Title: Changes in the Thai Political Dynamics: An Emergence of the Middle Class in an Electronic Age
Ninth International Conference on Thai Studies, Liberal Arts and Sciences External Programming,
Northern Illinois University, April 3 - 6, 2005

Conference theme(s): CIVIL SOCIETY; THAI HISTORY; MEDIA, POPULAR CULTURE, MUSIC

Abstract (250 words or less)

Since the democratization of the country in 1932, Thailand has undergone a lot of political changes. The shifts of power within the political realm have been evident, affecting the endless struggles of Thais to realize the real meaning of full democracy.  Through pains, the country has gained lessons.  Yet, the struggle is far from ending, if such an ultimate goal exists. 

In the era where globalization and consumerism are dominating the ways in which the majority of citizens of Thailand live their lives as passive consumers of foreign merchandises, cultures and ideologies, the struggles for full democracy are both facilitated and hindered by the media in the 21st century.  Among the various types of media, the "E" for "electronic" stands out as a new weapon and tool for both the people in power and the emerging political power poles, especially those of the middle-class citizens.  Our paper will briefly review the history and examine the roles of the middle-class Thais who exploit the electronic media, especially on the Internet, in order to initiate, pursue, and materialize or exercise their political power against the politicians, who have also changed their faces and strategies over the past decade, or so. Specific examples will be provided and implications will be suggested.
 

Name, institution, address, and email of paper presenter

Snea Thinsan (sthinsan@indiana.edu)
Language Education, School of Education, Indiana University
800 North Union Street, #311, Bloomington, IN, 47408

Poom Moolsilpa (pmoolsil@indiana.edu)
Law School, Indiana University
211 South Indiana Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana