Bangkok Transformed: An Economic History, 1820–1950

Just published!

By Porphant Ouyyanont, edited by Chris Baker

How did Bangkok, once a modest riverside town, transform into the vibrant capital of a modern nation? This book explores the dynamic forces that reshaped Bangkok between the late 18th century and the mid-20th century, positioning it as a key economic hub in mainland Southeast Asia.

As colonial trade networks expanded across Asia, Bangkok’s strategic position at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River made it the natural hub for Siam’s burgeoning rice trade, which brought in turn investments in transportation and banking. The interaction of three elements—the booming rice economy, Chinese immigration, and royal enterprise—was crucial to Bangkok's initial transformation. Despite subsequent waves of industrialisation and globalisation, the legacies of this first transformation continue to shape Bangkok's unique character. This book offers a compelling exploration of how historical forces continue to define one of the world's most vibrant cities.

Thailand's leading economic historian, Porphant Ouyyanont, was finalising this manuscript when he passed unexpectedly. Historian Chris Baker took on the task of bringing the book to completion.

"In his inimitably self-effacing yet revelatory narrative style, Porphant Ouyyanont has bequeathed to the scholarly world a rich account of Bangkok’s emergence as a major metropolis. This is economic history at its most intriguing."
- Michael Hertzfeld, Harvard University

"... a remarkable combination of stories of royals, bureaucrats, immigrants, and traders that weaves together an enthralling “pre-history” of a Bangkok that became a metropolis. The research involved was prodigious and the resulting book rewards its readers with a fascinating account that is also a basis for further research."
- Kevin Hewison, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Contemporary Asia

"The book should be a staple for any class on the economic and urban history of Southeast Asia."
- Thongchai Winichakul, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Porphant Ouyyanont was associate professor of economics at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, Thailand. 

Chris Baker taught Asian history and politics at Cambridge University, UK and is a long-term resident of Thailand.

Publication Year: 2025
292 pp, 229 x 152mm
292pp, 59 tables, 23 b/w images
Paperback
ISBN: 978-981-325-299-8