"This is one of the most comprehensive studies of contemporary Thai politics seen through the careers of Thai military leaders since 1932 up until now. It is of vital importance if one is to understand present-day Thai politics.” —Kullada Kesboonchoo-Mead, Chulalongkorn University (retired), author of The Rise and Decline of Thai Absolutism “Paul Chambers has written, arguably, the most comprehensive and detailed book on the evolution of Thailand’s military power from the post–World War II era to the present day. This lucid book is a compelling read for anyone seeking to gain insight into the transformation of the country into a praetorian kingdom, where the monarchy and the military are the most powerful institutions. His delicate exploration of the various plots, methods, strategies, twists and betrayals provides readers with valuable perspectives on the inner workings and dynamics of Thailand’s praetorian system. One of the book’s strengths lies in its use of declassified and leaked documents from the US administrations, adding a sense of excitement and credibility to the analysis.” —Puangthong Pawakapan, Chulalongkorn University, author of Infiltrating Society: The Thai Military’s Internal Security Affairs “This study on the Thai military does not merely add to the existing critical understandings about its role in the country’s politics, it tackles the subject in a new light and challenges us to reexamine our appraisal of each military regime.” --- Dr. Chaiyan Rajchagool, University of Phayao, author of The Rise and Fall of the Thai Absolute Monarchy “This book does two significant things; first, cultivating large amounts of primary resources, and second, providing a sophisticated interpretation of Thai military ascendancy until 2023. Based on these reasons, the book is important for insightful and untold stories about the Thai military.” —Ukrist Pathmanand, Institute of Asian Studies, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand “Monumental in scope and wondrously researched, Praetorian Kingdom is much more than the systematic study of the Thai military that has long been needed. For it is a volume that will compel readers not only to understand crucial episodes in Thailand’s modern history in new ways but also to appreciate the continuities in the country’s military politics as never before.” —Michael Montesano, Associate Senior Fellow, Thailand Studies Programme, ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute

“The dramatic story of the soldiers at the heart of the Roman empire . . . traces the history of the praetorians and the emperors they served.”—Adrian Goldsworthy, author of Philip and Alexander: Kings and Conquerors Founded by Augustus around 27 B.C., the elite Praetorian Guard was tasked with the protection of the emperor and his family. As the centuries unfolded, however, Praetorian soldiers served not only as protectors and enforcers but also as powerful political players. Fiercely loyal to some emperors, they vied with others and ruthlessly toppled those who displeased them, including Caligula, Nero, Pertinax, and many more. Guy de la Bédoyère provides a compelling first full narrative history of the Praetorians, whose dangerous ambitions ceased only when Constantine permanently disbanded them. de la Bédoyère introduces Praetorians of all echelons, from prefects and messengers to artillery experts and executioners. He explores the delicate position of emperors for whom prestige and guile were the only defenses against bodyguards hungry for power. Folding fascinating details into a broad assessment of the Praetorian era, the author sheds new light on the wielding of power in the greatest of the ancient world’s empires. “Any future researcher into the subject will certainly begin here.”—The Times (London) “A lively and up-to-date history of the Praetorian Guard, the anti-coup divisions of the Roman emperors from Augustus to Constantine. De la Bédoyère tells their story with clarity and panache, and his book can be most warmly recommended both to aspiring tyrants and the ordinary armchair historian.”—The Sunday Times “Fast paced and engaging.”—The Sunday Telegraph “A definitive and highly readable account.”—Tom Holland, author of Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic

"Thai politics is driven by actors and actions of paradox such as anti-election movements for accountability or independent, partisan organizations. This lucidly written book uncovers the 'military-led civil affairs' that earn the armed forces the omnipotent role in Thai society. It enriches our understanding of the Thai military in both empirical and theoretical ways. Empirically, the book illuminates how the soldiers have been intensively involved in supposedly civic activities ranging from forest land management to poverty reduction. Such long-lasting and extensive involvement means the military could mobilize the organized mass of over 500,000 strong when necessary. Theoretically, readers will learn how an ideological discourse (“threats to national security”) has been continuously redefined to serve the military’s evolving political and rent-seeking missions from the Cold War era to the twenty-first century. It also traces the persistence and mutation of this highly adaptable organization, the one that knows when to roar and when to camouflage. Still waters run deep; Thai military operations run deeper and wider."--Veerayooth Kanchoochat, Associate Professor of Political Economy, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Tokyo “A truly monumental work about Thailand’s military from the 1960s until today, this solid study focuses upon the armed forces’ internal security role across Thai society, how the military has succeeded in legitimizing itself and boosting its power as a counterinsurgency force, guardian of monarchy and engine of development. The book also valuably looks at the military’s establishment of mass organizations beginning during the Cold War and mobilization of royalists since 2006. The book thus illustrates how the military has been able to enhance and sustain its overwhelming influence and is thus a valuable study for anyone wanting to understand key power-brokers in Thailand.”— Dr Paul Chambers, Center of ASEAN Community Studies, Naresuan University, Thailand.

Jerry Thigpen's study on the history of the Combat Talon is the first effort to tell the story of this wonderfully capable machine. This weapons system has performed virtually every imaginable tactical event in the spectrum of conflict and by any measure is the most versatile C-130 derivative ever produced. First modified and sent to Southeast Asia (SEA) in 1966 to replace theater unconventional warfare (UW) assets that were limited in both lift capability and speed the Talon I quickly adapted to theater UW tasking including infiltration and resupply and psychological warfare operations into North Vietnam. After spending four years in SEA and maturing into a highly respected UW weapons system the Joint Chief of Staff (JCS) chose the Combat Talon to lead the night low-level raid on the North Vietnamese prison camp at Son Tay. Despite the outcome of the operation the Talon I cemented its reputation as the weapons system of choice for long-range clandestine operations. In the period following the Vietnam War United States Air Force (USAF) special operations gradually lost its political and financial support which was graphically demonstrated in the failed Desert One mission into Iran. Thanks to congressional supporters like Earl Hutto of Florida and Dan Daniel of Virginia funds for aircraft upgrades and military construction projects materialized to meet the ever-increasing threat to our nation. Under the leadership of such committed hard-driven officers as Brenci Uttaro Ferkes Meller and Thigpen the crew force became the most disciplined in our Air Force. It was capable of penetrating hostile airspace at night in a low-level mountainous environment covertly to execute any number of unconventional warfare missions.

The Interpretation of REVELATION by the Sanhedrin, Romans, and Disciples of Jesus Christ Inspired by the Devil, the Sanhedrin and Romans had slain the Lord Jesus, and now they were brutally murdering His disciples to rid the earth of His kingdom. Jesus had instructed His saints, Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord (Rom. 12:19). Finally, the time for His vengeance had comethe avenging of the blood of His saints was at hand! He sent His hidden message in Revelation to His disciples to get out of His way. Then Almighty God filled the vials of wrath until they overflowed with His fury. The angels in heaven gave a harkening blast on the trumpets of war, shaking the very foundations of heaven and earth. And the armies of the Lord prepared for battle, for the great day of Gods wrath had come, and no one would be able to stand against it. This book will teach you the interpretation of Revelation for the three target audiences, along with all the metaphors Jesus strategically selected for His greatest parable of all: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse The Beast of the Land The Beast of the Sea with Seven Heads and Ten Horns The Land, Sea and Trees The Mark of the Beast, and the Number of His Name: 666 The Two Super Witnesses The Plague of Locusts The Seven Seals, Seven Trumpets and Seven Vials of Wrath The Three Heavens The New Heaven and New Earth, and New Jerusalem And much more!

Conceived as a personal army for the emperor, the elite Praetorian Guard soon took over a wide range of powers in Rome, and thus from the very beginning made a much greater impact on the city's life than just as an imperial bodyguard. The Praetorians were in fact inseparable from the whole machinery of state, in some cases even making or breaking individual emperors. Sandra Bingham here offers a timely history of the Guard from its foundation by Augustus in 27 BCE to its disbandment by Constantine in CE 312. Topics covered include arms and insignia; the size, recruitment and command structure of the Guard; duration of service; the duties of individual soldiers and officers; and their families, daily lives and religion.

'Perhaps the best introduction yet to the roots of Thailand's present political impasse. A brilliant book.' Simon Long, The Economist Struggling to emerge from a despotic past, and convulsed by an intractable conflict that will determine its future, Thailand stands at a defining moment in its history. Scores have been killed on the streets of Bangkok. Freedom of speech is routinely denied. Democracy appears increasingly distant. And many Thais fear that the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej is expected to unleash even greater instability. Yet in spite of the impact of the crisis, and the extraordinary importance of the royal succession, they have never been comprehensively analysed – until now. Breaking Thailand's draconian lèse majesté law, Andrew MacGregor Marshall is one of the only journalists covering contemporary Thailand to tell the whole story. Marshall provides a comprehensive explanation that for the first time makes sense of the crisis, revealing the unacknowledged succession conflict that has become entangled with the struggle for democracy in Thailand.

Inequality is a defining global issue of our times. Southeast Asia stands out in some ways; the 2010s have seen most countries in the region reduce income gaps. Nonetheless, inequality levels remain high, especially in the middle-income to high-income countries, and popular disaffection and economic anxiety prevail, even while official statistics may paint more buoyant scenarios. The age-old problem of group-based exclusion in the development process manifests in new ways. This book provides up-to-date overviews of inequality levels and trends, primarily related to income, but also wealth and other socio-economic variables pertaining to education and health. The country chapters also examine salient themes of inequality, especially structural changes and public policies to redress inequality and exclusion, labour market developments, population groups, regional dynamics, and informal economies. We gain an appreciation for the unique conditions and diverse experiences of each country, and draw comparative insights across the region. “This is an impressive collection of papers written by scholars from Southeast Asia and addressing an important set of issues which deserve serious attention from policymakers. Inequality and social exclusion are problems which never seem to go away, even in the high-income countries, and this collection will be valuable for all those seeking to understand how serious the situation is in eight Southeast Asian states. The editors are to be congratulated on bringing together such a timely book.” Anne Booth, Emeritus Professor of Economics, School of Oriental and African Studies “This compilation of recent research on Southeast Asian economic inequalities by Lee and Choong underscores the rapid progress being made. The authors from the region underscore the global shift in research and policy attention in this century. Reflecting data and methodological diversity, the book variedly captures some ‘intersectionality’ of inequalities beyond the old focus on interpersonal and household income distribution.” Jomo KS, Fellow, Academy of Science, Malaysia “In societies across the world, rising inequality has become a critical issue over the past generation. Besides basic issues of justice, inequality between people obstructs the collective decision-making needed for societies to progress. This book is the most comprehensive study of inequality in Southeast Asia. It stresses that each society is different, but the solutions are common—good data, proper understanding, multidimensional approaches, strong institutions and popular agency.” Pasuk Phongpaichit, Emeritus Professor, Chulalongkorn University

By studying intersections among new cults of wealth, ritually empowered amulets and professional spirit mediumship—which have emerged together in Thailand’s dynamic religious field in recent decades—Capitalism Magic Thailand explores the conditions under which global modernity produces new varieties of enchantment. Bruno Latour’s account of modernity as a condition fractured between rationalizing ideology and hybridizing practice is expanded to explain the apparent paradox of new forms of magical ritual emerging alongside religious fundamentalism across a wide range of Asian societies. In Thailand, novel and increasingly popular varieties of ritual now form a symbolic complex in which originally distinct cults centred on Indian deities, Chinese gods and Thai religious and royal figures have merged in commercial spaces and media sites to sacralize the market and wealth production. Emerging within popular culture, this complex of cults of wealth, amulets and spirit mediumship is supported by all levels of Thai society, including those at the acme of economic and political power. New theoretical frameworks are presented in analyses that challenge the view that magic is a residue of premodernity, placing the dramatic transformations of cultic ritual centre stage in modern Thai history. It is concluded that modern enchantment arises at the confluence of three processes: neoliberal capitalism’s production of occult economies, the auraticizing effects of technologies of mass mediatization, and the performative force of ritual in religious fields where practice takes precedence over doctrine.

Terra comes under attack from an enemy within as the Imperial Fists and Rogal Dorn prepare for the coming of Horus. Recalled from the Great Crusade after Ullanor, Rogal Dorn and the VII Legion were appointed as the Emperor’s praetorians, but only after the Warmaster Horus' treachery was revealed did the full extent of that sacred duty become apparent. Now, the Solar System comes under attack for the first time since the war began, and many of the seemingly impregnable defences wrought by Dorn and his Imperial Fists Legion prove inadequate. With all eyes fixed firmly upon this new threat beyond the gates of Terra, who in turn will protect Dorn from the enemy within?