ABSTRACT

This conclusion presents some closing thoughts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book. The book argues for the value of taking a two-stranded perspective to the analysis of local government and the local government reform. It is also important to appreciate that the irregularities in the Thailand's formal democracy are highly visible and open to criticism in a way that those of bureaucratic regimes are not. In contemporary Thailand illegal deals can be exposed, and it is possible to write about the machinations of politicians like Montri Pongphanich. Moral as well as instrumental factors are important to voting behaviour, as Kerkvliet has argued with regard to the Philippines. Rural people do have views on what constitutes a good representative, and they do vote for the individuals when given the opportunity the Klang-born Democrat candidate is a case in point.