Showing 1 - 10 of 19
Major parties in battle to repel NCPO attack
News, Suranand Vejjajiva, Published on 04/04/2018
» At the end of March, 97 political groups applied to be registered as political parties. Come April, public attention has turned to existing political parties whose party members are required to reconfirm their membership status. These are some of the steps the military regime under the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has taken to manipulate our politics ahead of the election next year.
The political economy of a regime
News, Suranand Vejjajiva, Published on 14/03/2018
» The bottom-line performance of any government is measured by its success in managing the economy and putting money into its citizens' wallets. In Thailand, as long as the current ruling regime can deliver on the economic front, it can remain authoritarian and generally safe from mass uprisings against it.
New political parties must wipe slate clean
News, Suranand Vejjajiva, Published on 07/03/2018
» As new political parties rush to reserve names and kick off the registration process, there emerges an impression that our politics is being returned to a democratic mode. The existing political parties are supposed to start confirming the memberships of their members next month. However, there still is no clear signal from the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) over when it will allow political parties -- new or old -- to conduct activities. The road ahead remains full of pitfalls and loopholes. It will be a long time before the dust settles, if ever.
Military treats democracy like a video game
News, Suranand Vejjajiva, Published on 13/06/2017
» Our leaders handle politics as if it were a video game. There is a reset button. Everything can be reset to zero -- and we start all over again.
Thai political minefield threatens NCPO
News, Suranand Vejjajiva, Published on 16/05/2017
» As the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) led by Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha approaches the end of its third year in power this Monday, its ability to govern seems to be faltering.
Scrap the unconstitutional media bill
News, Suranand Vejjajiva, Published on 02/05/2017
» The name of the National Reform Steering Assembly's (NRSA) media bill runs against its real purposes. Branded as the "protection and promotion of media rights, freedom, ethics and professional standard law", the contents of the bill have nothing to do with the title in their intrusive and abusive nature against freedom of speech.
Road to democracy requires no rewrites
News, Suranand Vejjajiva, Published on 18/04/2017
» As the new constitution has become law, two seemingly unrelated incidents could mar the path towards national reconciliation and a return to democracy.
Local governing bodies badly need reform
News, Suranand Vejjajiva, Published on 04/04/2017
» Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon recently sent up a trial balloon on the possibility of calling elections for local administration organisations before the general elections. His line of thought is that if the local elected bodies are in place before the national body, national politicians will not be able to manipulate local politicians during their poll campaign.
Paving over the cracks in reconciliation
News, Suranand Vejjajiva, Published on 17/01/2017
» After two and a half years without serious and meaningful efforts to reconcile political conflict, the military government is vowing to press ahead with its national reform and development strategy. But the regime will find it hard to achieve meaningful reconciliation if it is not committed to a return to full democracy and applying the rule of law.
PM faces big decisions in cabinet revamp
News, Suranand Vejjajiva, Published on 13/12/2016
» As Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha prepares for a cabinet reshuffle, some political observers, including myself, watch with anxiety.