DOCSLIB.ORG

Understanding the Operational Structure of Southeast Asian Drug Trafficking Groups in Australia

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Understanding the Operational Structure of Southeast Asian Drug Trafficking Groups in Australia UNDERSTANDING THE OPERATIONAL STRUCTURE OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN DRUG TRAFFICKING GROUPS IN AUSTRALIA Vy Kim Thi Le LLB, BJus (Hons), GDipLegPrac Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Justice Faculty of Law Queensland University of Technology January 2013 i Keywords Organised crime, typologies, social networks, hierarchies, Southeast Asian drug trafficking, crime script analysis, importation, supply, cultivation, Golden Triangle, heroin, amphetamine-type stimulants, cocaine, cannabis Understanding the Operational Structure of Southeast Asian Drug Trafficking Groups in Australia i ii Abstract A key theme in organised crime research is the concept of criminal organisation. One approach to targeting organised crime groups (OCGs) and their activities is to develop a greater understanding of their operational structure and behaviour. Therefore, the development of typologies has emerged as a method of classifying OCG structures. This study examined the operational structure of Southeast Asian drug trafficking groups operating on the eastern seaboard of Australia by testing the validity and application of organised crime and drug trafficking typologies using data obtained from drug trafficking cases in three Australian states: New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. The outcomes of the study indicated that the usefulness of typologies is limited when classifying and analysing OCGs and specifically, drug trafficking groups. The majority of the structure-based typologies did not support the group structures that were identified in the data and the task-based typologies provided very limited insight into the operational structure of Southeast Asian drug trafficking groups. Based on these findings, the study recommended that replicating previous research is an effective approach that will contribute towards building a cohesive and comprehensive body of knowledge on organised crime structures. ii Understanding the Operational Structure of Southeast Asian Drug Trafficking Groups in Australia iii Table of Contents Keywords ................................................................................................................................................. i Abstract .................................................................................................................................................. ii List of Figures ........................................................................................................................................ vi List of Tables ....................................................................................................................................... vii List of Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................... viii Statement of Authorship ........................................................................................................................ ix Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................................... x CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 1 1.1 BACKGROUND & CONTEXT .................................................................................................. 1 1.2 PURPOSE .................................................................................................................................... 8 1.3 SIGNIFICANCE, SCOPE AND DEFINITIONS ........................................................................ 9 1.3.1 Significance of the research .............................................................................................. 9 1.3.2 Scope .............................................................................................................................. 13 1.3.3 Definitions ...................................................................................................................... 14 1.4 THESIS OUTLINE .................................................................................................................... 16 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................................... 19 2.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 19 2.2 DEFINITION OF OCG ............................................................................................................. 21 2.3 ORGANISED CRIME MODELS ............................................................................................. 24 2.3.1 Hierarchical models ........................................................................................................ 26 2.3.2 Network models of OCGs .............................................................................................. 28 2.3.3 Hybrid typologies ........................................................................................................... 43 2.4 ILLICIT DRUG MARKETS ..................................................................................................... 53 2.4.1 Four sub-markets ............................................................................................................ 56 2.4.2 The Golden Triangle ....................................................................................................... 64 2.4.3 Southeast Asian criminals in the Australian drug market ............................................... 66 2.5 DRUG TRAFFICKING MODELS ........................................................................................... 72 2.5.1 Typologies based on organisational form ....................................................................... 78 2.5.2 Typologies based on tasks/roles ..................................................................................... 86 2.6 CRIME SCRIPT ANALYSIS .................................................................................................. 100 2.7 ORGANISED CRIME MODELS AND DRUG TRAFFICKING TYPOLOGIES – A COMPARISON ....................................................................................................................... 107 2.8 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................ 109 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH DESIGN ............................................................................................. 113 3.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 113 3.2 METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES IN ORGANISED CRIME RESEARCH ............................. 113 3.3 RESEARCH DESIGN ............................................................................................................. 120 3.3.1 Case study approach ..................................................................................................... 120 3.3.2 Data collection .............................................................................................................. 123 3.3.3 Sample .......................................................................................................................... 134 3.4 PRESENTING THE RESULTS .............................................................................................. 137 3.5 DATA ANALYSIS .................................................................................................................. 145 Understanding the Operational Structure of Southeast Asian Drug Trafficking Groups in Australia iii iv 3.5.1 Stage 1 – Grounded theory analysis ............................................................................. 146 3.5.2 Stage 2 – Content Analysis ........................................................................................... 148 3.5.3 Stage 3 .......................................................................................................................... 149 3.6 QUALITATIVE VALIDITY & LIMITATIONS .................................................................... 150 3.6.1 Qualitative validity ....................................................................................................... 150 3.6.2 Limitations .................................................................................................................... 154 3.7 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................ 158 CHAPTER 4: RESULTS ................................................................................................................. 161 4.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 161 4.2 DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS ................................................................................................. 162 4.2.1 New South Wales ......................................................................................................... 162 4.2.2 Queensland ................................................................................................................... 175 4.2.3 Victoria ......................................................................................................................... 184 4.3 SUMMARY OF DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS ..................................................................... 195
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Praying Against Worldwide Criminal Organizations.Pdf
    o Marielitos · Detroit Peru ------------------------------------------------- · Filipino crime gangs Afghanistan -------------------------------------- o Rathkeale Rovers o VIS Worldwide § The Corporation o Black Mafia Family · Peruvian drug cartels (Abu SayyafandNew People's Army) · Golden Crescent o Kinahan gang o SIC · Mexican Mafia o Young Boys, Inc. o Zevallos organisation § Salonga Group o Afridi Network o The Heaphys, Cork o Karamanski gang § Surenos or SUR 13 o Chambers Brothers Venezuela ---------------------------------------- § Kuratong Baleleng o Afghan drug cartels(Taliban) Spain ------------------------------------------------- o TIM Criminal o Puerto Rican mafia · Philadelphia · TheCuntrera-Caruana Mafia clan § Changco gang § Noorzai Organization · Spain(ETA) o Naglite § Agosto organization o Black Mafia · Pasquale, Paolo and Gaspare § Putik gang § Khan organization o Galician mafia o Rashkov clan § La ONU o Junior Black Mafia Cuntrera · Cambodian crime gangs § Karzai organization(alleged) o Romaniclans · Serbian mafia Organizations Teng Bunmaorganization § Martinez Familia Sangeros · Oakland, California · Norte del Valle Cartel o § Bagcho organization § El Clan De La Paca o Arkan clan § Solano organization Central Asia ------------------------------------- o 69 Mob · TheCartel of the Suns · Malaysian crime gangs o Los Miami o Zemun Clan § Negri organization Honduras ----------------------------------------- o Mamak Gang · Uzbek mafia(Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan) Poland -----------------------------------------------
    [Show full text]
  • American Higher Education
    Kunapipi Volume 21 Issue 1 Article 19 1999 American Higher Education Shirley Geok-Lin Lim Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.uow.edu.au/kunapipi Part of the Arts and Humanities Commons Recommended Citation Lim, Shirley Geok-Lin, American Higher Education, Kunapipi, 21(1), 1999. Available at:https://ro.uow.edu.au/kunapipi/vol21/iss1/19 Research Online is the open access institutional repository for the University of Wollongong. For further information contact the UOW Library: [email protected] American Higher Education Abstract Swee left for New York four weeks after the Feast of the Hungry Ghosts. 'So lucky, you!' Mary Chao said enviously. They had sat for the Senior exams together. But Mary, who had out-scored Swee in total A grades, was stuck in Malacca, looking at two more years of pre-college textbooks, lamenting her father's decision to send her to the university in Kuala Lumpur. She even forgot to make fun of Swee's college choice, New York Pepsodent College, although everyone else didn't. 'What for study in Pepsodent? You study for dental hygienist, ah?' Auntie May had asked. 'All life look into people's smelly mouth.' This journal article is available in Kunapipi: https://ro.uow.edu.au/kunapipi/vol21/iss1/19 94 Shirley Geok-lin Lim SHIRLEY GEOK-LIN LIM American Higher Education Swee left for New York four weeks after the Feast of the Hungry Ghosts. 'So lucky, you!' Mary Chao said enviously. They had sat for the Senior exams together. But Mary, who had out-scored Swee in total A grades, was stuck in Malacca, looking at two more years of pre-college textbooks, lamenting her father's decision to send her to the university in Kuala Lumpur.
    [Show full text]
  • Transnational Activities of Chinese Crime Organizations
    TRANSNATIONAL ACTIVITIES OF CHINESE CRIME ORGANIZATIONS A Report Prepared by the Federal Research Division, Library of Congress under an Interagency Agreement with the Crime and Narcotics Center, Directorate of Central Intelligence April 2003 Authors: LaVerle B. Berry Glenn E. Curtis Seth L. Elan Rexford A. Hudson Nina A. Kollars Project Manager: Glenn E. Curtis Federal Research Division Library of Congress Washington, D.C. 205404840 Tel: 2027073900 Fax: 2027073920 E-Mail: [email protected] Homepage: http://loc.gov/rr/frd/ 55 Years of Service to the Federal Government 1948 – 2003 Library of Congress – Federal Research Division Transnational Chinese Crime PREFACE This study investigates the major pockets of activity of Chinese criminal groups from 2000–2003, throughout the world except for mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. The main geographical regions of such activity are Australia, Europe, Japan, Latin America, North America, Russia, South Africa, and Southeast Asia. The report notes the participation of such groups in all major types of crime, including trafficking of human beings and various commodities, financial crimes, extortion, gambling, prostitution, and violent crimes. For the purposes of this report, the term “Chinese” refers to individuals of purely Chinese ethnic origin living in any part of the world. The criminal groups described vary in size and degree of structure; they include syndicates, triads, gangs, and ad hoc combinations of organization members and non-members. Because of this variety, an increasing tendency toward ad hoc activity, and the lack of specificity in many open sources, the term “group” is used when a criminal activity is not attributed to a specific type of organization.
    [Show full text]
  • What Do Teachers of Chinese As a Foreign Language Believe About Teaching Chinese Literacy to English Speakers?
    What do Teachers of Chinese as a Foreign Language Believe about Teaching Chinese Literacy to English Speakers? By © 2018 Sheree A. W. Willis DPhil, University of Kansas, 2018 M.A., University of Kansas, 2000 B.A., University of Kansas, 1979 Submitted to the graduate degree program in Curriculum and Instruction and the Graduate Faculty of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Chair: Lizette Peter Steven White Heidi Hallman Dennis Karney J. Megan Greene Date Defended: 24 July 2018 The dissertation committee for Sheree A. W. Willis certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: What do Teachers of Chinese as a Foreign Language Believe about Teaching Chinese Literacy to English Speakers? Chair: Lizette Peter Date Approved: 24 July 2018 ii Abstract This study was motivated by a recognition of the difficulties of teaching literacy in Chinese as a foreign language (CFL). CFL teachers deliberate over pedagogy, content sequencing, goals for literacy learning, and the use of authentic materials. These issues are complicated by the long history of Chinese literacy practices and the cultural significance of the writing system. The teachers bring rich personal histories and expertise, shaped by this cultural background, to their teaching. The study aims to gain a better understanding of teacher cognition on teaching Chinese literacy, to inform the discussion on improving CFL literacy instruction. The participants are five teachers raised and educated in China who are currently teaching in U.S. K-12 schools. This qualitative study employs semi-structured interviews, triangulated with lesson plans and classroom observations.
    [Show full text]
  • Chinese Organized Crime and Situational Context: Comparing Human Smuggling and Synthetic Drugs Trafficking Soudijn, Melvin R
    www.ssoar.info Chinese organized crime and situational context: comparing human smuggling and synthetic drugs trafficking Soudijn, Melvin R. J.; Kleemans, Edward R. Postprint / Postprint Zeitschriftenartikel / journal article Zur Verfügung gestellt in Kooperation mit / provided in cooperation with: www.peerproject.eu Empfohlene Zitierung / Suggested Citation: Soudijn, M. R. J., & Kleemans, E. R. (2009). Chinese organized crime and situational context: comparing human smuggling and synthetic drugs trafficking. Crime, Law and Social Change, 52(5), 457-474. https://doi.org/10.1007/ s10611-009-9203-3 Nutzungsbedingungen: Terms of use: Dieser Text wird unter dem "PEER Licence Agreement zur This document is made available under the "PEER Licence Verfügung" gestellt. Nähere Auskünfte zum PEER-Projekt finden Agreement ". For more Information regarding the PEER-project Sie hier: http://www.peerproject.eu Gewährt wird ein nicht see: http://www.peerproject.eu This document is solely intended exklusives, nicht übertragbares, persönliches und beschränktes for your personal, non-commercial use.All of the copies of Recht auf Nutzung dieses Dokuments. Dieses Dokument this documents must retain all copyright information and other ist ausschließlich für den persönlichen, nicht-kommerziellen information regarding legal protection. You are not allowed to alter Gebrauch bestimmt. Auf sämtlichen Kopien dieses Dokuments this document in any way, to copy it for public or commercial müssen alle Urheberrechtshinweise und sonstigen Hinweise purposes, to exhibit the document in public, to perform, distribute auf gesetzlichen Schutz beibehalten werden. Sie dürfen dieses or otherwise use the document in public. Dokument nicht in irgendeiner Weise abändern, noch dürfen By using this particular document, you accept the above-stated Sie dieses Dokument für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke conditions of use.
    [Show full text]
  • Chinese Organized Crime and Situational Context: Comparing Human Smuggling and Synthetic Drugs Trafficking Melvin R
    Chinese organized crime and situational context: comparing human smuggling and synthetic drugs trafficking Melvin R. J. Soudijn, Edward R. Kleemans To cite this version: Melvin R. J. Soudijn, Edward R. Kleemans. Chinese organized crime and situational context: com- paring human smuggling and synthetic drugs trafficking. Crime, Law and Social Change, Springer Verlag, 2009, 52 (5), pp.457-474. 10.1007/s10611-009-9203-3. hal-00535464 HAL Id: hal-00535464 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00535464 Submitted on 11 Nov 2010 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Crime Law Soc Change (2009) 52:457–474 DOI 10.1007/s10611-009-9203-3 Chinese organized crime and situational context: comparing human smuggling and synthetic drugs trafficking Melvin R. J. Soudijn & Edward R. Kleemans Published online: 20 March 2009 # Springer Science + Business Media B.V. 2009 Abstract This article criticizes the ‘ethnic’ conception of organized crime and puts forward an alternative view that does not put ethnicity first, but rather social networks and situational context. It focuses upon Chinese organized crime, a phenomenon where the preoccupation with ethnicity is paramount, and compares findings from extensive research into two different transnational criminal activities that are carried out by Chinese offenders in the Netherlands.
    [Show full text]
  • CULINARY BIOGRAPHIES: CHARTING SINGAPORE’S HISTORY THROUGH COOKING and CONSUMPTION NHB HRG-024: Final Report, October 2020
    CULINARY BIOGRAPHIES: CHARTING SINGAPORE’S HISTORY THROUGH COOKING AND CONSUMPTION NHB HRG-024: Final Report, October 2020 *Geoffrey Kevin Pakiam Michael Yeo Chai Ming With (in alphabetical order): Fiona Lim Pei Wen Gayathrii Nathan Phoon Yuen Ming Toffa Abdul Wahed Young Wei Ping *Corresponding author. Email: [email protected] Culinary Biographies: Charting Singapore’s History Through Cooking and Consumption NHB HRG-024 This project was supported by the Heritage Research Grant of the National Heritage Board between October 2018 and October 2020. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Heritage Board, Singapore. All rights reserved. No part nor entirety of this report may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in any retrieval system of any nature without the prior permission of the authors. Page 1 of 62 Culinary Biographies: Charting Singapore’s History Through Cooking and Consumption NHB HRG-024 Contents 1. Executive Summary 3 2. Research Background, Objectives and Scope 4 3. Methodology 7 4. Main Research Findings 13 a. Singapore’s food offerings are historical artefacts that resist cultural monopolisation 13 b. Food history offers an accessible avenue for recovering a people’s history of Singapore 22 c. Singapore’s iconic edibles were most influenced by forces during the twentieth century 37 5. Edible Timelines 45 a. Biryani 45 b. Betel Quid 46 c. Fish Head Curry 47 d. Ice Kachang 49 e. Laksa 51 f. Milo Dinosaur 52 6. Recommendations 53 a.
    [Show full text]
  • A Case Study of the Melaka Hainanese
    Athens Journal of Humanities & Arts - Volume 1, Issue 2 – Pages 157-168 Language Maintenance and Cultural Viability in the Hainanese Community: A Case Study of the Melaka Hainanese By Eileen Lee Shin Pyng Wong† Lyon Laxman‡ Among the different (Chinese) dialect groups from the southern region of China that migrated to Malaya (now Malaysia) in the 1900s, the Hainanese were one of the last migrant groups to arrive thus they comprise only about three percent of the population of the Chinese linguistic groups living in Malaysia. Unlike Cantonese and Hokkien (also southern China vernaculars) which became the lingua franca of the Chinese communities in Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Melaka respectively, Hainanese is not spoken as a major Chinese dialect in any particular city, town, or state in Malaysia although there may be a majority of Hainanese living in a geographical area. In a case study of the Hainanese community in Melaka, responses from interviews with community members confirm that the dialect is not being maintained as the main means of communication in the friendship and home domains. This paper reports that while video recordings of celebrations of cultural festivals, pastimes and Hainanese family businesses indicate a fair degree of cultural viability in the community due to the great sense of bonding (known as suukee nang) among members of the community, lack of communication in Hainanese does not bode well for the maintenance of the community language. The study concludes that while Hainanese culture (its sense of belonging and popular cuisine) is still viable, the same cannot be said for its language; in short, much of the dialect is not likely to survive for the next generation unless efforts are in place to revitalize this native language.
    [Show full text]
  • Leadership, Values and the Peranakans
    International Journal of Business and Social Science Vol. 5, No. 9(1); August 2014 Leadership, Values and the Peranakans Prof Dr. Kim Cheng Patrick Low Ph.D. & Chartered Marketer (UK) Behavioral Consultant and Chartered Consultant (US) Associate, University of South Australia Adjunct Professor University of the South Pacific Abstract In this qualitative paper, the academician-practitioner researches the leadership qualities, style(s) and ways of the Peranakans, an indeed dwindling community in Singapore. Based on the author’s interviews with a small group of Peranakans’ professionals, the paper is also boosted and enhanced with the author’s cultural background as a Peranakan himself, and his own impressions and perceptions of the Peranakan leadership in Singapore; in brief, the paper is examined in the light as what the interviewees and the author see it. Keywords: Leadership; Peranakans, Straits Chinese; Babas; Nyonyas; values, Singapore; Wee Kim Wee; Goh Keng Swee; Toh Chin Chye; Tan Tock Seng Introduction The idea to write this leadership cum anthropology paper goes back to the year 1998 when he, during his Ph.D. studies, then realized that there were clearly not many Peranakans left. “Peranakan culture has started to disappear in Malaysia and Singapore.” (http://thehistoryofmalacca.blogspot.sg/2013/07/culture-of-peranakan-of-baba-and- nyonya.html; Chia, 1980). Even in terms of education, Chinese Singaporeans have to opt and learn Mandarin Chinese as second language; Singapore categorizes the Peranakans as ethnically Chinese, so they receive formal instruction in Mandarin Chinese as a second language (in accordance with the “Mother Tongue Policy”) instead of Malay. And then again in 2008, a Singaporean television drama series The Little Nyonya was aired in Singapore, and was in Mandarin.
    [Show full text]
  • The Chinese in 20Th-Century Thai Literature and History1
    5 Are we them? The Chinese in 20th‑century Thai literature and history1 When I first arrived on the campus of the University of the Philippines in 1962, I was struck by the unexpected question that cropped up regularly in class and in conversations with my Filipino friends. They would ask, ‘Who are the Filipinos?’ My Thai friends and I felt rather smug about knowing who we ‘Thai’ were and somewhat sorry for the Filipinos. To the Thai students, Filipinos had ambiguous identities— they had Spanish/Mexican names; spoke English with a peculiar accent; served a cuisine that was a mix of Spanish, native Filipino, Chinese and American dishes; and spoke different tongues even though there was one ‘national’ language. Classes in the university were in English, and students used English to speak to each other. Those of us from Thailand knew that we were ‘Thai’ because we all spoke the same language, practised the same religion and loved the same king. When King Bhumibol visited Manila in 1963, all of us went to pay our respects and show our loyalty to the monarchy by having group pictures taken with the king and the queen. 1 This essay had its genesis in my role as a panel discussant, ‘Bringing literature into the study of twentieth-century Thai history’, organised by Michael Montesano at the annual conference of the Association of Asian Studies in 2010. The discussion aimed to offer ideas on how literature, especially fiction, can complement historical sources to produce new perspectives. 155 READ TILL IT SHattERS In hindsight, it did not occur to me that we had ‘Thai’ classmates who spoke Thai with a heavy Chinese accent.
    [Show full text]
  • Asian Organized Crime in the European Union
    DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR INTERNAL POLICIES POLICY DEPARTMENT C: CITIZENS' RIGHTS AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRES CIVIL LIBERTIES, JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS Asian organized crime in the European Union NOTE Abstract The note shows that Asian organized crime, which is a relatively new phenomenon, has entered the criminal area in a number of EU countries. It analyses how the activities of Asian criminal groups are linked to migrant communities and which fields are concerned. They include extortion, human smuggling/trafficking and money laundering. In collaboration with other non-Asian criminal groups, Asian organized crime is also active in the production and trade of illegal drugs, match- fixing and counterfeiting of consumer goods. This note proposes appropriate solutions on how to fight this particular form of organized crime. PE 453.191 EN This document was requested by the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. AUTHOR Ms Dina Siegel-Rozenblit, Professor at Utrecht University (the Netherlands). RESPONSIBLE ADMINISTRATOR Andreas Hartmann Policy Department C: Citizens' Rigths and Constitutional Affairs European Parliament B-1047 Bruxelles E-mail: [email protected] LINGUISTIC VERSIONS Original: EN Translation: DE, FR Executive summary: BG, CS, DA, EL, ES, ET, FI, HU, IT, LT, LV, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SK, SL, SV, GA, HR ABOUT THE EDITOR To contact the Policy Department or to subscribe to its newsletter please write to: [email protected] Manuscrit completed in June 2011. © European Parliament, Brussels, 2011. This document is available on the Internet at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/studies DISCLAIMER The opinions expressed in this document are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Parliament.
    [Show full text]
  • Competing Narratives in Cold War Thailand: Identity Politics and the Construction of Foreign Others
    Competing Narratives in Cold War Thailand: Identity Politics and the Construction of Foreign Others Rungchai Yensabai Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Leeds School of Politics and International Studies July 2019 The candidate confirms that the work submitted is her own and that appropriate credit has been given where reference has been made to the work of others. This copy has been supplied on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. © 2019 The University of Leeds and Rungchai Yensabai Acknowledgements My deep gratitude goes first to Professor Duncan McCargo who expertly guided me through my PhD journey from the very first step. I would like to also express my sincere gratitude to Dr Adam Tyson and Dr Laura Considine, my co-supervisors, for their patience, motivation, and knowledge. I could not have imagined having a better supervisory team for my PhD study. My appreciation also extends to my beloved friends, Petra Desatova and Sarah Dorr, who always gave me support and courage to overcome difficult times during my study here. I would like to thank David and Tina Irving for taking a good care of me during my stay at Mountfields. Their kindness and understanding helped make my PhD study less stressful. I am deeply grateful to my parents, Amnaj and Nimanong Yensabai, and my precious sister, Torseang, who always believe in me and give me continuous support and unconditional love. Finally, I would like to thank Root Chumdermpadetsuk for his unfailing support, encouragement and the greatest understanding that always kept me going through the PhD journey.
    [Show full text]