[Tlc] new book on Thai coup

[justinm at ucr.edu]

Dear All,

I have not read this book yet, but for those interested in the
Thai coup, this (below) was just published.

Best,
justin

“A Coup For the Rich:    Thailand’s political Crisis”
by
Giles Ji Ungpakorn
Workers Democracy Publishing   2007 
     If you believe in “elite theory”, you will see all
developments in Thai history and politics as being determined
by great leaders and great minds. You will support the idea
that Democracy is a Western concept, unsuited to Thai society.
You will believe that Thais worship Kings and dictators and
all political events are due to the manipulation by Kings,
Generals, Bosses or rich Politicians. But a one handed clap
against thin air is nothing. An analysis that does not
consider the relationship between the rulers and the ruled in
a dialectical fashion is worthless. 
    It is impossible to understand Thai society and politics
without a class struggle perspective. The reform movement that
led to the 1997 Constitution was led from below. It ended up
being hijacked by right-wing liberals and money politicians.
The Populism of Thai Rak Thai can only be explained by the
power of the oppressed and their potential to revolt in times
of crisis. But Thai Rak Thai Populism is a terrible distortion
of class struggle because it is a mechanism to buy social
peace by a capitalist party. The coup of 2006 can only be
understood as a “Coup for the Rich” against the interests of
the poor. Both Populism and the coup were only possible
because of the weakness in politics of the Thai Peoples
Movement. This weakness has historical roots in the defeat of
a previous cycle of class struggle in the 1970s. Finally, the
violence in the South can only be explained by looking at the
repression of the Thai State against the Malay Muslim
population and how that population is fighting back.
     This book attempts to analyse and sharply criticise
contemporary Thai politics in a time of serious crisis. It
deals with the Taksin crisis, the coup, the various sections
of the elite (including the Monarchy), the Peoples Movement
and the violence in the South. Hopefully it will stimulate
further debate and discussion which will lead to an even
better analysis of events.
Contents
Chapter 1     The Taksin Crisis and the Coup for the Rich
Chapter 2     Inventing Ancient Thai Traditions: an analysis
of the Monarchy
Chapter 3     The politics of the Peoples Movement and the
“October People”
Chapter 4      Southern Woes: Why the Thai state is
responsible for the violence in the South and the problems of
the tsunami

How to buy this book
The book should be available from Chulalongkorn University
bookshops from late February 2007.
You can also order the book direct by mail:
1.	Within Thailand: send a Thai bank cheque or postal order
for 200 baht (cost includes postage) to: Giles Ji Ungpakorn,
Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University,
Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
2.	From Abroad: send a U.K. sterling bank cheque for five
pounds (cost includes airmail postage) to: Giles Ji Ungpakorn,
Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University,
Bangkok 10330, Thailand. OR send cash to the sum of ten U.S.
dollars to the above address.





______________
Dr. Justin McDaniel
Dept. of Religious Studies
2617 Humanities Building
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA 92521
951-827-4530
justinm at ucr.edu