Pimprapai Bisalputra

Pimprapai Bisalputra, Background: author

Reading: "Burengnong" ("Bayinnaung") by Sunate Chutinataranon

"Bayinnaung, a 16th century king of Burma's Toungoo Dynasty, was the only Burmese king who the Thais looked up to as a hero. Indeed he's the only Burmese ruler who won Thai hearts. His victories, military prowess and heroism are well recognised by Thais and even captured in a bestselling Thai novel called "Phoo Chana Sip Thid" ("The Victor of Ten Directions"). This is amazing in that no other Burmese royals or personalities have ever enjoyed such an honour. Both wellwritten and wellresearched, the book reveals the image of this Burmese king through the eyes of Siam's Chakri rulers of the early Bangkok period. To me the Thai views to this particu¬lar monarch come across as being realistic. It's an interesting read."