Prominent Thai historian Nidhi Eoseewong dies at 83

via Prachatai English, 07 August 2023: Thai historian, writer, and political commentator Nidhi Eoseewong, known for his influential works in Southeast Asian history, died at the age of 83 on 7 August 2023.

The work that made his reputation is Pen and Sail: Literature and History in Early Bangkok, first published in 1984 and later translated into English. The book combines intellectual and economic history, and argues that the emergence of a market economy in the early Bangkok Era (1783-1855) resulted in major changes in the world view of Thais.

In the book, Nidhi used literature to study Thai history, providing a comprehensive and in-depth exploration of the early Bangkok era in its economic, social, and intellectual aspects. Pen and Sail offered new perspectives on Thai history and has served as a model and guideline for studying Thai history and Thai studies in a way that challenged the conservative perspective that had dominated Thai history up to that point.

Source: Prominent Thai historian Nidhi Eoseewong dies at 83 | Prachatai English