External commercial policy making in Thailand: actors and interests in Thai–EU relations

This thesis focuses on the making of Thailand's external commercial policies, with particular reference to policies towards the European Union (EU). As an emerging country in the global political economy, it is to be expected that Thailand's external relations have a strong emphasis on commercial policies. However, the current literature on Thailand's external relations places a strong emphasis on foreign policy goals and the promotion of Thai national interests through diplomacy, even where the key goals pursued are those of economic advantage. This thesis is designed to take a broader view of Thailand's external commercial policy-making, and to consider a wide range of potential contributors to the policy process. The thesis thus explores the workings of the Thai state (both the political dimension of government and the bureaucracy of the Civil Service), but also goes on to examine the roles of private companies and of Private Consultative Committees in the commercial policy-making process. [Continues.]