ABSTRACT
Thailand avoided colonization through the strategic mapping of Siam into a seemingly coherent and homogenous nation state. The King of Siam secured its borders from the ensuing encroachment of French and British colonizers through the establishment of its boundaries and turned Thailand into a buffer zone between France and Britain. While Thailand effectively resisted colonization it was not as successful in resisting economic subordination. Thailand was forced to accept several unfavorable economic treaties with the West over the past two centuries. Almost a century later, similar political-economic arrangements between Thailand and the West exist. The global market increasingly directed local production and trade in Thailand. The increasing integration into the global capitalist system resulted in Thailand's emergence as a global leader in rice exports. This role put Thailand in the subordinate position of supporting the imperial nations' economic interests. In Thailand, civil society essentially bypasses the state and moves from non-performing development to civil society led development.
