The new Thai government that came in last November seems less in thrall to the murky business interests in the army, local government and commerce that have long warped official policy when it reaches the border.

ECONOMIST: The Karen

My book tries to shed light on the interplay and often diverging interests between local and central government officials and why improvements are sometimes much slower than the central government wants.

FORBES: Shame on CNN for Its Christian Bale Stunt

Both sides of the issue have drawn powerful allies from outside Rhode Island, underlining how almost any effort to fix local government finances spurs conflicts over balancing the interests of taxpayers and public workers.

WSJ: Small State Gets Big Pension Push