To scholars and historians, a romp through Thailand’s used bookstores is always fascinating, revealing a plethora of material not available in stores carrying new books. But there are treasures to be found in used bookstores in other countries as well, consisting of older books carried home by travelers, and sold to used stores by those clearing out the estates of the deceased. Here at WoWasis, we found a wonderful two-volume set in a used bookstore in the U.S., consisting of a “state of the country” review of Thailand as it was during the reign of King Prajadhipok (King Rama VII), who ruled from 1925-1934. These 300+ page volumes, named Siam: General and Medical features and Siam: Nature and Industry, consisted of monographs written in 1926 and bound in volumes to be distributed to attendees at the 1930 Eighth Congress of the Far Eastern Association of Tropical Medicine, held in Bangkok.

These volumes are replete with charts, maps, and period photos, and describe a country in transition from a rural to a modern state, juxtaposed by photos showing elephant-powered road rollers and biplane-powered air mail services.

The table of contents from the Medical volume  is illustrative of the breadth of these surveys:

1. Government and Administration.
2. History in Brief
3. Religion
4. Literature
5. Archaeology
6. Fine Arts
7. The Siamese Theatre
8. Structures of Note in Bangkok
9. Bang Pa-In, Ayudhya and Lopburi
10. Along the Railway Lines
11. Education in Siam
12. Medical Education
13. Public Health and Medical Service
14. Bangkok Waterworks
15. School Health Service
16. Army Medical Service
17. Veterinary Service
18. Saovabha Institute
19. The Siamese Red Gross Society
20. Protestant Medical Missions
21. The Medical Association of Siam
22. Nursing in Siam
23. Leprosy in Siam
24. King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital
25. Other Institutions :
26. Siriraj Hospital
27. St. Louis General Hospital
28. The Bangkok Nursing Home
29. McCormick Hospital

 Old books such as these are not only interesting for the scholar, but hold a special fascination for visitors to Thailand and lovers of its culture and people. They describe a country of nearly 100 years ago, and can be a wonderful replacement for coffee table books that have grown commonplace.