The Thaksinization of Thailand
Duncan McCargo and Ukrist Pathmanand

ISBN-10 87-91114-46-2
ISBN-13 978-87-91114-46-5
2005, 285pp, 140x215 mm
Baht 625

• Examines the Thaksin phenomenon in depth.
• Draws on extensive research by two leading specialists in the field.

The 1997 economic crisis ended two decades of pluralism in Thai politics and helped create the conditions for the landslide election victory in January 2001 of Thaksin Shinawatra, a fabulously wealthy telecommunications magnate often compared with Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi. Prime Minister Thaksin has since exercised an extraordinary degree of personal dominance over the Thai political scene. The emergence of Thaksin and his Thai Rak Thai (Thais love Thai) Party has transformed Thailand’s electoral landscape, rendering previous analyses of Thai politics substantially outdated. This important study examines Thaksin’s background, his business activities, the emergence of Thai Rak Thai, his relationship with the military, Thaksin’s use of rhetoric through media such as radio, his wider political economy networks, and the future direction of Thai politics.