Description:
During the early 20th century, the north of Siam was known for its teak forests and their dangers. In addition to tigers, so-called “tiger-men,” or ruthless bandits, loomed large in the imagination. Titles such as that of Reginald Campbell’s 1931 novel Death in Tiger Valley (which was turned into a Hollywood film) sought to draw on and exploit such fears.
But what was the truth about tigers and tiger-men in northern Thailand a century ago? How were they depicted in news reports, magazine articles, fiction and film? And what might the true significance have been of the fact they loomed so large in the imagination?
Overcome your darkest fears, and join us for this illustrated talk based on contemporary sources about tigers and tiger-men.
Presenter:
Graham Jefcoate, retired librarian and a resident of Chiang Mai for the past 15 years, is the editor of Enchanted Land: Foreign Writings about Chiang Mai (2023) and author of the forthcoming book (2026) Tales of the Teak Forest: The Image of North Siam in the Early 20th Century (working title). Graham is well known to the LLL community both for his detailed and entertaining lectures and for leading excursions to “off the beaten path” locations.