Overview

Over recent decades, the popular aspirations in Thailand for a fully democratic and more just society have run up against entrenched resistance and repression from an elite determined to defend its political control and economic privileges. Polarization between the contending forces has steadily increased.

Our guest, Jim Stent, will describe the underlying cultural and historical issues leading to polarization and will outline the issues at stake today between the contending forces. His presentation will include a discussion of how this domestic political drama conditions the geostrategic rivalry in Southeast Asia between China and the United States, and what the U.S. needs to do to retain the good will of Thailand, a major non-NATO ally.

Jim Stent worked for 18 years in Bangkok at Bank of Asia, a Thai Bank, serving as deputy president of the bank. He began his banking career with Citibank and, later, Crocker National Bank before joining the Bank of Asia. He has served on the Boards of Directors of banks in Thailand, China, Myanmar, and Mongolia. Mr. Stent received his B.A. degree from the University of California Berkeley and Master of Public Affairs from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs where he focused on development economics. He speaks and reads Chinese and Thai. He now divides his time between residences in Thailand and California.