The domination of a fussy strongman in provincial Thailand: The case of Banharn Silpa-archa in Suphanburi

Yoshinori Nishizaki*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Several scholars portray Thai provincial strongmen as having character traits associated with nakleng - 'tough guys' - who are violent and ruthless toward enemies, but generous and compassionate toward supporters. Banharn Silpa-archa, the strongman of Suphanburi province, does not fit the description however. His personality is reflected in the way he meticulously - fussily - monitors all local development projects. This surveillance pushes otherwise lazy and inefficient local civil servants to be more diligent in their work. Banharn's domination rests on Suphanburians' appreciation of his non-nakleng-type leadership.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)267-291
Number of pages25
JournalJournal of Southeast Asian Studies
Volume37
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2006
Externally publishedYes

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The domination of a fussy strongman in provincial Thailand: The case of Banharn Silpa-archa in Suphanburi'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this