He made a fortune of two bilion US dollars in four years. He won four elections by landslides. He was overthrown by a coup and driven into exile. His opponents and supporters dressed themselves in red and yellow and fought battles on the streets.
To some, he is a visionary, even a revolutionary. To others, he is greedy, deceitful, deluded, dangerous.
This book was first published in 2004. Four new chapters provide a detailed account of the turmoil of Thai politics over the subsequent five years.
About the authors
Pasuk Phongpaichit is professor of economics at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok. Chris Baker is an independent writer. Together they have also written Thailand: Economy and Politics, Thaniland's Boom and Bust, and Thailand's Crisis.
