Sawai Boonma on local administrations

Last week, in the opinion section of Bangkok Post was an article by economist Sawai Boonma titled On the fast track to becoming a failed state. A quite pessimistic of the current political situation in Thailand, the part on the local administration is worth repeating.

Most provinces, municipalities and local administrative districts are now largely controlled by politico-business oligarchies. Each oligarch uses a system of patronage to maintain its base.
Sometimes they fight but they also collude, especially at the national level. [..]
As a result, Thailand is now practically divided into fiefdoms controlled by shady people with money.