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From domestic legitimacy to international recognition: Sufficiency Economy Philosophy as foreign policy in Thailand

Amphan, Kevin (2019) CÖSM40
Centre for East and South-East Asian Studies, Lund University
Abstract
This thesis explored the usage of the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) by asking if its use in Thai foreign policy is a tool for political legitimacy and international recognition? SEP was coined by the late Thai King Bhumibhol Adulyadej, as an alternative development approach. It espoused moderation, reasonableness and immunity with the support of knowledge and morality. It became a pillar of Thai politics as the 2014 coup-makers, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), introduced the concept at the UN as way to realize the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). This thesis used qualitative content analysis on nine foreign policy speeches to better understand this shift in Thai foreign policy. Five categories of usage were... (More)
This thesis explored the usage of the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) by asking if its use in Thai foreign policy is a tool for political legitimacy and international recognition? SEP was coined by the late Thai King Bhumibhol Adulyadej, as an alternative development approach. It espoused moderation, reasonableness and immunity with the support of knowledge and morality. It became a pillar of Thai politics as the 2014 coup-makers, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), introduced the concept at the UN as way to realize the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). This thesis used qualitative content analysis on nine foreign policy speeches to better understand this shift in Thai foreign policy. Five categories of usage were extracted, namely, 1. Thailand’s role in the international community, 2. the monarchy, 3. Forward Engagement Policy, 4. values of the NCPO, and 5. localization of SEP. The thesis concludes that the NCPO’s SEP narrative internationally functions both as a way to gain domestic political legitimacy, by association to the monarchy and its moral principles, as well as a tool for international recognition by having SEP be accepted for its usefulness in realizing the SDG, despite its connection to an authoritarian regime. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Amphan, Kevin
supervisor
organization
course
CÖSM40
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Sufficiency economy philosophy, Thailand, Foreign policy analysis, Thai foreign policy, Sustainable development goals, Political legitimacy, International recognition, Linkage politics.
language
English
id
8996927
date added to LUP
2019-10-22 10:58:15
date last changed
2019-10-22 10:58:15
@misc{8996927,
  abstract     = {{This thesis explored the usage of the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) by asking if its use in Thai foreign policy is a tool for political legitimacy and international recognition? SEP was coined by the late Thai King Bhumibhol Adulyadej, as an alternative development approach. It espoused moderation, reasonableness and immunity with the support of knowledge and morality. It became a pillar of Thai politics as the 2014 coup-makers, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), introduced the concept at the UN as way to realize the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). This thesis used qualitative content analysis on nine foreign policy speeches to better understand this shift in Thai foreign policy. Five categories of usage were extracted, namely, 1. Thailand’s role in the international community, 2. the monarchy, 3. Forward Engagement Policy, 4. values of the NCPO, and 5. localization of SEP. The thesis concludes that the NCPO’s SEP narrative internationally functions both as a way to gain domestic political legitimacy, by association to the monarchy and its moral principles, as well as a tool for international recognition by having SEP be accepted for its usefulness in realizing the SDG, despite its connection to an authoritarian regime.}},
  author       = {{Amphan, Kevin}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{From domestic legitimacy to international recognition: Sufficiency Economy Philosophy as foreign policy in Thailand}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}