THAILAND: ANOTHER VIETNAM?

Professor of Political Science at Northern Illinois University, assigned for two years to the Institute of Public Administration in Bangkok, Daniel Wit analyzes Thailand for its present strengths and weaknesses, which may indicate whether it will indeed be another Vietnam. He describes the physical environment, the population (85% rural, 82% under forty), the educational system (""semi-advanced""), the relation between majority and minority groups, the economy (at a transitional stage of development). He delineates the current political system (elitist, military, bureaucratic), the administrative system (conservative, semi-traditionalist), the programs and prospects for development (no pioneer group, thus major changes unlikely). The government is relatively benevolent but authoritarian, with a compliant, nonparticipant population (the religion, Theravada Buddhism, is socially passive). Dr. Wit draws no distinct conclusions from his study, presents rather a balanced consideration of the Thailand that is, less concerned with foreign affairs than Thailand: The War That Is, the War That Will Be (1967, p. 1105).