Comparing institutional frameworks on both sides of the Malaysia/Thailand border: regional development in Perlis and Satun
Edo Andriesse and A.C.M. van Westen
Department Human Geography and Planning
Faculty of Geo-Sciences
Utrecht University
Tel: +31 30-2532040
Fax: +31 30-2532037
E-mail e.andriesse@geo.uu.nl
E-mail a.vanwesten@geo.uu.nl
Abstract
This contribution aims to show how national institutional complementarities, following Hall & Soskice’s Varieties of Capitalism approach, affect patterns of regional development in Southeast Asia. A comparison is made of Satun province in Southern Thailand and Perlis in Northern Malaysia. Based on fieldwork data, the results reveal that Malaysian institutional complementarities result from a key role of the state, leading to specific and potentially unsustainable forms of economic
activity as well as distinct patterns of networking. On the Thai side, institutional complementarities give free reign to entrepreneurs taking advantage of comparative advantages, but also less inclined to cater to regional development concerns at large.
Keywords
institutional complementarities; comparative institutional advantage; Thailand; Malaysia