Thitinan Pongsudhirak: Thailand, A Nation in the Making

FSI-Humanities Center International Visitor

Thailand is stuck in a protracted political crisis as the twilight of its ailing 82-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s remarkable reign comes to an end. At stake in this unfolding endgame is a new nation in the making, with far-reaching ramifications for developing democracies elsewhere. As Thailand undergoes its most cathartic transformation in decades, a new consensus in its color-coated crisis will need to be found if the country is to regain its footing. This talk sets out to delineate the contours, dynamics, and prospects of what lies ahead for Thailand and why its fate matters to Southeast Asia and beyond.