The Devil's Discus
Encyclopedia
The Devil's Discus is an investigation into the death of King Ananda Mahidol
(Rama VIII) of Siam (later Thailand
) by English
-South Africa
n author Rayne Kruger.
The next section “The Life and Death of Ananda” is ten chapters in length and details the main events of King Ananda’s life, from his birth in Heidelberg in 1925 to his death by a single gunshot in mysterious circumstances at Bangkok’s Royal Palace on 9 June 1946. This section introduces the main characters surrounding Ananda throughout his life and who subsequently become subjects for investigation following his death.
“The Trial” is the fourth section of eight chapters that summarises the events and arguments of the subsequent regicide trial against three Palace officials. Including two appeals the trial lasted more than six years and resulted in the execution of all three defendants in 1955.
The final section “Who Killed Ananda ?” is Kruger’s own analysis of the evidence surrounding Ananda’s death leading him to the conclusion that the only satisfactory explanation is suicide. He supports this theory with the revelation of a love affair between the young King and a fellow law student in Switzerland, Marylene Ferrari, but Kruger could not prove the existence of the law student or the relationship which he claimed to exist.
. The Thai government banned the book as soon as it was published and Kruger was banned from further entry to Thailand.
A Thai translation of the book titled Kongchak Pisat (Thai: กงจักรปีศาจ) by Chalit Chaisithiwet (Thai: ร.อ.ชลิต ชัยสิทธิเวช) was produced for submission as evidence in a 1970 defamation lawsuit brought by Pridi Banomyong against MR Kukrit Pramoj
and his newspaper Siam Rath. The translator was the elder brother of Pridi's secretary, Vacharachai Chaisithiwet. It was secretly published by two Thammasat students in 1974 and reprinted in 1977, and circulated behind closed doors in Thailand. A local printing house involved with this Thai edition was burnt down. This translation was eventually officially banned in May 2006.
Through the organisation Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT), the English text was reprinted in November 2009 by DMP Publications, Hong Kong.
Ananda Mahidol
Ananda Mahidol was the eighth monarch of Thailand under the House of Chakri. At the time he was recognized as king by the National Assembly, in March 1935, he was a nine-year-old boy living in Switzerland. He returned to Thailand in December 1945. Six months later, in June 1946, he was found shot...
(Rama VIII) of Siam (later Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
) by English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n author Rayne Kruger.
Book summary
The book comprises four main sections which are each further divided into chapters. The section “Before” serves as an introduction to King Ananda’s death, to Siam and to King Ananda’s background.The next section “The Life and Death of Ananda” is ten chapters in length and details the main events of King Ananda’s life, from his birth in Heidelberg in 1925 to his death by a single gunshot in mysterious circumstances at Bangkok’s Royal Palace on 9 June 1946. This section introduces the main characters surrounding Ananda throughout his life and who subsequently become subjects for investigation following his death.
“The Trial” is the fourth section of eight chapters that summarises the events and arguments of the subsequent regicide trial against three Palace officials. Including two appeals the trial lasted more than six years and resulted in the execution of all three defendants in 1955.
The final section “Who Killed Ananda ?” is Kruger’s own analysis of the evidence surrounding Ananda’s death leading him to the conclusion that the only satisfactory explanation is suicide. He supports this theory with the revelation of a love affair between the young King and a fellow law student in Switzerland, Marylene Ferrari, but Kruger could not prove the existence of the law student or the relationship which he claimed to exist.
Publication history
The Devil's Discus was first published in 1964 by CassellOrion Publishing Group
Orion Publishing Group Ltd. is a UK-based book publisher. It is owned by Hachette Livre. In 1998 Orion bought Cassell.-History:Full history of the group can be found on Orion Publishing Group is owned by -Imprints:...
. The Thai government banned the book as soon as it was published and Kruger was banned from further entry to Thailand.
A Thai translation of the book titled Kongchak Pisat (Thai: กงจักรปีศาจ) by Chalit Chaisithiwet (Thai: ร.อ.ชลิต ชัยสิทธิเวช) was produced for submission as evidence in a 1970 defamation lawsuit brought by Pridi Banomyong against MR Kukrit Pramoj
Kukrit Pramoj
Mom Rajawongse Kukrit Pramoj was a Thai politician and scholar. He was Speaker of the House of Representatives of Thailand 1973-1974 and was the thirteenth Prime Minister of Thailand, serving in office from 1975-1976.- Early years:Of royal descent, M.R...
and his newspaper Siam Rath. The translator was the elder brother of Pridi's secretary, Vacharachai Chaisithiwet. It was secretly published by two Thammasat students in 1974 and reprinted in 1977, and circulated behind closed doors in Thailand. A local printing house involved with this Thai edition was burnt down. This translation was eventually officially banned in May 2006.
Through the organisation Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT), the English text was reprinted in November 2009 by DMP Publications, Hong Kong.