A young Malay imprisoned for rape reinvents himself as a Siamese aristocrat in royal service. A beautiful young Thai woman seizes control of the family casino and defies the king's ban on gambling to form an underground criminal operation. A guilt-ridden Thai-Chinese sailor seeks enlightenment and purpose as a wandering Buddhist monk. A former slave fights to escape the domination of a Chinese secret society gangster and rises in the increasingly powerful police force. A recreation of life in southern Siam at a time of wrenching change, Beads on a String weaves together these stories and others, immersing readers in a gripping epic, full of intrigue and insight.