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Traders, Kinsmen and Trading Counterparts: The Rise of Local Politicians in North‐western Thailand 1
Author(s) -
Pawakapan Niti
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
the australian journal of anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.245
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 1757-6547
pISSN - 1035-8811
DOI - 10.1111/j.1835-9310.2003.tb00241.x
Subject(s) - politics , task (project management) , political economy , business , economy , marketing , political science , economics , management , law
This paper focuses on local traders and their political activities and networks in north‐western Thailand. Most town residents are engaged in trade, full‐time and part‐time. A few well‐off traders have become involved in local politics. However, getting political support, especially the votes, is no easy task. The paper attempts to demonstrate that local traders acquire support through the co‐operation of their bilateral kinsmen, trading counterparts, peers and neighbours. They form a complex network that overlaps with temple organisations and business relationships. As a result, such networks often successfully draw in political support from many townspeople, ranging from regular customers to temple‐goers and elderly religious devotees.