Since Thailand’s political crisis began with royalist mobilization against prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2005, observers have been treated to easy clichés about reactionary Thai elites. The chapters in this book invite readers to refrain from quick judgement and engage with the conservative norms of sections of the middle class, military, intellectuals and state ideologues. Among the six English translations of Thai sources are chapter-length excerpts from seminal works by Nakharin Metrairat and Chalermkiat Phi-nuan. Other contributions include pieces by accomplished scholars including Saichon Sattayanurak, Pasuk Phongpaichit and Somchai Preechasilpakul. The book enables a better understanding of the forces shaping Thailand’s democracy struggles into the present day.
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