Many of the Thai names in this novel, both surnames and nicknames, are invented. While the visitor to Thailand may be overwhelmed by the sheer length of Thai surnames (five or six syllables in some cases), the names of the oldest families are quite short. Relative newcomers to the kingdom are asked to submit several potential surnames, one of which will presumably be approved, and adding a syllable or four is the easiest way to retain something approximating a family’s original name without duplicating the name of an existing family. Therefore, the odds are quite high that all people who share a surname are related. This means that a writer should be careful about using a “real” surname, especially for an unsympathetic character, since that could be construed as libel.
I also made up some of the nicknames, aiming at simplicity and memorability, since there are so many characters.
And I should probably stress that the Bangkok in this novel (and the earlier ones) is a fictional environment, inspired by a real one. Distances have been compressed here and there, and some geographical liberties taken, primarily because it would be impossible to maintain a thriller’s pace while stranded in Bangkok traffic. Those of you who find it difficult to believe in the Bangkok that’s depicted here should know that millions of people feel exactly the same way about the real-life city.
But the unstable political landscape presented here is not, in the main, fictional. It’s a defining fact of present-day Thailand, and no one can say how it will ultimately play out. In fairness, it should be pointed out that murder and assassination play virtually no role in Thai politics. But, of course, this is a work of fiction.