Thailand is a country that has, in many ways, followed a seemingly conventional developmental trajectory as agriculture has progressively commercialized away from its earlier subsistence-oriented role, and has reduced in its significance compared to other economic sectors. Yet, farming in Thailand remains primarily comprised of smallholders, with there being only a relatively limited number of large agricultural properties in the country.

A further part of the puzzle is that, with the apparent persistence of smallholder farming, there is actually a high level of economic inequality. Private land ownership has one of the highest Gini coefficients in Southeast Asia. In Thailand, the relatively large number of people who still identify as farmers contrasts with the small economic contribution of the agricultural sector, suggesting a big gap in productivity and income between smallholderbased agriculture and the manufacturing and service sectors.

Further, there are great discrepancies between the realities of smallholder farming and the perceptions of urban elites and policymakers who set or constrain the conditions of rural advancement. With this in mind, it is important to understand not only the material conditions of smallholding in Thailand, but also its cultural and political meanings.

This chapter aims to examine the situation of smallholders in Thailand with an eye towards unravelling, if not completely solving, some of these puzzles. In addition, it provides the basis for anticipating the future pathways for smallholders in Thailand's rapidly changing economy and society.