為什麼東南亞最大的機場，在泰國？為什麼機場蓋的跟未來一樣，不用空調，也很涼爽？走入「風格之境」的國度，炙熱的風吹來了豐富的自然資源、樂天知命的民族性格、與慢活的生活態度。從「世界的廚房」到「亞洲創意新都」，創意與感動，都來自於泰國人懂得體會生活。 泰國人對人的觀察與尊重，創造了文化的價值，自然資源、傳承下來的手工藝、以及與時並進的受東西教育的設計師，在盡興生活中，泰國人不斷創造生活中的小美、放大對生命的感動，所以，得過廣告界奧斯卡獎的泰國廣告，在一分鐘內，都能令人又哭又笑。妝點生活，不單只是口號而已；而微笑，也不虛偽。泰國美學產業價值存在於他們對待人生的態度、對待自己的態度。如果一本書可以揭開創意的面紗，最後會發現的，一定是平凡之中的不平凡。熱氣騰騰的城市溫度，即使是紊亂的交通狀態，泰國創意人從容不迫、樂天知命的，用自己的步調，走出了自己的美學之路。 設計師Udom設計出現代感的簡約設計，也吹起了泰國材質的自然風；追求內心平和的YENN Design Studio，回收再利用的木屑使之成為另類華麗的深秋吊燈，這是泰國人對環境的尊重與互動；Ango Design付出了時間，一盞燈如一個蠶蛹、如一朵雲，如藝術創作一樣具有時間積累的深度與內涵。就如非常幽默與人性化的泰國廣告一樣。生活中的細細體會，放在創意裡，是慢活中的滿足與能啟迪人的快樂，活在當下對泰國人意為即時享樂（活），這樣應有的速率反而提供了創新與適應時代變化的機會與空間，取得創意存活較久的平衡。因此，不僅可以有創意的慢活方式，創意也有了更長的延續生命！ 探討泰國創意產業，尤其是設計的例子，來引起台灣對文化創意產業的關注。他山之石，可以攻錯。30位設計師、創意人、美學產業代表，談慢活帶來的創意思考、靈感來源、以及生活體驗。生活態度是美學經濟奇蹟的重要因素。從容不迫的都市，多重空間機能都具有休閒娛樂的緩慢功能。

Thailand's Bhumibol Adulyadej, the only king ever born in the United States, came to the throne of his country in 1946 and is now the world's longest-serving monarch. This book tells the unexpected story of his life and 60-year rule: how a Western-raised boy came to be seen by his people as a living Buddha; and how a king widely seen as beneficent and apolitical could in fact be so deeply political, autocratic, and even brutal. Paul Handley provides an extensively researched, factual account of the king's youth and personal development, ascent to the throne, skilful political maneuverings, and attempt to shape Thailand as a Buddhist kingdom. Blasting apart the widely accepted image of the king as egalitarian and virtuous, Handley convincingly portrays an anti-democratic monarch who, together with allies in big business and the corrupt Thai military, has protected a centuries-old, barely-modified feudal dynasty. When at nineteen Bhumibol assumed the throne after the still-unsolved shooting of his brother, the Thai monarchy had been stripped of power and prestige. Over the ensuing decades, Bhumibol became the paramount political actor in the kingdom, crushing critics while attaining high status among his people. The book details this process and depicts Thailand's unique constitutional monarch in the full light of the facts.