Clan culture and solidarity ties as positive indicators of democratic development in Thai-Isan communities

This qualitative study aimed to analyze the principal and most prominent political culture shared among villagers in rural Northeast Thailand and how it helps facilitate and uphold democratic development. In-depth interviews, non-participant observation, and focus groups were used to collect data from four rural villages located across Nong Bua Lamphu and Udon Thani provinces in Northeast Thailand. The 65 informants included knowledgeable people in the community, leaders, and villagers, as well as individuals from outside the communities, including academics, intellectuals, and politicians. The findings showed that the principal political culture shared among villagers is strongly linked to their longstanding adherence to clan culture and their strong solidarity ties. These features of traditional society in Northeast Thailand help to maintain democratic development at the local and community level by fostering harmonious love and unity among the villagers, which manifests as a collective social commitment, or what is called a “social trust.” This social trust is what motivates villagers’ voluntary political participation. It fosters among villagers a belief in their own political efficacy, a consciousness and understanding of individual and community rights, and a feeling of civic responsibility. These are all important attributes of a civic culture and serve as the central foundation for democratic development at the local and community level.