General Prayuth overthrew the democratic government of Yingluck Shinawatra on May 22, 2014; shortly thereafter, Thailand's National Legislative Assembly named him prime minister. Standing as sole candidate before an Assembly handpicked by him, the vote was unanimous. He promised to hold elections by the end of 2015, before postponing them to 2016 and then to 2017. Prayuth's coup was the nineteenth in Thailand's unruly political history and a return to democracy is unlikely without action by the United States.
Over the last year, Prayuth has consolidated power through a series of decrees restricting civil liberties and spreading fear via exemplary sentences for prominent pro-democracy activists. Prayuth has packed his cabinet and the legislature with military officers loyal to him and is laying the groundwork for a strong, authoritarian state.
On the day of Prayuth's coup, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Ed Royce (R-Calif.) issued the following statement:
Persistent military intervention in Thailand’s politics has only weakened its democratic institutions. Today’s coup will only perpetuate the deep political divisions that have gripped Thailand for almost a decade. I call on the Thai military to avoid violence, exercise restraint, and put in place a plan to return to democratic rule as quickly as possible.
The plan that Royce called for last year is nowhere on the horizon and the United States has made no serious effort to push for Thailand's return to democracy. Ignoring Thailand's abysmal record on human trafficking, civil liberties and democracy while admonishing other leaders to respect international norms is toxic to the credibility of American foreign policy. The threat of sanctions in response to Thailand's atrocious record on human trafficking is the perfect pressure point to compel Prayuth and his junta to repeal its repressive decrees and finally set a date for free and fair elections.
Held is a financial consultant currently living in Geneva, Switzerland.