Lang Ban (หลังบ้าน):

Redefining the Political Sphere in Thai Politics

Katja Rangsivek
Research Question
What is the meaning and political
function of lang ban?

• How do kinship networks operate in Thai

politics?
• How are the special construction of politics
gendered?
• What does this imply on our perception of
public and private sphere?
• What implications does that have on the way
we understand political power and influence?
Methods
1. Interviews: 83 persons were interviewed during
February to August 2010, amongst them MP’s, ministers,
their relatives and spouses.

2. Archival research: funeral volumes and newspaper

coverage of politicians and their relatives were collected
and analyzed.

3. Social Network Analysis (SNA): data gained from 1.

and 2. were analysed to identify the structural position of
women within network.
Parliament a Male Space?

Women and men have

gained equal suffrage in
1932

Women have not been

represented until 1948

Women have to pass social

economic, institutional and
cultural barriers the enter
the parliament (as MP)
Percentage of Male and
Female MP’s in the Thai
The parliament is in many
parliament 1932-2007
aspects a male place
Source: United Nations Development
Program. 2006. Women’s Right to a Political
Voice in Thailand: Millennium Development
Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and
Empower Women. Bangkok: United Nations
Development Program.
 Lang Ban (หลังบ้าน)
Lang Ban literally means ‘the back of the house’ but it is also used to
refer to politicians’ wives
”The politician’s wife is called
lang ban because in the back
of the traditional Thai house is
the kitchen and that is where
the women are.”
MP from Nakhon Ratchasima Province
“Lang Ban is the politician’s wife
who is supporting his career.
When it is in a positive way than
she will take over all family
responsibilities and maybe help
in the election campaign. When
it is in the bad way then she is
receiving bribes for her husband
and that is dangerous for him.”
MP from Sukhothai Province
Poltical Space in Thailand
Degendering Lang Ban?
Lang Ban is not limited to
women
Men have taken over the
Lang Ban position
After the ratification of the
2007 constitution 251 men
were forced to take over the
Lang Ban while some of their
wives entered formal politics
“I don’t have a wife. My Lang
Ban are my parents.”
MP from Ayutthaya Province
”I don’t need a Lang Ban. I
use facebook instead”
MP from Province
”My wife does not involve in
politics. I have paid staff and a
party branch that can do it”
MP from Surat Thani Province
Conclusion

• Lang ban is a person working parallel with the

politician within the informal and private part of
politics.
• Lang ban is not monopolised by women but tends
to be associated with them.
• The political sphere consists of parts of the public
and the private sphere.
• What to do with political power and influence?

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Thank you for your attention ...