Author : Wilailuck Suvachittanont
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 378 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (953 download)
Book Synopsis The Role of Thai Identity in the 1997 Crisis and Beyond by : Wilailuck Suvachittanont
Download or read book The Role of Thai Identity in the 1997 Crisis and Beyond written by Wilailuck Suvachittanont and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 378 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This dissertation is about the role of Thai identity in the crisis that occurred in Thailand after 1997. My contention is that Thai identity is deeply intertwined in that crisis in many ways, most significantly in terms of perceptions of its causes and of its possible solutions. I have argued that even though the notion of a unified Thai identity is widely held among Thai people, what that identity is has changed over time and continues to be struggled over. To explain this connection I consider the unique character of Thai identity. The Thai notion of a fixed Thai identity is strongly supported by Buddhism and monarchical and government policies. At the same time, it has been defined and shaped by variety of groups from time to time for a variety of reasons, especially in the crisis. Using arguments from print news media demonstrates that positive and negative concepts of "Thainess" or Thai identity (Thai/un-Thai) play a role in the crisis. I focus on two main positions in the media that account for the crisis. First, globalization is blamed. Second, some Thai values and practices are blamed. In response to the crisis, Thai businesses and industries, governments and political parties refigure and make use of older tensions over Thai identity in terms of three figures of businesses: multinational corporations and the IMF, indigenous or local businesses, and Thai-based franchises. These three players reveal that Thainess or Thai identity plays an important role in shaping the future of Thailand. Given the significance of what is at stake for Thailand, especially since the crisis, these debates involving Thai identity promise to continue.