Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Thailand

This long-awaited second edition of the Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Thailand offers a comprehensive, authoritative, and multidisciplinary investigation into the complex forces shaping the nation in the 21st century.

New for this edition is an in-depth exploration of the persistent dominance of the monarchy and the military; the systemic "lawfare" used to neutralise democratic challengers; and the emergence of vibrant, youth-led movements demanding fundamental structural reform. Beyond the political arena, the volume maps the intricate landscape of a society in flux: the digital transformation that has fostered both networked activism but also sophisticated authoritarian surveillance; the historical roots of the violence in the southern border provinces; and the shift in gender and sexual politics from the margins to the forefront of human rights discourse. By assembling leading scholars to analyse the country’s turbulent modern trajectory, this volume transcends traditional narratives to provide an incisive examination of the systemic power dynamics, social fissures, and evolving political identities that define Thailand today.

The volume will be an essential guide for researchers, students, and policymakers specialising in fields such as Southeast Asian Studies, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Sociology, and Human Rights, providing a roadmap for navigating the profound contradictions inherent in the contemporary Thai state.