On Thai Education: The Seams of Power in the History of Thai Schooling (1947–2019) - Pinyapan Potjanalawan

On Thai Education:
The Seams of Power in the History of Thai Schooling (1947–2019)

By Pinyapan Potjanalawan

Excessive punishment, corporal discipline, and institutional regulations that override the Constitution. Why has the violation of student liberties become the "norm" in Thai schools?

From the rigid policing of the student body to the enduring grip of the patronage system, the "painful" realities within the school fence are not accidental. They are the calculated outcomes of a specific power structure.

SM Publishing House presents a definitive and systematic inquiry into the history of the Thai educational apparatus. While society heralds education as a cornerstone of progress, On Thai Education reveals a contradictory reality: a system designed to bind, stagnate, and suppress rather than liberate.

Pinyapan Potjanalawan, a distinguished historian of state power and inequality, meticulously uncovers the historical evidence behind this stagnation. He traces the evolution of Thai schooling from the post-war era through decades of military coups and bureaucratic expansion.

"The core violence highlighted in this work is the byproduct of centralized educational management—a reflection of an authoritarian political structure long dominated by military regimes and a rigid bureaucracy. Certain networks have maintained their grip on political power and resources regardless of the administration, whether through state-aligned capital or the gatekeeping of knowledge. This power only intensifies during periods of coups and hyper-centralization. This study provides a necessary 'Longue Durée' historical perspective, revealing how the structures of educational control in Thai society were constructed, sustained, and adapted over time."

— From Chapter 7: Conclusion

Details
▪️Format : Paperback
▪️Piyavit Tepumnuaysakul : Editor-in-Chief
▪️Sittiwat Ruangpongsatorn : Editor
▪️Designed by ● SM STUDIO | Chirawat Rotaim ●
▪️Published : September 2022
▪️Length : 352 pages
▪️ISBN : 978-616-562-043-7
▪️Dimensions (in) : 5.25 x 8.25
▪️Price : 380 THB