Country | |
Publisher | |
ISBN | 9789749511978 |
Format | PaperBack |
Language | English |
Year of Publication | 2010 |
Bib. Info | ix, 328p. Includes Index |
Product Weight | 380 gms. |
Shipping Charges(USD) |
Intense political polarization, confrontation and violence have rocked Thailand recently, much of it a divisive legacy of the 2006 coup. Conflicts centre on the legitimacy of institutions and the uses and abuses of power alongside the parallel crisis of state legitimacy posed by the ongoing violence in the countrys Deep South. This collection of essays explores themes and issues arising from the continuing confrontations that have dominated Thailands domestic affairs and affected its international relations in the years 2008 to early 2010. Based on extensive research and documentation, this volume offers an important review and analysis of key events and trends in Thailands volatile public affairs during this period. The book brings together essays by Thai specialists as well as Western scholars on pivotal topics connected to Thailands current legitimacy crisis. It begins with a lively narrative of major events and in subsequent chapters covers the politicization of the Khao Phra Wihan (Preah Vihear) temple issue; the Peoples Alliance for Democracy and its New Politics; the politicization of the Thai media; the revived role of the Thai military in influencing politics and governance; and the challenge of the persistent unrest in Thailands south. The book concludes with an insightful analysis of the key challenges facing the country politically, institutionally and economically. The events of MarchMay 2010, which saw a dramatic face off between the red-shirt movement and the government, are discussed in an afterword. This collection is published as volume 5 in the yearbook series of King Prajadhipoks Institute, Thailand.