The next rocky chapter in the battle for Thailand's soul is under way.
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Thailand was plunged into further political chaos on May 7 after its Supreme Court ruled that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra had abused her power and so had to step down.
Commerce Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongphaisan will replace Yingluck. The caretaker government, populated by her allies, says it will press ahead with plans for an election on July 20.
Yingluck's supporters are calling the Constitutional Court intervention a judicial coup. Nine judges unanimously concluded Yingluck manipulated her position as prime minister when she replaced former security chief, Thawil Pliensri, an opposition favourite, with her brother-in-law. In the eyes of her adversaries, the move smacked of nepotism of the highest order.
Elites in Thailand have historically fought protracted, sometimes violent, battles for control of the state as part of a revolving door power swap. Albeit female, Yingluck is part of this mix of business leaders, bureaucrats and military commanders that have ruled Thailand since a so-called democratic revolution in 1932.
Thailand has had 17 charters or constitutions and 28 prime ministers since that time. Many were army men who reigned for less than 365 days. Nine prime ministers have rotated into power since 2006. More stable democracies like the United States, South Korea and England can claim three leaders in charge at most.
Yingluck herself is a scion of a business dynasty. Her brother is telecoms tycoon turned political populist Thaksin Shinawatra. After five years as prime minister, a military coup ousted Thaksin in 2006 on the grounds of corruption, conflict of interest and authoritarianism.
A messy showdown
This time, two sets of Thai elites are locked into a messy showdown. In one camp resides Bangkok's wealthier classes and southern supporters. They are establishment and royalist.
In another, more crowded camp, are followers of the Pheu Thai party led by Yingluck.
For now, the Bangkok-based elite has clinched victory. But even recent history shows no Thai prime minister can rest on his, or her, laurels.
Thaksin's departure both capped a period of political volatility in Thailand and marked the start of another.
After the generals seized control, came food lover Samak Sundaravej, whose appetite for hosting cooking shows while in office landed him in hot water with the Constitutional Court. Somchai Wongsawat, Thaksin's brother-in-law was nominated prime minister, but then fled with his government to Don Muang airport after anti-government protesters besieged the parliament building. Barely three months in office himself, Somchai's successor lasted just 15 days.
Enter Abhisit Vejjajiva, bringing with him great hopes for steering Thailand onto a stable path. British born and educated at Eton and Oxford, Abhisit was immensely palatable to the West. But his slick persona was badly tarnished after he presided as prime minister over a crackdown on anti-government protesters that killed around 90 people in Bangkok in 2010. Under Yingluck's reign, Abhisit was formally charged with murder in December 2013.
As leader of the Democrat Party, Abhisit is regaining traction as a force in Thai politics. Despite the indictment for murder, he’s leveraging the political vacuum to rebrand himself as a mediator, devising a plan for reform his enemies say is wildly thin on substance.
Given the current turbulence, outsiders could be forgiven for thinking of Thailand as a political basket case.
The next rocky chapter in the battle for Thailand's soul is under way.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thailand was plunged into further political chaos on May 7 after its Supreme Court ruled that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra had abused her power and so had to step down.
Commerce Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongphaisan will replace Yingluck. The caretaker government, populated by her allies, says it will press ahead with plans for an election on July 20.
Yingluck's supporters are calling the Constitutional Court intervention a judicial coup. Nine judges unanimously concluded Yingluck manipulated her position as prime minister when she replaced former security chief, Thawil Pliensri, an opposition favourite, with her brother-in-law. In the eyes of her adversaries, the move smacked of nepotism of the highest order.
Elites in Thailand have historically fought protracted, sometimes violent, battles for control of the state as part of a revolving door power swap. Albeit female, Yingluck is part of this mix of business leaders, bureaucrats and military commanders that have ruled Thailand since a so-called democratic revolution in 1932.
Thailand has had 17 charters or constitutions and 28 prime ministers since that time. Many were army men who reigned for less than 365 days. Nine prime ministers have rotated into power since 2006. More stable democracies like the United States, South Korea and England can claim three leaders in charge at most.
Yingluck herself is a scion of a business dynasty. Her brother is telecoms tycoon turned political populist Thaksin Shinawatra. After five years as prime minister, a military coup ousted Thaksin in 2006 on the grounds of corruption, conflict of interest and authoritarianism.
A messy showdown
This time, two sets of Thai elites are locked into a messy showdown. In one camp resides Bangkok's wealthier classes and southern supporters. They are establishment and royalist.
In another, more crowded camp, are followers of the Pheu Thai party led by Yingluck.
For now, the Bangkok-based elite has clinched victory. But even recent history shows no Thai prime minister can rest on his, or her, laurels.
Thaksin's departure both capped a period of political volatility in Thailand and marked the start of another.
After the generals seized control, came food lover Samak Sundaravej, whose appetite for hosting cooking shows while in office landed him in hot water with the Constitutional Court. Somchai Wongsawat, Thaksin's brother-in-law was nominated prime minister, but then fled with his government to Don Muang airport after anti-government protesters besieged the parliament building. Barely three months in office himself, Somchai's successor lasted just 15 days.
Enter Abhisit Vejjajiva, bringing with him great hopes for steering Thailand onto a stable path. British born and educated at Eton and Oxford, Abhisit was immensely palatable to the West. But his slick persona was badly tarnished after he presided as prime minister over a crackdown on anti-government protesters that killed around 90 people in Bangkok in 2010. Under Yingluck's reign, Abhisit was formally charged with murder in December 2013.
As leader of the Democrat Party, Abhisit is regaining traction as a force in Thai politics. Despite the indictment for murder, he’s leveraging the political vacuum to rebrand himself as a mediator, devising a plan for reform his enemies say is wildly thin on substance.
Given the current turbulence, outsiders could be forgiven for thinking of Thailand as a political basket case.
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