Showing 1 - 10 of 18
Street rallies yield to parliamentary process
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 09/08/2013
» It felt like deja vu for a while. As parliament reconvened, anti-government columns lined up, ready to rumble and depose the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, this time under a new rubric called the People's Democratic Force to Overthrow Thaksinism (Pefot).
Pheu Thai can win, but at what cost?
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 26/08/2013
» Those puzzled by the recurrent political turmoil over the past decade should look at the past few weeks in Bangkok as a microcosm of the trials and tribulations of Thai democracy.
Social media has polarising effect on political debate
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 06/01/2014
» From Thailand to Ukraine to Turkey and other places beset with contentious politics between electoral majorities and minorities, the sources of prolonged and visceral polarisation appear to stem increasingly from social media.
Charter-drafting reset set to fuel tension
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 11/09/2015
» That the National Reform Council (NRC) scuttled the Constitution Drafting Committee's (CDC) draft charter last Sunday is akin to a political abortion, a wilful abandonment of a year-long process both bodies were set up to complete in tandem.
The imperative of Thailand's trade policy
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 23/10/2015
» Most of the post-mortems by pundits and trade policy analysts so far on the recently concluded Trans-Pacific Agreement (TPP) have been critical of the largest free-trade pact in two decades.
The return of constitutional blackmail
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 05/02/2016
» While the second draft constitution is thoroughly dissected and digested in the weeks ahead, for all of its anti-corruption strengths and anti-democratic shortcomings, its broad contours are clear. The current draft that is being set up for a referendum this July builds on its precursor from 2007 in restricting and rolling back the democratic direction of the 1997 constitution, harking back to earlier versions from 1978 and 1991. There is constitutional continuity in Thailand's charter drafting -- but it is going back in time in a democratic regression.
Can we have 'Premocracy 2.0' in the 2010s?
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 01/04/2016
» As preparations are under way for Thailand's second-ever referendum on Aug 7, the completed draft constitution will now be dissected and digested in myriad ways, although public reactions and views will be constrained by the military-backed authorities. Because of a lack of public input and feedback for what is supposed to be a charter for the Thai people, tensions will likely mount ahead of the referendum, marked by the military government's escalating repression.
Debunking two myths of the 2014 coup
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 19/10/2018
» As momentum towards the next general election gathers pace, the two main myths that underpinned Thailand's most recent military coup in May 2014 deserve debunking. Both are associated with the military's role in politics. Seeing through these two perpetuated myths leaves us with the reality that all players in Thai politics are in pursuit of power and vested interests. All pretence to the contrary is sheer falsehood, hypocrisy and political manipulation.
An ex-cop who has no fear of the generals
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 14/12/2018
» Over the past four and a half years of military government, the Thai people have been physically cowed. Sure, there are many, possibly a silent majority, who may be waiting for the poll to have their say in opposition to the military junta that seized power in May 2014, led by then-army chief Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the incumbent prime minister. But few have been able and willing to stand up and stare down the ruling generals who routinely resort to intimidation and coercion, armed with guns and the law, which they sometimes interpret as they see fit. Just about everyone in Thailand is physically afraid of the junta in one way or another. Otherwise, there would have been more anti-junta demonstrations in public view.
What to look for in Thai election results
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 22/03/2019
» Elections are often a referendum on incumbencies. Voters are asked whether they like what they have seen from government and whether they want continuity or change in view of competing alternatives. In the same vein, Thailand's momentous election on March 24, after a nearly eight-year hiatus that includes almost five years under military-authoritarian rule, is an opportunity to see what the governed prefer to have as their government. Here are some of early telltale signs that portend the political directions ahead.