Category: Thailand

Can Thailand’s Latest Constitution Last?

The result of the Thailand’s recent referendum appeared to show an easy win to the ‘yes’ camp. Sixty-one percent of voters approved the draft constitution while 39 percent voted ‘no’. Fifty-eight percent also approved a second question, inserted at the last minute, on whether a non-elected prime minister could be appointed by a joint sitting of the Senate and House of Representatives.

Yet the result of the referendum is less conclusive than it would appear.

Thailand Coup Leaders’ Democracy is Lacking

More than two years since the coup, Thailand’s political situation remains volatile. The coup leaders have vowed to make Thailand more democratic and commit to political reforms. Yet the first draft of the military-sponsored constitution was rejected a year ago. The military was compelled to set up a new drafting commission, this time led by Meechai Ruchupan, a pro-junta legal expert, with a mission to win support from the populace for the new constitution.

Thailand not Quite Prepared for the King’s Passing

After some months of uncertainty, a representative from Thailand’s Democrats Party last week declared in a televised seminar that the party would not support the proposed draft constitution in the 7 August referendum. This follows an earlier declaration from the pro-Thaksin Puea Thai party that it also opposed the draft.

Lower Your Expectations for Thai Democracy

On 29 January, the latest draft of what may become Thailand’s 20th constitution was released. The draft was not the first since security forces seized power in May 2014 — an earlier draft, by a different body, was rejected in September 2015 amid speculation that the junta had orchestrated the rejection in order to avert tensions and gain more time in power.

What is Causing Thailand’s Economy to Underpeform?

No country in Southeast Asia shoots itself in the foot more than Thailand. With so much going for it, the second-largest economy in the region still manages to underperform spectacularly. Its growth trajectory is in the 2–3 percent range even though it has the potential to track twice that figure. Two decades after it was considered a consolidating democracy, Thailand is now led by outright military-authoritarian rule. In much of the region, there will be considerable good news in 2016, but in Thailand, good news seems hard to find.

Thailand’s Democracy, We Hardly Knew Ye

This year was a year of stillness in Thailand, at least in the political realm. The military staged a coup that ousted Yingluck Shinawatra’s elected government in May 2014. Throughout 2015, the military regime of General Prayuth Chan-ocha — Thailand’s current prime minister — promised a number of projects that claimed to put Thailand back on the democratic track. However, these promises proved to be empty.

Two major events in 2015 in particular served to question the sincerity of the junta in its endeavor to reform Thailand.

Long Live Thai’s King Bhumibol

Back in February 2005, Thaksin Shinawatra’s Thai Rak Thai was re-elected with a bumper majority. However, as Thaksin consolidated ever more power, his opponents became anxious. The Democrat Party worried that it would never again control the levers of government, as the outspoken telco billionaire effectively monopolised the political process. His influence on military and bureaucratic promotions hinted that he would not stop until his trusted aides held all key positions.