A Social Network Analysis of Political Networks and Democracy in Thailand
10
Issued Date
2025-05-01
Resource Type
ISSN
26300931
eISSN
26510529
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105005530791
Journal Title
Thailand and the World Economy
Volume
43
Issue
2
Start Page
67
End Page
99
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Thailand and the World Economy Vol.43 No.2 (2025) , 67-99
Suggested Citation
Yomnak T., Kitiyakara T., Chaiwat T., Poopunpanich S., Saiprasert A., Neokul N., Sutuktis C. A Social Network Analysis of Political Networks and Democracy in Thailand. Thailand and the World Economy Vol.43 No.2 (2025) , 67-99. 99. Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/110358
Title
A Social Network Analysis of Political Networks and Democracy in Thailand
Author's Affiliation
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Personal relationships have historically been a significant influence in Thai culture, extending into national politics. Ties between members of the Senate and the House of Representatives through various networks are good examples of this observation. Academic research has suggested that such networks could lead to oligarchic politics and thus jeopardise the quality of a functioning democracy, but it has yet to identify the specific patterns and quantify the intensity of these relationships. Using Social Network Analysis framework, this paper compared the levels and patterns of relationships between members of Parliament during four recent parliamentary terms and analysed their relationship with the quality of Thailand’s democracy during each period. The results showed a strong inverse correlation between the intensity of political networks and the quality of democracy. Although the mechanism for this relationship is not clear, these political networks may intervene in government policymaking to formulate policies that favour partisans and coordinate to reduce democratic governance of policymaking and other political institutions. The finding suggests that Social Network Analysis can be used to monitor the level of in-group networks in parliament, which may reduce economic rent-seeking, a distinguished characteristic of oligarchy, and thus facilitate a better-functioning democracy in Thailand.