PSC Seminar--Voices and Votes amid Violence: The Case of the Three Southernmost Provinces of Thailand

Event details

PSC Seminar

Date & time

Tuesday 28 February 2017
12.30pm–2pm

Venue

PSC Reading Room 4.27, Hedley Bull Centre (130), Garran Road, ANU

Speaker

Daungyewa Utarasint

Contacts

Helen McMartin

I have two central findings. First, there is a correlation between the magnitude of violence and the autonomy of voters. After severe violence, legislative candidates and vote-canvassers have less sway over voters, as the electorate is more likely to make political decisions based on news reporting and community word-of-mouth. Under such circumstances, political operatives have less access and influence. Second, chronic low-level violence is likely to enhance the influence of patron-client relations in determining political outcomes as vote-canvassers engage directly with villages on behalf of candidates and powerful local figures. As long as the chronic violence persists in the most southern region, the traditional system of patron-client relationship will remain solid, and the widespread vote buying will continue.

Daungyewa Utarasint is a PhD candidate in the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs, The Australian National University. She focuses her research on conflict and violence in Thailand’s Deep South. She currently teaches at the Department of Political Science, Prince of Songkla University, Pattani.

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