Bupphesanniwat Fever: Gendered Nationalism and Middle-Class Views of Thailand’s Political Predicament

Abstract

From February to April 2018 Thailand was captivated by a historical-romantic soap opera screened on Channel 3 television, Bupphesanniwat. The series is set in the late seventeenth century at a time of Siam's heightened commercial and political engagement with Western countries and with Westerners, especially the French. The series culminates with the 1688 revolution, when the pro-French faction led by King Narai was overthrown by forces loyal to Phra Phetracha, who proceeded to usurp the throne and establish a new dynasty at Ayutthaya. What are the reasons for - and possible implications of - the wild popularity of the series?