An evening with Barry Broman, retired American spy and writer

Barry Broman, a graduate of the University of Washington in political science and Southeast Asian studies, first came to Asia in 1962 as an Associated Press photographer covering Thailand, Cambodia and South Vietnam. He joined the FCCT at that time, and rejoined in the 1970s. In between, he served as an infantry officer in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam war, and was a liaison officer in Bangkok.

Broman went on to a 26-year career in the CIA with postings in Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, France and Myanmar. He retired in 1996, and returned to writing and photography. He has written and/or photographed more than a dozen books on Asian themes, including Old Homes of Bangkok and Spiritual Abodes of Thailand with the late William Warren, and has produced nearly a dozen documentaries, including ‘Burma: A human tragedy’.

Last year, Broman published a memoir, ‘Indochina hand: Tales of a CIA case officer’, the second in a trilogy and set in Thailand and Cambodia in the early 1990s. It is a compilation of 62 short stories, most of which relate to the CIA.

‘Risk taker, spy maker: Tales of a CIA case officer’, the first in the three-part memoir was published some years ago. It covers Broman’s life from his school years in England,where his father was stationed at RAF Manston, a fighter base in Kent, his stint in the early 60s stringing for the Associated Press in Bangkok with assignments in Cambodia and South Vietnam, and his clandestine career with the CIA.

Broman also published a second novel last year, ‘The spy from Sukhumvit Road’, set in Thailand and Cambodia in 1991. It followed ‘The spy from Place Saint-Sulpice’, set in Paris in the 1980s. According to Broman, the CIA has recently cleared a third novel for publication, ‘The spy from Golden Valley’ set in Burma in 1994. It deals with chasing a Burmese drug lord and involves the Thai army and police.

All of the books are available on Amazon, and Broman will bring some copies to the event.

Members who wish to book in advance should email info@fccthai.com or call the FCCT office on 02-652-0580.

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