Burapha Journal of Political Economy

A Review of the Legal Landscape for Public-Private Partnerships in State Affairs

Asst. Prof. Suriya Hanphichai — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This article aims to present a review of the legal landscape of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in state affairs. It integrates knowledge from law, economics, and political science to understand and analyze the interplay between the legal system, the economic system, and political processes. This framework is used to analyze the concepts and background of public-private partnership laws in Thailand. It was found that the Public-Private Partnership Act B.E. 2562 (2019) was designed to align with international standards and best practices. Key principles include transparency, accountability, and appropriate risk allocation, which are features consistent with globally accepted approaches. Public-private partnership projects in Thailand are increasingly emphasizing projects that promote sustainability and social infrastructure, aligning with international principles that reflect the concept of partnership between the public and private sectors.

Global Inequality

Rapeepat Thammawatsuree — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This article aims to identify the main obstacle in global climate change governance by examining the Tragedy of the Commons at the international level, which is a key issue in climate cooperation and the enforcement of global warming mitigation policies. It argues that the key difficulty is not only the tragedy of the commons which is inherent to climate problems, but also the inequality among countries. This inequality reduces the willingness to cooperate on climate issues and creates obstacles to the effective implementation of climate change regulations.

From Securitization to Weaponization

Praween Van Rysselberge, Ph.D. Student — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This article examines Thailand’s NGO Draft Act as part of a broader shift toward securitized governance and symbolic control of civil society. While framed as a regulatory reform, the Draft Act reinforces a legal environment where independent organizations face increased surveillance, compliance burdens, and discursive suspicion. Drawing on documentary research and critical discourse analysis, the article explores how terms like “public order”, “morality” and “foreign influence” function to recast NGOs as threats rather than development partners. Building on Laungaramsri’s critique of moral regulation and Bourdieu’s concept of symbolic power, the article argues that the Draft Act does not simply constrain civil society, it redefines its legitimacy through ideological alignment and procedural filtering. Rather than banning organizations outright, the law institutionalizes cautious self-regulation, narrowing civic space under the appearance of legal neutrality. By bridging securitization theory, autocratic legalism and symbolic power, the article shows how legal reforms can be deployed to criminalize dissent while preserving a façade of democratic order.

The Cold War, the United States, and the Nation-State Building Process in the Thai-Cambodian Borderlands

Pitsanuwat Yaprom, Ph.D. Student — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700

During the Cold War, self-defense villages along the Thai-Cambodian border played a crucial role in safeguarding national security and advancing the geopolitical strategies of the United States in Southeast Asia. This article seeks to illuminate the role of U.S. assistance in shaping Thailand’s nation-state building during the Cold War, as well as the operations of these self-defense villages in reinforcing state security and instilling national ideology in the Thai-Cambodian borderlands. The study employs a combination of documentary research and fieldwork, using the concept of state-nation building as the analytical framework. The findings reveal that: (1) U.S. technical and financial support significantly enhanced the capacity of the Thai state by extending its reach and enabling it to better understand and respond to the needs of local populations. This was achieved through infrastructure development, modern mapping, and the establishment of civilian operations units. (2) Furthermore, the Thai-Cambodian self-defense village program, co-established with U.S. involvement, emerged as a critical mechanism for strengthening Thai state security. It contributed to national defense and the containment of populations within border areas to counter foreign military threats and the influx of Cambodian refugees. These efforts were carried out through military training exercises, land entitlement programs, and livelihood development initiatives. Simultaneously, institutional inculcation, centered on the nation, religion, monarchy, and democracy, along with population relocation and the manipulation of feelings of security and insecurity, helped to instill a sense of national imagination and delineate the boundaries of loyalty between Thai citizens and Cambodian migrants.

"The Judicial-Intellectual Class”

Jaturong Suthawan — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This study interrogates the Thai political crisis arising from the judiciary’s proactive interventions in political cases, a phenomenon referred to as the “Judicialization of Thai Politics.” Rather than limiting the inquiry to the judiciary as an institutional apparatus, it emphasizes the cultural power of the so-called "The judicial-intellectual class” as part of a broader historical bloc. The central hypothesis is that judicialization has assumed the status of an informal regime, emerging from the conjuncture of diverse political forces within a particular historical moment, in which the judiciary served as a crucial mechanism for constructing and sustaining hegemonic power through judicial rulings. To analyze this power relation, the study traces the class trajectories of judicial bureaucrats since the period prior to the 1932 Siamese Revolution, employing the concept of hegemonic strategy as the primary analytical domain, while synthesizing class theory as a subsidiary framework to explain the roles of various political groups in shaping hegemonic configurations after the 2006 coup.

Findings indicate that the judicial-intellectual class crystallized through class struggles, combining economic and cultural capital with social capital derived from ties to the monarchy, military, and Buddhist sangha. These resources were transformed into symbolic capital, reproduced via the education system, and expanded alongside the middle class. Although this class occasionally aligned with democratic movements, its actions largely reflected the ideological orientation of the ruling elites, culminating in support for the 2006 coup. This reveals a conservative-leaning and ambivalent class position embedded within a complex hegemonic unity, which ultimately reinforced authoritarian power by positioning the judiciary as a pivotal political instrument.

The Political Economy of Creating Innovation in Elderly Well-being in the Southern Border Region

Asst. Prof. Dr. Aussiri Lapi-e, Dr. Takorn Sittichock, Dr. Apiradee Jiropas — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This article aims to portray the management of the elderly's well-being system in the southern border region through the Yaha Buddy Health Care model, developed by the Yaha Subdistrict Municipality in Yala Province. The research design is qualitative, utilising participant observation and in-depth interviews with local administrators, community leaders, health network partners, and elderly groups in the area. The methodology employs a holistic political economy analysis to examine and categorise the components of the elderly well-being model, which is adapted from the social determinants of health concept and encompasses economic, political, social, environmental, and health dimensions. The research findings indicate that the Yaha Subdistrict Municipality's elderly welfare promotion innovation was formed under the Yaha Buddy Health Care concept, which expanded to establish elderly clubs and develop the Yaha Buddy Health Care application. This represents a product of integrating social and technological innovation based on connecting all dimensions of social determinants of health with a balanced local context. At the same time, this innovation is a crucial condition for creating health equity, as it addresses the inequality in access to and benefit from past well-being services. Therefore, this research suggests that relevant stakeholders should establish proactive operational standards alongside creating new mechanisms to provide well-being welfare to all elderly groups according to their diverse needs. It is expected that this will achieve the goal of driving local innovation that can truly support the sustainability of the elderly social welfare system in the southern border region.

The Political Economy of Vietnam’s Economic Policy

Dr. Visara Kraiwatanapong, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Achariya Choowonglert — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This study examines digital transformation policies in Vietnam’s financial and banking sectors and analyzes their social impacts. A qualitative methodology is employed, combining fieldwork through in-depth interviews with documentary research. The findings reveal that the Vietnamese government plays a critical role in fostering an enabling ecosystem for the growth of the financial technology (FinTech) industry, particularly through improvements in the payment system and the development of relevant laws and regulations. Widespread internet accessibility has further stimulated both domestic and foreign investment in the FinTech sector. Digital payment methods, such as QR codes and e-wallets, have gained rapid popularity among consumers. At the same time, competitive interest rates and the expansion of financial products targeting low-income groups have created broader opportunities for individuals to access financial loans through both formal and informal channels. However, legislative gaps continue to pose risks for both borrowers and lenders. Employment structures are also transforming. Although workforce reductions in the financial and banking sectors remain limited, employees are increasingly required to possess advanced technological skills and to adapt to rapid digital changes. Overall, the study’s analysis of Vietnam’s digital transformation policies highlights critical lessons for other countries seeking to align financial and banking reforms with broader state development goals. These transformations not only reshape the institutional landscape but also influence people’s behaviors and everyday lives in profound ways.

Book Review: Gerald L. Bruns. Hermeneutics: Ancients and Modern

Dr. Shotica Cousnit — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Book review: Gendered Experiences of Land Confiscation in Myanmar

Dr. Thouchanok Sattayavinit, Dr. Kampanart Benjanavee — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700

ผู้เขียนทั้งสามคนของงานเขียนชิ้น ประกอบด้วย Caitlin Pierce และ Lindsey Hurtle รวมถึงJohn Bainbridge ต่างเป็นผู้เชี่ยวชาญเกี่ยวกับประเด็นการพัฒนาระหว่างประเทศและการแก้ไขปัญหาความขัดแย้ง (Huff Post News, 2017; Linsey Hurtle, n.d.; Peace Insight, n.d.) ได้ร่วมกันเขียนงานเขียนชิ้นนี้ที่เป็นส่วนหนึ่งของรายงานการศึกษาที่จัดทำขึ้นโดยองค์กรอิสระระหว่างประเทศอย่าง Saferworld ที่มีเป้าหมายหลัก คือการเข้าไปแทรกแซงต่อความขัดแย้งที่รุนแรง และสร้างพื้นที่ปลอดภัยในพื้นที่ความรุนแรง รวมถึงการผลักดันให้เกิดการพัฒนานโยบายและปฏิบัติการระดับท้องถิ่น ระดับชาติ และระดับนานาชาติที่สามารถนำไปสู่การยุติความขัดแย้งและการสร้างสันติ (Saferworld, n.d.) โดยที่งานเขียนชิ้นนี้เป็นความพยายามในการสะท้อนถึงปัญหาการยึดที่ดิน (Land Confiscation) ของประชาชนโดยรัฐและกลุ่มกองกำลังติดอาวุธในสังคมของเมียนมา อันเชื่อมโยงกับประสบการณ์ความไม่เท่าเทียมและความไม่เป็นธรรมทางเพศ ทั้งนี้ กรณีศึกษาที่ถูกนำเสนอ คือกรณีของพื้นที่ส่วนตะวันออกของเขตพะโค (Eastern Bago Region) และรัฐกะเหรี่ยง (Kayin State)

Book Review: Retelling the Tale of Two Democracies: How Shifting Urban-Rural Dynamics Shaped Thailand’s 2023 General Election

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suthikarn Meechan — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700