The rise of the new middle classes in Southeast Asia has brought about
important transformations in various countries - politically, socially,
economically, and culturally - while producing new 'East Asian
lifestyles' that transcend national boundaries and causing the
reorganization of urban space. Based on the framework of comparative
politics, this study examines the regional significance of the growth of
the middle classes after the economic crisis in 1997-1998. It pays
special attention to the conditions which led to the fall of Thailand's
Thaksin government as a consequence of a military coup. From the
international relations point of view, this collective work by Southeast
Asian specialists also uses abundant data to unravel the regionalization
of the cultural industry across East Asia.