re:mote voices

Title: Bangkok 8
Author: John Burdett
Publisher:Bantam Press

bangkok 8 is the third novel by british lawyer turned author john burdett. bangkok 8 is undoubtedly the novel that will make burdett, his previous work having not really made an impact it would seem, while bangkok 8 is building a respectable buzz around it. the fact that is it is very much readable and fun certainly contributes to that vibe.

the feel of the book is no doubt helped by the fact that a good part of burdett's career was spent in hong kong, with thailand being the destination most readily available for when down time was required. so his descriptions of bangkok as a chaotic and vibrant city, complex and alien to the western mind, no doubt comes from personal experience. bangkok is known for its sex industry, and it features as a major component of the narrative, with plenty of commentary on how it fits into the economy of the country.

when sonchai and pichai kill a drug dealer they end up in a monastary to repent. from there they find themselves joining the bangkok police force as arhat officers. the police force works with corruption, everything being about the extra income, the taxes, keeping the wheels turning in a particularly thai fashion. but as arhat's the pair are devout and incorruptible, which works in the favour of the precinct - while they might not contribute to the funds like the other officers, they make up for it in their own ways as well as bringing a certain karmic balance.

with the start of bangkok 8, named after the police district they are working in, the pair are following an american marine. in the process of this the marine is murdered and as part of that pichai dies as well. this leaves sonchai to revenge the death of his partner. the murder of the marine in some ways being secondary, though being an american this does bring the FBI in to the case. getting what he can from the FBI and from his usual means it quickly becomes clear that the marine had connections with the jade trade as well as the drug trade. add to the mix khmer soldiers and american millionares and sonchai finds that he has to watch his step more and more, but he remains unshaken.

bangkok 8 is a heady mix. characters zipping back on forth on death defying motorbike taxis. dancing all night in girly bars. police corruption versus buddhism. the influx and arrogances of the farang - the thai for foreigner. all combinging with the politics and contemporary nature of a city and a country. the result is a vivid and persuasive work. there are times perhaps where burdett's depiction verges on stereotype, though one suspects this is most prevailent in his descriptions of non-thai characters. in some ways though where this is done there is a certain humour involved.

burdett apparently already has plans for returning to sonchai and bangkok. which in some ways has to be dealt with carefully, much of the appeal of bangkok 8 stems from its freshness and originality, and the overall energy. the dangers of repeating characters/scenarious is that of falling into a rut. though even in saying that, i would certainly be interested in reading about the futher adventures of sonchai, i'll particularly be curious to see how he deals with the changes he has made to the character by the end of the book.