ABSTRACT
Since 1985, Thailand has moved from a succession of corrupt and unaccountable military dictatorships to a parliamentary system of government based on competitive elections among civilian-led political parties. However, one of the great paradoxes of Thai politics has been the continued high levels of corruption in the wake of greater political liberalization. This chapter argues that the dominance secured by capital over the state following Thailand’s democratic transition is the key to understanding this apparent contradiction.
