Over the past decades, squabbling politicians have become the trademark of Thai politics. The yellow shirts supported by the elites favour a form of guided democracy loyal to the monarchy. The red shirts, backers of political parties loyal to Thaksin Shinawatra have won all the elections since 2001. But the most important political actor wears camo and black: the Thai armed forces.
Its 1,600 generals are part of the old establishment that dominates the political space. But they are not allowed to participate in elections. Instead they flex their muscles to oust political rivals. They staged coups in 2006 and 2014 to remove the Shinawatra family from power. Since then, they have had a go at reshaping Thailand’s economic, political and moral order.
How did the Thai army become so powerful?
Unlike other armies, Thailand’s was not created to fight wars or defend the country's territorial integrity. Instead, it was primarily an internal army to be deployed for consolidation purposes within a loosely-held realm. Over time it came to fill the roll of a bureaucracy. Partly because it has faced no external threat, it has become (and remains) the most important political force within Thailand.
Thailand’s army derives its legitimacy as a political actor from the monarch. Its primary duty is to protect the monarchy. The king is much revered and the army’s sole source of legitimacy. The army commands respect because the throne authorizes its rule.
Coups that replace elected government have become a "legitimate" part of the Thai political process. The current prime minister is the 29th PM since the abolition of absolute monarchy in 1932. Caught in a vicious cycle of coups, democratic institutions and political parties remain weak. The army’s dominance has hindered their development.
So what could change this? A bloody army crackdown could discredit the army, as what happened following the Black May massacre in 1992. But whatever happens next--an election, a new constitution--it looks as if the army will retain its entrenched influence across Thai politics.
For more multimedia content from The Economist visit our website: http://econ.st/1HYNSFt
Its 1,600 generals are part of the old establishment that dominates the political space. But they are not allowed to participate in elections. Instead they flex their muscles to oust political rivals. They staged coups in 2006 and 2014 to remove the Shinawatra family from power. Since then, they have had a go at reshaping Thailand’s economic, political and moral order.
How did the Thai army become so powerful?
Unlike other armies, Thailand’s was not created to fight wars or defend the country's territorial integrity. Instead, it was primarily an internal army to be deployed for consolidation purposes within a loosely-held realm. Over time it came to fill the roll of a bureaucracy. Partly because it has faced no external threat, it has become (and remains) the most important political force within Thailand.
Thailand’s army derives its legitimacy as a political actor from the monarch. Its primary duty is to protect the monarchy. The king is much revered and the army’s sole source of legitimacy. The army commands respect because the throne authorizes its rule.
Coups that replace elected government have become a "legitimate" part of the Thai political process. The current prime minister is the 29th PM since the abolition of absolute monarchy in 1932. Caught in a vicious cycle of coups, democratic institutions and political parties remain weak. The army’s dominance has hindered their development.
So what could change this? A bloody army crackdown could discredit the army, as what happened following the Black May massacre in 1992. But whatever happens next--an election, a new constitution--it looks as if the army will retain its entrenched influence across Thai politics.
For more multimedia content from The Economist visit our website: http://econ.st/1HYNSFt
Category
🗞
News