Ken | Mathis Lohatepanont

Hi! My name is Mathis Lohatepanont, and I go by Ken. Originally from Bangkok, Thailand, I am currently a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Political Science at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. I received a M.A. in Political Science from the University of Michigan in 2023 and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley in 2020. I am particularly interested in the politics of institution-building. My dissertation project investigates the question of how and why some parties institutionalize in emerging democracies. My research has also revolved around understanding contemporary Thai politics. In addition, I am interested in the political economy of development, having previously been a researcher on innovation policy at the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI).

I currently write a Substack newsletter on Thai politics and policy called The Coffee Parliament, which counts diplomats, journalists, and business managers among its subscribers. I have also been a regular contributor to both academic and journalistic outlets on politics; my writing has been published in the East Asia Forum, Fulcrum, the Washington Post, the Bangkok Post, and Thai Enquirer. My analysis has been regularly quoted by international media outlets, including the New York Times, the Guardian, the Financial Times, and the Associated Press. I deeply enjoy teaching about the Asia-Pacific region; my past experience as Graduate Student Instructor at Michigan has included courses on Southeast Asia and Chinese politics. You can find some of my miscellaneous interests here.