Steve Van Beek spent five months paddling a boat down the Chao Phraya River and its tributaries from their sources to the sea, seeking to understand how these waterways shaped the kingdom and its people. Among his half-dozen river-related books is The Chao Phya, River in Transition published by Oxford University Press.

We’ll discover how, on these journeys, he learned how rivers think but, more importantly, the role of water and rivers in nearly everything Thai, including its historic and economic development, and its culture, rites, and rituals.  He will also consider how modern riparian residents are impacting this iconic river and, ultimately, Thailand’s future.

His talk coincides with the publication of his newest book, The Latte River, chronicling his 42-day journey, paddling down the Nan River. It is the successor to his highly regarded Slithering South which documented his 58-day trip from the source of the Ping River to the sea.