The Journal of the Siam Society Vol. LXIV, Part 1-2, 1976 - Khamkoo

REVIEWS 411
Chakrit Noranitipadungkarn Elites, Power Structure and Politics in Thai
Communities (Research Center, N.l.D.A., Bangkok, 1970), ix+l99.
It is not always fair for a book to be reviewed some five years after
its publication. Theoretical perspectives change and a reviewer has to
consider the work in its historical context rather than attempt a
contemporary assessment. If written now, Dr. Chakrit's book would
probably include a more sophisticated analysis of social competition and
conflict, it might employ the concepts of social network, action set,
quasi-group, etc., to complement or replace the use of sociograms which
indicate one or two way communications between elite members without
reference to context. Given such qualifications, however, the volume
remains important for anyone interested in Thai social organization
because of its pioneering nature and the information it provides about
small town politics and social organization.
In what was his Ph.D. project Dr. Chakrit sought to specify and
study the local elite in two Thai municipalities (tesaban tambol) which be
then compared in order to provide some idea of tbe underlying similarities
as well as of the types of variation which can occur. The first
community is a small coastal town in Cholburi referred to as Bang Saai;
the second, Ban Hin, is located in Saraburi where it is important as a
regional headquarters for the rail way.
In both towns the local elite was first specified by evidence furnished
from a ten per cent sample survl!'y of all household heads plus interviews
with "key" persons in the public and private sectors. A second survey
was then conducted in which those assessed as elite members were
questioned in depth as to their own views of the local elite, their wealth,
family background, participation in public affairs, etc. In so doing the
author was able to compile a simple biographical profile of each individual
as well as obtain a lot of information about local politics, decision
making, disputes, and the complexities of relations with the central
government.