Neo-Liberalism, the Rise of the Unelected and Policymaking in Thailand
The Case of the Medical Tourism Industry
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 3986327 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Kaewkamol Pitakdumrongkit (0000-0002-7639-2843, Nanyang Technological University), Gene Lim (0000-0001-9083-8883, Nanyang Technological University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2021 |
| Volume | 51 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 447-468 |
| Publication date | 2021-05-27 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Contemporary Asia (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0047-2336 • E-ISSN: 1752-7554 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/00472336.2020.1740294 |
| OpenAlex | W3017231619 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 5 |
| References cited | 41 |
This article discusses how neo-liberal ideas about development take root when they encounter the very different political and economic context of a developing economy. It analyses Thailand’s medical tourism industry, earmarked by Thailand’s government as one of several priority industries to boost the economy in the aftermath of the 1997 Asian Economic Crisis, which ravaged Thailand and ushered in a group of unelected actors-“reign-seekers”-intent on disbursing supposedly de-politicised neo-liberal governance reform. This article makes three inter-related arguments. First, these unconventional actors function as a fluid intermediary linking various public agencies, private sector players and civil society actors, fostering dialogue and reconciling diverging interests. Second, the influence of neo-liberalism on the workings of the state has been relatively modest as the “reign-seekers” have primarily promoted welfare-oriented policies over pro-business ones. Third, the “reign-seeking” elites’ welfare-oriented stance underlines the fracture and heterogeneity within a group of supposedly neo-liberal proponents
Context (archaeology · Corporate governance · Economics · Economy · Government (linguistics · Liberalism · Management · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Reign · Sociology · State (computer science · Tourism · Global Healthcare and Medical Tourism · Law · Public Administration · Southeast Asian Sociopolitical Studies · Vietnamese History and Culture Studies
The Rise of the Unelected
Driving a Bargain
Global Transformations
Breaking the mould
The antipolitics of good governance
Neo-liberalism and East Asia
Innovation and participation for healthy public policy
Neoliberalism is Dead ... Long Live Neoliberalism
Public policy with Vietnamese characteristics
Addressing the Internal Brain Drain of Medical Doctors in Thailand
A new inequality? Privatisation, urban bias, migration and medical tourism
Thailand’s Traditional Trinity and the Rule of Law
Transnationalization and the Restructuring of Europe’s Socioeconomic Order
The financial crisis in Thailand
Neoliberalizing Space
Recovering from Crisis
Electoral Reform and Public Policy Outcomes in Thailand
Depoliticisation, governance and the state
Constitutions, Regimes and Power in Thailand
Unequal Thailand
Thaksin Shinawatra and the reshaping of Thai politics
The Policies and Politics of Industrial Upgrading in Thailand during the Thaksin Era (2001–2006)
Network monarchy and legitimacy crises in Thailand
Crazy Rich Thais
Financial Crises and Automotive Industry Development in Southeast Asia
Thailand's Deep State, Royal Power and the Constitutional Court (1997-2015)
Who Governs? Autonomous Political Networks as a Challenge to Power in Thailand
Reign-seeking and the Rise of the Unelected in Thailand
Toppling democracy
Bankers and Bureaucrats
Political Change in Thailand
| Unique citing works | 5 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2021 - 2025 (5) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 5 |