A Meeting of Masks: Status, Power and Hierarchy in Bangkok by Sophorntavy Vorng (review)

The socio-political conflict among Thais which has lasted more than a decade already requires a multifaceted comprehensive explanation in order to understand its complex totality. A Meeting of Masks: Status, Power and Hierarchy in Bangkok by Sophorntavy Vorng is one such attempt that specifically examines the violent political conflict through the exploration of Bangkok middle-class identity, lifestyle and culture in terms of behaviour, power, social status, space and consumption, including the urban and rural division and hierarchy. The anthropological research method using interviews and observation is used in this study. The aims of this book are (1) critiquing established representations of a rupture between rural and urban Thai society and (2) highlighting more the major socioeconomic diversity of Bangkok’s middle class, rather than conveying the sense that Bangkok is uniformly populated by a homogeneous, affluent, educated, and upwardly mobile middle class’ (p. 9). The author herself stresses that the main objective of this work is to draw attention to the resentments and struggles of Bangkok’s middle classes, and the reasons for their political mobilization in the current conflict (p. 159). However, the author has not actually dealt with the issue of the resentments of the Bangkok middle class enough to help readers understand why and how they supported the military’s return to power after a long period of civilian rule.

Vorng devotes one chapter to define who the middle class in Bangkok are. Interestingly, the author tries to shed light on their complex identity. Apart from education, other factors contributing to their status include occupation and income. Moreover, she suggests that the Bangkok middle class aspire to achieve the hiso or high society status. Having a hi-so status means one is rich, successful and famous, with accessories, living venues and activities associated with such people. Therefore, the Bangkok middle class have to present themselves and perform their everyday lives in such an ‘appropriately wealthy’ way so as to validate and confirm their status.

The author analyses the hierarchy and inequality of Thailand’s society through words and expressions used by the middle-class Bangkokians in their daily discourse. For example, kalathesa (which she translates as ‘time and place’), khaorop sathanthi (respect for place), and ruu thi sung thi tam (knowing who is socially high or low) are mentioned throughout the book and used to explain that individuals should behave in a way that is appropriate to varying places and people. To respect the place and to know who is high or low is a practice required by social relationships in Thai hierarchical society. Kalathesa in particular possesses a strong moral imperative. To violate kalathesa incurs a loss of one’s ‘face’ (na ta) and respect, or creates an embarrassment in the presence of more powerful people (p. 53). She stresses that tha-na or wealth and connection plays a more important role in individuals’ lives than merit and ability. Therefore, better education would lead to good professions and connections which the Bangkok middle class typically compete to obtain. Vorng also points out that the socioeconomic hierarchical system gives rise to the Bangkok middle class’s social anxieties, especially the ever apprehension of losing of one’s status.

Vorng also provides an account of the rise of shopping malls in the Siam-Ratchaprasong trade-centre area as a major result of the capitalist economic growth during the past fifty years in Thailand. That is why the Siam-Ratchaprasong area has turned into the new centre of Bangkok’s dominant power. It has become the ‘new city’ of modern life for shopping, fashion, and entertainment, replacing the old city of the Rattanakosin area, its out-dated rival. Hence the relocation of both the Red and Yellow shirts demonstrations from the Rattanakosin to the Siam-Ratchaprasong area in recent years in accordance with the latter’s greater importance and centrality. While this analysis of Vorng’s sounds reasonable, one should not lose sight...