Recent discussions on New Mandala have veered back towards the role of the royal family in Thai political life. In an effort to keep these productive conversations going Paul Handley has kindly offered his paper for the 10th International Conference on Thai Studies held at Thammasat University, Bangkok from 9-11 January 2008. It is titled “Princes, Politicians, Bureaucrats, Generals: The Evolution of the Privy Council under the Constitutional Monarchy”.
The full paper (slightly revised since the Bangkok conference) is available here.
The summary is:
While generally thought of as advisory boards for monarchs, the Thai Privy Council in the reign of King Bhumibol Adulyadej is more of a “Royal Interests Section” which not only collects information to provide to the king but also works actively to defend the monarchy’s position and discreetly propagate its message. The expansion from a handful of councillors to the current maximum of 19, and the types of people chosen to serve on it, reflect the evolution of the council’s role and the needs and interests of the king at various times. This paper outlines the development and composition of its members.
Further discussion of the many issues raised by Handley’s argument are, of course, very welcome.
1 response so far ↓
1 ChrisIPS // Mar 28, 2008 at 4:57 am
…………thank you to Paul Handley and to New Mandala for providing an access point to this very informative history of the Privy Council and its various roles and interests….I think it is quite useful and beneficial to have an open dialogue on the Privy Council’s role and by inference, the role of the King……whether one agrees or disagrees with the Council’s policies and efforts, I think it is normal to assume and accept that the King and his Council have an understandable and essential role in the Thai situation and the idea that an open discussion and knowledge of this role should not be allowed makes no sense at all as well as casting a more negative aspect on the Privy Council and King’s role than would be cast in a more open and straightforward discussion and atmosphere……..
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