Unsettling bureaucratic designs: inter-bureaucratic competition and patrimonialism in the pursuit of Thailand’s hydraulic mission

David J. H. Blake

International Journal of Water Resources Development, 2023, vol. 39, issue 6, 986-1006

Abstract: There appear to be relatively few studies examining the emergence and persistence of hydraulic bureaucracies (hydrocracies) in specific national contexts. This paper addresses this perceived lacuna by considering the case of the century-old Royal Irrigation Department (RID) in Thailand. Drawing upon the concept of ‘bureaucratic patrimonialism’, this paper seeks to disentangle some of the political economy issues surrounding the RID’s rise and prolonged national dominance. It pays special attention to inter-bureaucratic competition amid calls for water sector reform and how the RID has successfully negotiated these challenges through changing political regimes of the last century.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1080/07900627.2021.1949966

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