Praetorians, Profiteers or Professionals? Studies on the Militaries of Myanmar and Thailand
Date of publication:
2020
Publisher:
ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute
Number of pages:
177
Code:
BM597
Soft Cover
ISBN: 9789814881753
Review
Marwaan Macan-Markar, https://asia.nikkei.com/Life-Arts/Arts/Book-review-Thai-Myanmar-militaries-bounded-by-politics-power-profit
"Praetorians, Profiteers or Professionals? -- Studies on the Militaries of Myanmar and Thailand, a collection of essays by various authors, sheds further light on the role of the armed forces outside the traditional limits of defense. The chapter by Paul Chambers, an academic expert on the Thai military, states that two conditions have enabled the generals to dominate Thailand. The first is the military's close association with the monarchy, which the generals have pledged to defend. In return they have gained legitimacy for their political forays. The second is an ideology they have evolved over more than a century to "rationalize the legitimacy of interventionism to rescue, defend and develop the nation."
About the publication
Praetorians, Profiteers or Professionals? contributes to the ongoing renaissance in scholarship on Southeast Asia’s armed forces and their political, social and economic roles. This renaissance comes in an era in which the states of the region, and the societies and economies that they govern, have grown complex beyond all recognition. Nevertheless, understanding those states’ armies remains crucial.
Emphasizing the ideologies and economic activities of the militaries of two large Mainland Southeast Asian neighbours, this volume transcends clichés about coups, coercion, caudillos and kings. Its findings will challenge the thinking of even long-time observers of the region, not least through its comparative perspective and the fresh understanding of the roles and orientations of the armed forces of Myanmar and Thailand that that perspective suggests.
Contents
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Praetorians, Profiteers or Professionals? Studies on the Militaries of Myanmar and Thailand
[Whole Publication, ISBN: 9789814881760], by Michael J Montesano, Terence Chong, Prajak Kongkirati, editors -
Preliminary pages
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1. Introduction: Two Mainland Southeast Asian Militaries in Comparative Perspective, by Michael J Montesano, Terence Chong, Prajak Kongkirati, authors
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2. A New Tatmadaw with Old Characteristics, by Nay Yan Oo, author
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3. Thailand’s Military: Ideology and Sense of Mission , by Paul Chambers, author
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4. The Defence Expenditures and Commercial Interests of the Tatmadaw, by Maung Aung Myoe, author
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5. The Economic Role of the Thai Military: A Commercial Logic to Coups?, by Kanda Naknoi, author
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6. Epilogue: Controlling or Playing Politics? , by Robert H. Taylor, author
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Index
