Most studies of Southeast Asian economic change focus on the phenomenal growth experienced by a few large cities, such as Jakarta, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Studies of the rural areas have concerned themselves with the social and environmental impact of metropolitan growth. The literature reveals that few analysts have examined the middle distance between metropolis and countryside. The contributors to this text have addressed the issue by concentrating on the intermediate level of economic, political and social life - the world of Thailand's provincial cities and market towns. In the last decade of the 20th century, the rise of frequently violent competition for business and political leadership in the Thai provinces, and the growing importance of provincial support for national powerholders, has drawn attention to the way in which these towns and village centres are being transformed by capitalist development. This volume brings together some of the research inspired by this, drawing on a variety of disciplinary approaches, national backgrounds, and sites of study. (view table of contents)

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