equality and what it means to take action.
The book was unputdownable (is that a word? It’s a word, right?), but I forced myself to be patient and enjoy it over several days. I know I will read it again and very much look forward to reading any future works by this author.
November 6, 2020
I loved this novel from start to finish. While I’ve travelled to Thailand many times I didn’t realize I didn’t understand it until I saw it through the eyes of these three amazing characters.
While it is set in the past, it gives insight and understanding to the reality of today and why the students are on the streets once again.
Just read it. You’ll love it.
While it is set in the past, it gives insight and understanding to the reality of today and why the students are on the streets once again.
Just read it. You’ll love it.
July 24, 2024
“Det clears his throat. “I realised when you were taken away that I can’t be mad at you. It’s not fair, because you can’t understand my love for the King. It’s something you’re born with. It can’t be explained to outsiders; it’s in us, lodged in us, from birth. I mean, you climbed over the gates into his palace. He saved your life during the protests. And you still don’t understand. It doesn’t matter what we’re trying to change. We can only do it with him. You’re in his country, living in his house.” Lek nods, wondering. She doesn’t feel reverence, not in Det’s subterranean way. The current king says he believes in democracy, so she knows that the constitution will be completed, and that the prime minister appointed by the palace, Sanya, will step aside for proper elections. Beyond that—nothing. Lek could shake the King’s hand and not tremble. She would be a human in contact with another human, that’s all. It isn’t the same as the reverence Det describes at all. What does make Lek pause is Det’s certainty. She’s humbled by it. She recognises it. It’s faith, like those nuns and their foreign grace.”
- A Good True Thai by Sunisa Manning
.
"A Good True Thai" is a novel set in Bangkok, Thailand, during the early 1970s. The story takes place under a military dictatorship, and the main characters are Det, Chang, Lek and Dao which will come much later into this equation of friendship. Det is a student struggling with his mixed identity which is somehow a combination of a high-born sort of royal family from his maternal side and commoner which is from his father side . Chang is Det's best friend and a passionate activist fighting for democracy but somewhat understand that for the protests to work, he needed all the help that he can get including using Det’s connection. Lek is a wealthy young woman who becomes more politically engaged through her relationship with Det and Chang. As the political situation in Thailand intensifies, Det, Chang, and Lek become more involved in student protests against the military regime. They demand an end to military rule and refused to be ruled by the dictator again. The novel proceed with Det, Chang and Lek ran into the jungle and associated themselves with communist soldiers so that they could have what they envisioned for Thai Society to be equal and to dismantle the elite society. Idealism was crushed, friendship was torn down and the lives were destroyed - that was the aftermath of a brutal crackdown on student protesters at Thammasat University. All of them faced the harsh realities of political repression. The ending was a sober one as the struggle for democracy is crushed, it still provides a sense of hope as the characters and the Thai people continue to carry the spirit of resistance and the desire for a just society. I actually find this novel boring and quite slow despite it did pick up its pace after the first 100 pages. I love Dao as she has much more resolve and certain in what she wanted to do compared to all these city-born characters. Overall, "A Good True Thai" provides a poignant and compelling look at a critical period in Thailand's history, highlighting the personal stories behind the political events. If you have no idea about Thailand’s political situation and would like to know more about it, i would say this book is quite informative and enlightening on the given topic.
- A Good True Thai by Sunisa Manning
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"A Good True Thai" is a novel set in Bangkok, Thailand, during the early 1970s. The story takes place under a military dictatorship, and the main characters are Det, Chang, Lek and Dao which will come much later into this equation of friendship. Det is a student struggling with his mixed identity which is somehow a combination of a high-born sort of royal family from his maternal side and commoner which is from his father side . Chang is Det's best friend and a passionate activist fighting for democracy but somewhat understand that for the protests to work, he needed all the help that he can get including using Det’s connection. Lek is a wealthy young woman who becomes more politically engaged through her relationship with Det and Chang. As the political situation in Thailand intensifies, Det, Chang, and Lek become more involved in student protests against the military regime. They demand an end to military rule and refused to be ruled by the dictator again. The novel proceed with Det, Chang and Lek ran into the jungle and associated themselves with communist soldiers so that they could have what they envisioned for Thai Society to be equal and to dismantle the elite society. Idealism was crushed, friendship was torn down and the lives were destroyed - that was the aftermath of a brutal crackdown on student protesters at Thammasat University. All of them faced the harsh realities of political repression. The ending was a sober one as the struggle for democracy is crushed, it still provides a sense of hope as the characters and the Thai people continue to carry the spirit of resistance and the desire for a just society. I actually find this novel boring and quite slow despite it did pick up its pace after the first 100 pages. I love Dao as she has much more resolve and certain in what she wanted to do compared to all these city-born characters. Overall, "A Good True Thai" provides a poignant and compelling look at a critical period in Thailand's history, highlighting the personal stories behind the political events. If you have no idea about Thailand’s political situation and would like to know more about it, i would say this book is quite informative and enlightening on the given topic.
March 9, 2021
Set in Thailand’s turbulent time in the 70’s, A Good True Thai tells a striking story of three students from different backgrounds. Sunisa Manning illustrates the intricacies of class, racial and ideological through the historical events of the student movement. Det is a kind-hearted youth and a royal descent. His late mother was the daughter of King Chulalongkorn and his father is a commoner. Det encounters Chang at the officer training camp and they become best friends. Chang is a student leader who works to see a better change in the country. Lek, a daughter of Chinese immigrants, is passionate about writing and wants to become a writer like Chit Phumisak (renowned communist revolutionary). Det meets Lek at the university and fall in love.
Inspired by his friends, Det later joins them in the student movements as long as they don’t offend the monarchy. When Lek tries to reprint a controversial yearbook cover which criticizes the king—Det’s grandfather, Det is furious but he tries to save her from being expelled and jailed. He thinks his royal status can somehow shield his girlfriend. Det does’t know that the privileged royal status is passed through the father and since his father is a commoner, Det’s royal entitlement won’t be continued unless he marries a woman from another branch of royal family. When he finds out about it, he’s confused and questions his identity. When Lek and Chang are leaving the university to join the communist group in northern Thailand, he follows them.
In the remote camp, three of them are assigned to different roles. Det is forced to voice out and call other royals to join the movement. Det refuses cause he knows his status is not real and scared that Lek might leave him when she finds out. Unbeknownst to Det’s issue with his identity, Lek keeps questioning his commitment to the movement. After some times, she begins to doubt about her attachment to Det. She also wonders what she and the other activists have really accomplished, as well. Despite all the disagreements amongst the friends on the ideas of what it means to be an activist, they work together for the betterment of their country.
This book gives me an opportunity to learn more about the political history of Thailand in the 70’s. Through the real events of the student protests, political coups and massacres, the writer gives a poignant tale of the youths. Manning invites the reader to discover the complexity of issues in the country’s political unrests. Various political ideas are discussed in the book, too. It features one’s love and loyalty for the country. One’s conflicting thoughts for both national and personal crisis are affectingly told through unforgettable characters. 4.5 out of 5
Inspired by his friends, Det later joins them in the student movements as long as they don’t offend the monarchy. When Lek tries to reprint a controversial yearbook cover which criticizes the king—Det’s grandfather, Det is furious but he tries to save her from being expelled and jailed. He thinks his royal status can somehow shield his girlfriend. Det does’t know that the privileged royal status is passed through the father and since his father is a commoner, Det’s royal entitlement won’t be continued unless he marries a woman from another branch of royal family. When he finds out about it, he’s confused and questions his identity. When Lek and Chang are leaving the university to join the communist group in northern Thailand, he follows them.
In the remote camp, three of them are assigned to different roles. Det is forced to voice out and call other royals to join the movement. Det refuses cause he knows his status is not real and scared that Lek might leave him when she finds out. Unbeknownst to Det’s issue with his identity, Lek keeps questioning his commitment to the movement. After some times, she begins to doubt about her attachment to Det. She also wonders what she and the other activists have really accomplished, as well. Despite all the disagreements amongst the friends on the ideas of what it means to be an activist, they work together for the betterment of their country.
This book gives me an opportunity to learn more about the political history of Thailand in the 70’s. Through the real events of the student protests, political coups and massacres, the writer gives a poignant tale of the youths. Manning invites the reader to discover the complexity of issues in the country’s political unrests. Various political ideas are discussed in the book, too. It features one’s love and loyalty for the country. One’s conflicting thoughts for both national and personal crisis are affectingly told through unforgettable characters. 4.5 out of 5
January 20, 2021
"People didn't know anything about anything here. They were silly, this country, swinging between democracy and dictatorship in a needless argument. The same people stayed above them, still in power, and nothing ever changed"
A Good True Thai (finalist of the 2020 Epigram Books Fiction Prize) revolves around the story of 3 friends in Thailand in the 1970s: Det (the great-grandson of King Chulalongkorn), Lek (a Chinese immigrant who has a passion for the works and ideas of Chit Phumisak, a Thai communist revolutionary), and Chang (Det's best friend from the slums). This book is heavily premised on the Thai student uprising in the 1970s, which is rather intriguing to me as I enjoy reading historical fiction. The author managed to instill ample of Thai historical events in the 1970s: the coming into power of the dictator Thanom Kittikachorn and the "Three Tyrants" i.e. Thanom, Narong (Thanom's son) and Praphas (Narong's father in law), the 1973 uprising which led to the removal of the Three Tyrants, the Communist insurgency in Thailand, the return of Thanom in 1976, which indirectly led to the infamous Thammasat University massacre. A lot of political ideas (democracy, communism, socialism) and the lèse-majesté laws in Thailand (an offense that violates the dignity of the King) were discussed. This part of the story is rather exciting to me as I thought the author handled the 1973 uprising and the Thammasat massacre quite well whereby the atmosphere of revolution, protests, and violence were captured decently.
What is rather confusing to me is the characterization and relationship between the characters (especially Det and Dao). The characterization started off rather shaky and lacks depth but I think it gets better towards the end (especially Det's internal conflict with the shackles of royalty and freedom of being a commoner). But I thought the romance element in this story is rather forced and unrealistic. The switch of POVs is not that fluent and parts of the dialogue seemed unnatural. That being said, with such an interesting premise, this is still a 3.5/5 star rating to me. A Good True Thai definitely showcased what it means to be a student activist and the sacrifice that the Thai students have made to secure a more forward and democratic kingdom.
A Good True Thai (finalist of the 2020 Epigram Books Fiction Prize) revolves around the story of 3 friends in Thailand in the 1970s: Det (the great-grandson of King Chulalongkorn), Lek (a Chinese immigrant who has a passion for the works and ideas of Chit Phumisak, a Thai communist revolutionary), and Chang (Det's best friend from the slums). This book is heavily premised on the Thai student uprising in the 1970s, which is rather intriguing to me as I enjoy reading historical fiction. The author managed to instill ample of Thai historical events in the 1970s: the coming into power of the dictator Thanom Kittikachorn and the "Three Tyrants" i.e. Thanom, Narong (Thanom's son) and Praphas (Narong's father in law), the 1973 uprising which led to the removal of the Three Tyrants, the Communist insurgency in Thailand, the return of Thanom in 1976, which indirectly led to the infamous Thammasat University massacre. A lot of political ideas (democracy, communism, socialism) and the lèse-majesté laws in Thailand (an offense that violates the dignity of the King) were discussed. This part of the story is rather exciting to me as I thought the author handled the 1973 uprising and the Thammasat massacre quite well whereby the atmosphere of revolution, protests, and violence were captured decently.
What is rather confusing to me is the characterization and relationship between the characters (especially Det and Dao). The characterization started off rather shaky and lacks depth but I think it gets better towards the end (especially Det's internal conflict with the shackles of royalty and freedom of being a commoner). But I thought the romance element in this story is rather forced and unrealistic. The switch of POVs is not that fluent and parts of the dialogue seemed unnatural. That being said, with such an interesting premise, this is still a 3.5/5 star rating to me. A Good True Thai definitely showcased what it means to be a student activist and the sacrifice that the Thai students have made to secure a more forward and democratic kingdom.
January 17, 2021
A bold foray into Thai politics, history, culture and society, GTT is a book that I want to keep and reread from time to time. I love the emotional complexity of the protagonists, who all triumph and fail as the plot evolves, in what can only be described as a hopelessly human fashion. It’s the kind of book and story you keep thinking about for weeks after reading it - not only because of its significance to contemporaneous political events, but also because Manning skillfully evokes places and scenes in a way that makes it feel as though you were there, watching the story unfold. Looking forward to more!
January 7, 2021
A Good True Thai surprised me, but only about 3/4ths into the book. It had elements of great story telling and mix of fiction-fact, but it didn't hit the mark till they made significant character developments deep into the book. I did realize that the slow journey till there was necessary, and part of the experience.
The viewpoints of the three leads were an insightful analysis of the emotions at play during the student riots of the 70s. The whole book felt honest, about the situation, the insecurities (no matter how selfish or insignificant they were) and even the Thai culture. But it was never judgemental.
And Det, oh det. He started off with a12 year olds emotional maturity, but ended up in places I never thought he would.
I have been trying to consume a lot more modern Asian literature, and create holistic non-western view points lately. This book definitely gives you and unfiltered, and easy to digest foray into that.
The viewpoints of the three leads were an insightful analysis of the emotions at play during the student riots of the 70s. The whole book felt honest, about the situation, the insecurities (no matter how selfish or insignificant they were) and even the Thai culture. But it was never judgemental.
And Det, oh det. He started off with a12 year olds emotional maturity, but ended up in places I never thought he would.
I have been trying to consume a lot more modern Asian literature, and create holistic non-western view points lately. This book definitely gives you and unfiltered, and easy to digest foray into that.
April 29, 2021
"...Thai, the language of deference. She prefers French for poetry, English for brilliance. In Thai she must defer. The language binds her to politeness, twists her into a little girl speaking to an older man, obliged to make herself small."
I read this with the intention of learning about the history of the country I grew up in. With that purpose in mind, I made myself stick with the book. However, if it weren’t for that anchoring purpose, I would have ditched this book.
I really wanted to like it and support a Thai-American author. I was excited that someone was writing a story set in Thai history and centered on Thai people. But it just didn't deliver.
While I accomplished the goal of learning more about Thai history, A Good True Thai falls short on many accounts of being a good book. Two main factors were the characters and the writing.
The characters lack growth and are very one-dimensional and flat. There is no character development or arc and the characterization as a whole lacks nuance and depth. The romance was also cringeworthy and forced.
Plot-wise, it was also slow and dragged on, but I understand that as a historical piece, it follows the general historical events from 1973 - 1976, and therefore plot elements have to take place in those boundaries.
The writing wasn’t my cup of tea. I found myself having to pay extra attention to follow the plot because of the writing and the way this was told. At times, the writing felt choppy, muddling, and awkward, and detracted from the story.
I admire the amount of research it must have taken Manning to put this work together. I've read her interviews and am so glad someone has written a story based on Thai history. In a historical sense, the book delivers and it does make me more curious about this country’s history. However, in all other senses of a book, it disappoints. I'd only recommend this to anyone looking to specifically learn about that period of Thai history; otherwise, as a novel, it falls short.
I read this with the intention of learning about the history of the country I grew up in. With that purpose in mind, I made myself stick with the book. However, if it weren’t for that anchoring purpose, I would have ditched this book.
I really wanted to like it and support a Thai-American author. I was excited that someone was writing a story set in Thai history and centered on Thai people. But it just didn't deliver.
While I accomplished the goal of learning more about Thai history, A Good True Thai falls short on many accounts of being a good book. Two main factors were the characters and the writing.
The characters lack growth and are very one-dimensional and flat. There is no character development or arc and the characterization as a whole lacks nuance and depth. The romance was also cringeworthy and forced.
Plot-wise, it was also slow and dragged on, but I understand that as a historical piece, it follows the general historical events from 1973 - 1976, and therefore plot elements have to take place in those boundaries.
The writing wasn’t my cup of tea. I found myself having to pay extra attention to follow the plot because of the writing and the way this was told. At times, the writing felt choppy, muddling, and awkward, and detracted from the story.
I admire the amount of research it must have taken Manning to put this work together. I've read her interviews and am so glad someone has written a story based on Thai history. In a historical sense, the book delivers and it does make me more curious about this country’s history. However, in all other senses of a book, it disappoints. I'd only recommend this to anyone looking to specifically learn about that period of Thai history; otherwise, as a novel, it falls short.
June 24, 2021
This is a most difficult subject area for a novel, and I am mightily impressed with what Sunisa Manning has achieved with A Good True Thai. Especially as she appears to have lived in the United States from undergraduate age (although she is half Thai and born and raised in Bangkok). Her understanding of Thai culture, history, politics, elitism, and the complex role of the monarchy in Thai life is quite amazing.
Within the context of the 1970s student protests (which ended in tragedy) Manning paints an engaging tale centered on the lives of three young people from distinctly different backgrounds. Lek, Det and Chang spring to life in her writing and are totally believable characters, all good in their own way, but biased and error-prone in ways that we all are due to our family upbringing and our class environments.
Living as I do in Thailand, the timing of my reading of Manning's novel could not have been more apt; in the second half of 2020 we are seeing a growing protest movement in Bangkok and the provinces which are similar in many ways to the demonstrations of the 1970s which are at the core of A Good True Thai. As I read the book and monitored the daily news of escalating conflict between student demonstrators and counter-protestors supporting the elite and the monarchy, life seemed to be mirroring art in so many ways, just 50 years apart.
I adored the book. I wish it were available in Thai so that my partner (and many other Thais) could read it in her own language
Within the context of the 1970s student protests (which ended in tragedy) Manning paints an engaging tale centered on the lives of three young people from distinctly different backgrounds. Lek, Det and Chang spring to life in her writing and are totally believable characters, all good in their own way, but biased and error-prone in ways that we all are due to our family upbringing and our class environments.
Living as I do in Thailand, the timing of my reading of Manning's novel could not have been more apt; in the second half of 2020 we are seeing a growing protest movement in Bangkok and the provinces which are similar in many ways to the demonstrations of the 1970s which are at the core of A Good True Thai. As I read the book and monitored the daily news of escalating conflict between student demonstrators and counter-protestors supporting the elite and the monarchy, life seemed to be mirroring art in so many ways, just 50 years apart.
I adored the book. I wish it were available in Thai so that my partner (and many other Thais) could read it in her own language
December 17, 2020
An excellent work of historical fiction that taught me a lot about the nature and character of Thailand. The prose is emotional and evocative and the chapters are short, which made it an easy read. Manning puts an author's note at the end explaining the artistic liberties she took that stray from historical fact/chronology, which I appreciated. Generally, this book is a good novel and a great way to understand the nature of the Kingdom of Thailand and her history, at least during the 20th century.
September 28, 2020
This is a beautiful book. In the lineage of Wolf Hall or Half a Yellow Sun. I love political epics that help us understand a part of the world, and that's what this is. I've spent time in Thailand, but that isn't a requirement to feel swept up in these characters' who are fighting for democracy and justice. In a time when much of the world is asking itself who should have power? Do protests work? And what is fair? This book dives right into it. Also, the love triangle is really fun.
Full disclosure, I've read this book many many times, and loved it every time. See last name.
Full disclosure, I've read this book many many times, and loved it every time. See last name.
December 21, 2020
Such an important read for anyone eager to learn about people's movements and the complicated identities of "Thai" people. I loved it for its rich historical eye to the student movement in the 1970s, and ability to illustrate Thai values and their nuances without being pedantic. Its an important read for anyone wrestling with leveraging privilege, social justice, and balancing tradition with advancing human rights. I hope this is taught in classrooms all over the world and that people of all different backgrounds can see themselves in these characters.
November 3, 2020
A beautiful written novel. The characters were vivid and real in all their strengths and flaws. Such a heartbreaking account of idealism, pragmatism, nationalism, and reality. As a Westerner I enjoyed the opportunity to get into the mind of these characters and grapple with what it means to be a good true Thai. It felt especially poignant at this moment as we consider what democracy, nationalism, and humanity mean in our world and country.
November 13, 2020
Beautiful writing that brings to life the multilayered struggles for democracy and minority rights. I look forward to reading more work from Manning in the future.
January 7, 2023
Sunisa Manning maps the contours of Thailand’s city and jungle struggles in the 1970s, producing a beautiful story of friendship and love, politics and pain. The three main characters, Det, Lek, and Chang, come from very different backgrounds in Bangkok. The book navigates their varied places in the student revolution, wrestling radicalism with loyalties, and in many ways speaks to a history unknown to anyone outside of Thailand.
I thoroughly enjoyed living through the revolutionary ideals of students, fighting monarchical structures and corrupt leaderships, all in the name of a better country for themselves and future generations. In some ways, 50 years on, I guess we’re not all that different.
I thoroughly enjoyed living through the revolutionary ideals of students, fighting monarchical structures and corrupt leaderships, all in the name of a better country for themselves and future generations. In some ways, 50 years on, I guess we’re not all that different.
September 23, 2023
STUNNING novel. What a story, what a journey. What is ostensibly about the three main characters is also about an entire nation, is also about a kingdom and its people from the cities to the jungles, is also about class struggle and revolution and the audacious spirit of youth.
Heartbreak is evident from the start but oh did I root for all of them anyway, there seem to be no sides to take but everyone to sympathize with and love and want the best for. The brevity of the chapters, the succinctness of passages belie the incredibly rich descriptions - I was with the young idealists in the jungle, in the hospitals, in the schools and the streets; so vivid were the scenes and events rendered they will play on a loop in my mind for time to come.
Important and incredible story.
Heartbreak is evident from the start but oh did I root for all of them anyway, there seem to be no sides to take but everyone to sympathize with and love and want the best for. The brevity of the chapters, the succinctness of passages belie the incredibly rich descriptions - I was with the young idealists in the jungle, in the hospitals, in the schools and the streets; so vivid were the scenes and events rendered they will play on a loop in my mind for time to come.
Important and incredible story.
January 9, 2021
I really do not know what is the big deal about romance that it had to take a big space in a book that could have been more thought provoking and empowering, rather than being mere entertainment.
This is a story of romance between three university students, written on the background of Bangkok student uprising in the 1970s. I bought this being interested on another neighbouring country’s history, not expecting the romance aspect.
Therefore I did not enjoy it so much.
There’s not much details on the politics and corruption during that era, not enough elaboration on what Lek, Chang and Det aimed to achieve, and I feel that I need more background on the life of Thais in general. Lek idolised Chit Phumisak so much, but I couldn’t find inspiration from any of his little-mentioned work.
Perhaps it was just me not knowing much about traditions and beliefs of Thai people, or perhaps I was comparing this book to Soe Hok Gie’s published personal diary which is much stronger in his opinions, advanced for his age, at the same time a kind humanist and environmentalist.
There WAS some romance in Soe Hok Gie’s diary, however, as a fighter against corruption and oppression, he knew to focus on his resistance rather than his personal issues.
A Good True Thai does make me more curious about the history of another one of my great neighbours, although next time I might read a real history book, and not a fiction like this.
This is a story of romance between three university students, written on the background of Bangkok student uprising in the 1970s. I bought this being interested on another neighbouring country’s history, not expecting the romance aspect.
Therefore I did not enjoy it so much.
There’s not much details on the politics and corruption during that era, not enough elaboration on what Lek, Chang and Det aimed to achieve, and I feel that I need more background on the life of Thais in general. Lek idolised Chit Phumisak so much, but I couldn’t find inspiration from any of his little-mentioned work.
Perhaps it was just me not knowing much about traditions and beliefs of Thai people, or perhaps I was comparing this book to Soe Hok Gie’s published personal diary which is much stronger in his opinions, advanced for his age, at the same time a kind humanist and environmentalist.
There WAS some romance in Soe Hok Gie’s diary, however, as a fighter against corruption and oppression, he knew to focus on his resistance rather than his personal issues.
A Good True Thai does make me more curious about the history of another one of my great neighbours, although next time I might read a real history book, and not a fiction like this.
May 14, 2025
Beautiful piece of historical fiction. It did take a little for me to get invested but once I was in I was in! Was really insightful into the 70s in Thailand and activism/suppression of activism happening as well as the communist movement within Thailand and the influence in surrounding areas. Would recommend!
December 28, 2023
I found the history, themes, and ideas presented in the novel to be interesting and engaging, which kept me going. I also learned a lot of new things, and I'm motivated to do more research. However, I wish the writing style and characters were more engaging. It prevented me from fully enjoying the novel and left me feeling disconnected and bored by the end.
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August 6, 20233.5
February 26, 2024
The story is good but I feel like the settings needed to be described better especially when they are living in the north. Also I don’t know why the author couldn’t keep the historical dates accurate in the book.
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