Name: A History of Thailand
ISBN: 9780521016476

Pasuk Phongpaichit

Chris Baker

Christopher John Baker

"The authors cover the contests between urban nationalists, ambitious generals, communist rebels, business politicians, and social movements to control the nation-state and redefine its purpose. They describe the dramatic changes wrought by a booming economy, globalization, and the evolution of mass society. Finally, they show how Thailand's path is still being contested by those who believe in change from above and those who fight for democracy and liberal values."--BOOK JACKET.

A History of Thailand

The tertiary education system had been designed to staff the expanding bureaucracy. In the 1960s, David Wilson noted — with some exaggeration — that the only educated Thai outside the ranks of officialdom were a few journalists, condemned to this trade because they failed the exams.

In practice, the social mirror had helped to overthrow the conceit of a single, unified, and regimented 'Thai culture' or 'Thai nation'. What remained was something more casual, and more subject to personal interpretation. Some conservatives continued to imagine 'Thai-ness' as the polite manners of the old hierarchical society. Neo-traditionalists sought it in the face-to-face traditions of a vanishing rural society. Advertisers appealing to the mass audience for beer and energy drinks identified Thai-ness with the martial spirit of Thai boxing and violent episodes from Siam's legendary history.

The transliterated term khorrapchan entered the language and became a major theme of the daily press. In a deft play on the phrase kin mueang ('eating the state', meaning traditional remuneration from the profits of office), Chatichai's government was dubbed the 'buffet Cabinet'.