Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Thailand has weathered many storms in recent years: military coups, an economic crisis,
ongoing political turmoil as the establishment yellow shirts battle the populist red shirts,
devastating and politically challenging natural disasters, and the uncertainty of a new or-
der as the reign of beloved King Bhumibol Adulyadej comes to an end.
There is no definitive answer to what is next, except that all will transpire against the
backdrop of a revered king's passing and the political transformation in its wake. Still,
visitors flock to Bangkok. Thailand's beaches in the south and mountainous resorts in the
north are crowded. And the economy manages to grow, thanks to Thailand's geography,
natural endowments, and a resourceful and hospitable people who take life in their stride.
Thailand's existential sociopolitical crisis is likely to be offset by its mass of tourist attrac-
tions and future economic development.
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Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Professor of International Political Economy and Director of
the Institute of Security and International Studies at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok.
