The Thai Village Economy in the Past

Book excerpt: The Thai Village Economy in the Past is one of the classics of modern Thai history. Few books have provoked so much interest or controversy. Though the theme of the book is deceptively simple--that the Thai rural economy was a subsistence economy and remained so much longer than is commonly thought--the message of the book has proved far from simple. Chatthip has written the history of the village from the viewpoint of the village, making it one of the key texts of the "community culture" movement and rural revival. Much of the book's appeal stems from its straightforward style and startling ideas. The village existed before capitalism and before the state. It has its own culture which owes little to urban influence. It took the Buddhism that came from outside and subordinated it to local beliefs. Constantly in print since its first publication in 1984, it is now available in English for the first time. Chatthip Nartsupha is professor of economic history at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok.