The
politics of ThailandThe Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia.It is bordered to the north by Laos and Burma, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Burma...
are currently conducted within the framework of a constitutional democratic monarchy, whereby the
Prime MinisterThe Prime Minister of Thailand is the head of government of Thailand. The Prime Minister is also the chairman of the Cabinet of Thailand. The post has been in existence since the Revolution of 1932, when the country became a constitutional monarchy....
is the
head of governmentHead of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled Prime Minister, President of the Government, Premier, etc...
and a
hereditary monarchA hereditary monarchy is the most common type of monarchy and is the form that is used by almost all of the world's existing monarchies.Under a hereditary monarchy, all the monarchs come from the same family, and the crown is passed down from one member to another member of the family...
is
head of stateHead of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state...
. The
judiciaryThe judiciary is the system of courts which interprets and applies the law in the name of the sovereign or state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
is independent of the executive and the legislative branches.
Thai kingdoms and late Kingdom of Siam were under the absolute rule of the kings. However, after the 'democratic revolution' in 1932, the country officially became under a constitutional democratic monarchy with a prime minister as the head of government. The first written constitution was issued. Since then Thailand has had seventeen charters and constitutions, reflecting the high degree of political instability and frequency of military coups faced by the nation. After successful coups, military regimes abrogated existing constitutions and promulgated interim ones.
Politics of Constitutions
All of Thailand's charters and constitutions have recognized an undivided kingdom with the constitutional monarchy, but with widely differing balances of power between the branches of government. Most of them have stipulated parliamentary systems, however, several of them also called for dictatorships, e.g., the 1957 Charter. Both unicameral and bicameral parliaments have been used, and members of parliament have been both elected and appointed. The direct powers of the monarch have also varied considerably.
Thailand's 'popular Constitution', called the "People's Constitution" was successfully promulgated in 1997 after the 1993 Bloody May. Publicly, constitutional devices have often charged as the root of political turmoil. The 1997 Constitution was considered a landmark in terms of the degree of public participation involved in its drafting as well as the democratic nature of its articles. It stipulated a bicameral legislature, both houses of which are elected. Many civil rights were explicitly acknowledged, and measures were established to increase the stability of elected governments.
However, following an army-led coup on 19 September 2006, the 1997 Constitution was abrogated. The junta ruled the country by martial law and executive decree for weeks, until it promulgated an interim constitution on 2006-10-01. The Interim Constitution allowed the junta to appoint a Prime Minister, legislature, and drafting committee for a permanent constitution. Human rights were broadly acknowledged, but media censorship as well as bans against assembly and political activities were not repealed. In 2007 the new constitution was eventually issued, said 'junta-support constitution'.
The King of Thailand has little direct power under the
constitutionThe Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand is the supreme law of Thailand. Since the change from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional democracy in 1932, Thailand has had seventeen charters and constitutions, reflecting the high degree of political instability and frequency of military coups...
but is a symbol of national identity and unity.
King Bhumibolclass="infobox vcard" style="font-size: 88%; text-align: left; width: 22em;"|-! colspan="2" style="background: #ffff00; color: #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;" class="fn"|...
— who has been on the throne since 1946 — commands enormous popular respect and moral authority, which he has used on occasion to attempt to resolve political crises that have threatened national stability.
Thailand and Democracy after 1932
Thailand had been a kingdom under absolute monarchy for over seven centuries before 1932.
At the beginning of the colonial era, western powers pressured the country to evolve along republican, parliamentary and revolutionary lines having their roots in
French revolutionThe French Revolution was a period of political and social upheaval and radical change in the history of France, during which the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudal privileges for the aristocracy and Catholic clergy, underwent radical change to forms based...
and the fall of the Russian tsar. Despite the efforts of several kings, Thailand had insufficient time to educate its population in preparation for western political, industrial and economic changes, albeit female vote was granted since the first general election.
Since becoming a constitutional democratic monarchy in 1932, despite of the western-style democratic structure, for most of the time, the country has been ruled by military governments. Political freedom, freedom of speech and basic human rights were strongly compromised in the first three quarters of the twentieth century.
Due to the pressure from outside situation, The Vietnam War, the politics of the kingdom became even more tensed. The military government with support of the US step up its control over the country's politics while the intellectuals and socialist students strongly opposed the junta.
Student-led uprisings in October 1973 led to a new vision of liberating the country from military government. The media received more freedom to criticize politicians and governments, while revolutionary and socialist movements became more apparent. However, military and corrupted politicians like
Samak SundaravejSamak Sundaravej . He was the Prime Minister of Thailand and Minister of Defense in 2008, as well as the leader of the People's Power Party in 2008...
reversed the reforms in a
massacreThe Massacre of 6 October 1976 was a violent crackdown on students and protestors that occurred in the grounds of Thammasat University and at Sanam Luang in Bangkok, Thailand...
.
At the end of the
Indochina WarThe First Indochina War was fought in French Indochina from December 19, 1946, until August 1, 1954, between the French Union’s French Far East Expeditionary...
, investment by foreign businesses helped alleviate poor infrastructure and social problems. The middle classes constituted only ten per cent of the sixty million population; they enjoyed wealth and increasing freedom, leaving the majority poor in the rural areas and slums. Society had become more
materialisticMaterialistic describes a person who is markedly more concerned with material things rather than spiritual, intellectual, or cultural values; an adherent of materialism-See also:* Consumerism...
.
Corruption and bribery in all sectors have been on the rise. Most politicians were elected because of vote-buying and achieved a return on their investments by selling themselves to pass biased resolutions or corrupt budget bills. To win an election, an MP would pay around five hundred baht (10-20 USD) per person, totaling 10 to 30 million baht for a single election.
The system of rule fluctuated between unstable civilian governments and interludes of military takeover. During democratic periods, the middle-class in the cities ignored the poor in the rural areas. The media accepted bribes. To corrupt bureaucrats and politicians became well accepted business practice. The military would take over as a measure of ultima ratio.
Every time a coup was staged, some scapegoats or excuses were always found to justify it. Eventually, the ensuing junta government would have return political rights to the people. As a result, there have been 18 coups and resultant 18 constitutions in the history of Thai politics.
The
Black MayBlack May is a common name for the 17-20 May 1992 popular protest in Bangkok against the government of General Suchinda Kraprayoon and the bloody military crackdown that followed. Up to 200,000 people demonstrated in central Bangkok at the height of the protests...
uprising, in 1992, lead to more reform when promulgating the 1997 constitution - "The People's Constitution" - aiming to create checks and balance of powers between strengthened government, separately elected senators and anti-corruption institutes. Administrative courts, Constitutional Courts and election-control committee were established to strengthen the checks and balance of politics.
The 2007 constitution, following Thaksin's ouster, was particularly designed to be tighter in its control of corruptions and conflicts of interests while decreasing the authority of the government.
Government of Thailand
According to the constitution, the three major independent authorities holding the balance of power are executive, legislative, and judicial.
The
King has little direct power under the
constitutionA constitution is a set of rules for government—often codified as a written document—that establishes principles of an autonomous political entity. In the case of countries, this term refers specifically to a national constitution defining the fundamental political principles, and establishing the...
but is a symbol of national identity and unity. The present monarch has a great deal of popular respect and moral authority, which has been used to attempt to resolve political crises.
The
head of governmentHead of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled Prime Minister, President of the Government, Premier, etc...
is the
Prime Minister. Under the present constitution, the Prime Minister must be a
Member of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a parliament. In many countries the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a unique title, such as senate, and thus also have unique titles for its members, such as senators. Members of...
. Cabinet members do not have to be Members of Parliament. The legislature can hold a vote of no-confidence against the Premier and members of his Cabinet if it has sufficient votes.
Foreign relations of Thailand
ThailandThe Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia.It is bordered to the north by Laos and Burma, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Burma...
's foreign policy includes support for ASEAN - in the interest of regional stability - and emphasizes a close and longstanding security relationship with the United States.
Thailand participates fully in international and regional organizations. It has developed increasingly close ties with other ASEAN members—Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, Burma, and Vietnam—whose foreign and economic ministers hold annual meetings. Regional cooperation is progressing in economic, trade, banking, political, and cultural matters. In 2003, Thailand served as APEC host. Supachai Panitchpakdi, the former Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, currently serves as Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO). In 2005 Thailand attended the inaugural
East Asia SummitThe East Asia Summit is a forum held annually by leaders of 16 countries in the East Asian region. EAS meetings are held after annual ASEAN leaders’ meetings...
.
Political parties and elections
Summary of the 23 December 2007 House of Representatives of Thailand
ThaiThe Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia.It is bordered to the north by Laos and Burma, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Burma...
general election resultsThe 2007 Thai general elections were held on 23 December. This was the first legislative election after the Council for National Security, a military junta, had overthrown Thailand's elected government and abrogated the constitution on September 19, 2006. The junta had canceled general elections...
| Party |
Constituency |
Proportional |
TOTAL |
| Votes |
% |
Seats |
Votes |
% |
Seats |
People's Power PartyThe People's Power Party was a Thai political party founded on November 9, 1998 by Police Lieutenant Colonel Garn Tienkaew. The party leaders were Somchai Wongsawat , the Party Secretary General was Surapong Suebwonglee and the Party Spokesperson was Kuthep Saikrajarng...
|
26,293,456 |
36.63 |
199 |
14,071,799 |
39.60 |
34 |
233 |
Democrat PartyThe Democrat Party is Thailand's oldest political party, represented as the core coalition member in the six-party coalition government since December 15, 2008. The party upholds a centre-right, royalist, socially conservative, and economically liberal position...
|
21,745,696 |
30.30 |
132 |
14,084,265 |
39.63 |
33 |
165 |
| Thai Nation Party |
6,363,475 |
8.87 |
33 |
1,545,282 |
4.35 |
4 |
37 |
| For the Motherland Motherland Party is a Thai political party founded on September 11, 2007, by more than 200 politicians. It has a progressive platform. In a further general election, the party expects to become a third party, independent of the Thaksin-backed For Thais Party, and the current prime minister's...
|
6,599,422 |
9.19 |
17 |
1,981,021 |
5.57 |
7 |
24 |
| Thais United National Development Party Thais United National Development Party is a Thai political party formed as a merger of Thais United and the National Development Party in September 2007. In the Thai general election, 2007, the party received enough votes to gain eight out of 480 seats in the House of Representatives...
|
3,395,197 |
4.73 |
8 |
948,544 |
2.67 |
1 |
9 |
| Neutral Democratic Party The Neutral Democratic Party was a Thai political party founded in 2006 by Somsak Thepsuthin, a former Thai Rak Thai party Cabinet Minister...
|
3,844,673 |
5.36 |
7 |
528,464 |
1.49 |
0 |
7 |
Royalist People's PartyThe Royalist People's Party is a populist political party in Thailand.The party was established and registered at the Electoral Commission on January 10, 2006, by Sanoh Thienthong, former Thai Rak Thai party chairman....
|
1,632,795 |
2.27 |
4 |
750,158 |
2.11 |
1 |
5 |
| Others |
1,897,953 |
2.64 |
— |
1,626,234 |
4.58 |
— |
0 |
| Valid votes |
71,772,667* |
100 |
400 |
35,535,767 |
100 |
80 |
480 |
| No Votes |
|
906,216 |
2.32 |
|
| Invalid Votes |
2,539,429 |
6.51 |
| Total Turnout |
38,981,412 |
85.38 |
Source: The Nation
* As constituencies elect between one and three MPs, some people have two or three votes. |
Transition to Democracy after 1932
Following the 1932 revolution which imposed constitutional limits on the monarchy, Thai politics were dominated for a half century by a military and bureaucratic elite, in collaboration with a dozen or so oligarchs commonly known as
persons of influence. Changes of government were effected primarily by means of a long series of mostly bloodless coups.
Beginning with a brief experiment in
democracyDemocracy is a system of government in which either the actual governing is carried out by the people governed , or the power to do so is granted by them...
during the mid-1970s, civilian democratic political institutions slowly gained greater authority, culminating in 1988 when
Chatichai ChoonhavanGeneral Chatichai Choonhavan was the Prime Minister of Thailand from 1988 to 1991. He was the only son of Field Marshal Phin Choonhavan, and is of Thai Chinese descent with ancestry from Chenghai District...
— leader of the
Chart Thai PartyThai Nation Party , also known as Chart Thai, was a conservative political party in Thailand. It was dissolved by the Constitutional Court of Thailand on December 2, 2008, along with the People's Power Party and the Matchima party, for having violated electoral laws in the Thai general election,...
(Thai Nation Party) — assumed office as the country's first democratically elected
prime minister in more than a decade. Three years later, yet another bloodless coup ended his term.
Shortly afterward, the royally appointed
Anand PanyarachunAnand Panyarachun was Thailand's Prime Minister twice, between 1991-1992 and once again in 1992. He was effective in initiating economic and political reforms, one of which was the drafting of Thailand's "Peoples' Constitution", which was promulgated in 1997 and abrogated in 2006...
, a businessman and former diplomat, headed a largely civilian interim government and promised to hold elections in the near future. However, following inconclusive elections, former army commander
Suchinda KraprayoonSuchinda Kraprayoon was Prime Minister of Thailand from 7 April 1992 until 24 May 1992.Suchinda, son of Juang and Sompong Kraprayoon, was born 6 August 1933 in the province of Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, and is of Chinese and Mon descent...
was appointed prime minister. Thais reacted to the appointment by demanding an end to military influence in government. Demonstrations were violently suppressed by the military; in May 1992. According to eyewitness reports of action near the Democracy Monument in Bangkok, soldiers may have killed seven hundred and fifty protesters after only two days of protests.
Domestic and international reaction to the violence forced Suchinda to resign, and the nation once again turned to Anand Panyarachun, who was appointed interim prime minister until new elections in September 1992. In those elections, political parties that had opposed the military in May 1992 won by a narrow majority, and
Chuan LeekpaiChuan Leekpai was the Prime Minister of Thailand from September 20, 1992 to May 19, 1995 and again from November 9, 1997 to February 9, 2001. A third-generation Thai Chinese, Chuan was born in Trang province in a grass-roofed house. The walls of his family's house were woven from strips of...
, a leader of the
Democrat PartyThe Democrat Party is Thailand's oldest political party, represented as the core coalition member in the six-party coalition government since December 15, 2008. The party upholds a centre-right, royalist, socially conservative, and economically liberal position...
, became
prime minister at the head of a five-party coalition. Following the defection of a coalition partner, Chuan dissolved Parliament in May 1995, and the
Chart Thai PartyThai Nation Party , also known as Chart Thai, was a conservative political party in Thailand. It was dissolved by the Constitutional Court of Thailand on December 2, 2008, along with the People's Power Party and the Matchima party, for having violated electoral laws in the Thai general election,...
won the largest number of parliamentary seats in the subsequent election. Party leader Banharn Silpa-archa became Prime Minister but held the office for only little more than a year. Following elections held in November 1996, Chavalit Youngchaiyudh formed a coalition government and became Prime Minister. The onset of the Asian financial crisis caused a loss of confidence in the Chavalit government and forced him to hand over power to Chuan Leekpai in November 1997. Chuan formed a coalition government based on the themes of economic crisis management and institution of political reforms mandated by Thailand's
1997 constitutionThe Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand is the supreme law of Thailand. Since the change from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional democracy in 1932, Thailand has had seventeen charters and constitutions, reflecting the high degree of political instability and frequency of military coups...
. It collapsed just days before its term was scheduled to end.
2001 - 2006, the Tenure of Thaksin Shinawatra
In the
January 2001 electionsGeneral elections were held in Thailand on January 6, 2001. 500 seats in the House of Representatives were at stake...
, telecommunications multimillionaire
Thaksin ShinawatraThaksin Shinawatra is a Thai businessman who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006, when he was deposed in a military coup and convicted in absentia for a conflict of interest. He was born in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand and started his career in the police...
and his
Thai Rak ThaiThai Rak Thai was a political party in Thailand that was officially banned on May 30, 2007, by the Constitutional Court of Thailand. From 2001 to 2006, it was the ruling party under Prime Minister and its founder Thaksin Shinawatra...
(TRT) party won an overwhelming victory on a populist platform of economic growth and development.
Thaksin also marginally survived (8:7) a guilty verdict in the Constitutional Court where he was charged by the Board of Anti-Corruption of hiding hundreds-of-million-baht-worth of shares with several of his employees. A decade later, a Supreme Court ruling in another case accepted a possibility of bribery in the Constitutional Court case.
After absorbing several smaller parties, TRT gained an absolute majority in the lower house of the Parliament, controlling 296 of 500 seats. In a cabinet reshuffle of October 2002, the Thaksin administration further put its stamp on the government. A package of bureaucratic reform legislation created six new ministries in an effort to streamline the bureaucratic process and increase efficiency and accountability.
The
general election held on 6 February, 2005General elections were held in Thailand on 6 February, 2005. With a turnout of 60.7 percent, the Thai Rak Thai Party of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra won a landslide victory. Out of 500 seats in the House of Representatives, Thaksin's party won 374 seats, with its former coalition partner, the...
resulted in another landslide victory for Thaksin and TRT, which controlled 374 seats in Parliament's lower house. Thaksin's populist policies found great favour in rural areas which aided him. Thaksin introduced government programs which greatly benefited rural areas of the country. These programs included debt relief for farmers still reeling from the Asian Financial Crisis and a new health care program which brought coverage to all Thais for 30-baht per visit(about 1 dollar).
Despite the majority and surging popularity amongst rural Thais, Thaksin came under severe questioning for selling telecommunication shares to Temasek, a Singapore investor for about 70,000 million baht without paying any tax. More complex and high-level corruption and conspiracies were discovered and exposed by Sonthi Limthongkul, Manager Media Group owner, who reached the middle class in the capital and the cities through the only small satellite and internet media channel, ASTV.
Thaksin refused to publicly answer PAD's questions. Because of failure to clear himself in the alleged corruptions, Thaksin's regime fell apart during
public protestsThe 2005–2006 Thai political crisis was a period in which series of events occurred that ended the political career of Thaksin Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand...
led by the
People's Alliance for DemocracyThe People's Alliance for Democracy also called the National Liberation Alliance - กลุ่มพันธมิตรกู้ชาติ or the Yellow Shirts - เสื้อเหลือง - was originally a coalition of protesters against Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister of Thailand who was freely elected by the people...
which led to widespread calls for his resignation and
impeachmentImpeachment is the first of two stages in a specific process for a legislative body to consider whether or not to forcibly remove a government official from office. The impeachment itself brings the charges against the official...
.
The
People's Alliance for DemocracyThe People's Alliance for Democracy also called the National Liberation Alliance - กลุ่มพันธมิตรกู้ชาติ or the Yellow Shirts - เสื้อเหลือง - was originally a coalition of protesters against Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister of Thailand who was freely elected by the people...
, a large group of the middle class and a coalition of anti-Thaksin protesters, led by Sonthi Limthongkul, gathered in Bangkok, demanded that Thaksin resign as prime minister so that the King could directly appoint someone else. Thaksin refused and protests continued for weeks.
Thaksin
dissolved parliamentIn parliamentary systems, a dissolution of parliament is the dispersal of a legislature at the call of an election.Usually there is a maximum length of a legislature, and a dissolution must happen before the maximum time...
on 24 February 2006 and called a
snap electionA snap election is an election called earlier than scheduled. Generally it refers to an election called when no one expects it, usually to capitalize on a unique electoral opportunity or to decide a pressing issue. It differs from a recall election in that it is initiated by politicians rather...
for 2 April 2006.
The electionGeneral elections were held in Thailand on April 2006. Elections for the lower house of the Thai National Assembly, the House of Representatives, were held on 2 April 2006 and elections for the upper house, the Senate, were held on 19 April 2006...
was
boycottA boycott is a form of consumer activism involving the act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons.-Etymology:...
ed by the opposition parties, leading to unopposed TRT candidates for 38 seats failing to get the necessary
quorumIn law, a quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative body necessary to conduct the business of that group. Ordinarily, this is a majority of the people expected to be there, although bodies may have a lower or higher quorum....
of 20% of eligible votes. As the Thai constitution requires all seats be filled from the beginning of
parliamentThe National Assembly of Thailand or the Parliament of Thailand is the legislative branch of the government of Thailand. The National Assembly of Thailand is a bicameral body, consisting of two chambers: the upper house, , and the lower house,...
, thisproduced a
constitutional crisisA constitutional crisis is a severe breakdown in the orderly operation of government. Generally speaking, a constitutional crisis is a situation in which separate factions within a government disagree about the extent to which each of these factions hold sovereignty...
. After floating several suggestions, on 4 April 2006, Thaksin announced that he would step down as prime minister as soon as parliament had selected a successor.
In a televised speech to senior judges, King Bhumibol requested them to execute their duty justly.
Criminal charges and allegations of administrative abuse cases were brought against the Election Committee. The courts voided the election results, jailed the committee for abuse of power, and ordered
a new round of elections for 15 October 2006After Thailand's April 2006 elections were declared invalid by the Constitutional Court, it was decided that new elections would be held on 15 October 2006...
. Thaksin continued to work as caretaker prime minister.
Civil movements in Thailand were active in 2000s, with some groups perceiving the Thaksin government as authoritarian, citing extrajudicial killings in his War on Drugs, special security laws passed by the administration, and the government's increasingly hardline responses to the insurgency in the southern provinces. Thaksin's government was facing mounting opposition from the urban middle classes, while continuing to remain popular in the predominantly poor and rural North and Northeastern regions. However, the most severe critic of Thaksin seemed to be Sondhi Limthongkul, a media tycoon and former colleague.
2006 coup
Reacting to the situation, poor people from the rural areas were paid and encouraged to gather to form a big mob (
DAADDAAD can have several meanings:* The German Academic Exchange Service * Direct Action Against Drugs, a cover name for the Provisional Irish Republican Army...
) in Bangkok. While Thaksin was in
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
to make a speech at UN Headquarters, there was a conspiracy to create a violent clash to brutally end the month-long PAD protest. Just in time to prevent the alleged clash, the military seized power on 19 September, 2006.
The
Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional MonarchyThe Council for National Security , formerly known in English as the Council for Democratic Reform or previous name is the Council for Democratic Reform under the Constitutional Monarchy; , abbreviated , formerly The Council for National Security (CNS), formerly known in English as the Council...
(CDRM) led by General
Sonthi BoonyaratglinGeneral Sonthi Boonyaratglin is former Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army and former head of the Council for National Security, the military junta that ruled the kingdom. He is the first Muslim in charge of the mostly Buddhist army....
was formed. Political activities were banned by the junta after the coup on 19 September 2006. The
1997 ConstitutionFor legal and historical context, see the Constitutions of Thailand articlethumb|275px|Bangkok's [[Democracy Monument, Bangkok|Democracy Monument]]: a representation of the 1932 Constitution sits on top of two golden offering bowls above a turret....
was abrogated, although most of the institutions of government remained intact. A new constitution was drafted and promulgated in late 2007.
One month after the coup, an interim civilian government was formed, including an appointed House of Representatives from a variety of professions and an appointed Constitutional Court. Freedom of speech was restored.
During 2006 and 2007, organized underground terrorist activities took place, burning numerous schools in rural areas of the north and the northeast of Thailand and bombs planted in ten locations in Bangkok killed and injured several people on the New Year's Eve of 2006.
A national referendum for the 2007 constitution was called by the military and the 2007 constitution was accepted by the majority of the voters. The junta promised a democratic general election which was finally held on 23 December 2007, sixteen months after the coup.
The constitutional court unanimously dissolved the populist Thai Rak Thai party following a punishment according to the 1997 constitution, banning 111 TRT members from politics for five years.
The military drafted a
controversial new constitutionA Permanent Constitution for the Kingdom of Thailand was drafted by a committee established by the military junta that abrogated the previous 1997 Constitution. On August 19, 2007, a referendum was held in which 59.3% of the voters voted in favor of the constitution...
following allegation of Thaksin's corruption and abuse of power was particularly designed to be more tighter in control of corruptions and conflicts of interests of politicians while decreasing the previously strengthened authority of the government. A national referendum accepted the 2007 constitution with significant disapproval in the Thaksin's stronghold, the north and northeast.
On 23 December 2007 national parliamentary election was held, based on the new constitution, and People Power Party (Thai Rak Thai's and Thaksin's proxy party), led by former Bangkok governor
Samak SundaravejSamak Sundaravej . He was the Prime Minister of Thailand and Minister of Defense in 2008, as well as the leader of the People's Power Party in 2008...
, began taking the reins of government. Thailand's new Parliament convened on January 21, 2008.
The People Power Party (PPP) which is Thaksin's proxy party, won the general election by a solid margin after five minor parties joined it to form a coalition government.
A complaint was filed against PPP in the Thai Supreme Court, charging PPP of being the TRT nominee party. Moreover, in 2008, one of its leading members was charged with electoral fraud. The Election Committee also proposed that the PPP should be dissolved due to the violation of the constitution.
2008 political crisis
During 2008,
ThailandThe Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia.It is bordered to the north by Laos and Burma, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Burma...
saw increasing political turmoil, with the PPP government facing pressure to step down amid mounting
civil disobedienceCivil disobedience is the active refusal to obey certain laws, demands and commands of a government, or of an occupying power, without resorting to physical violence. It is one of the primary methods of nonviolent resistance...
and
unrestUnrest is a sociological phenomenon, for instance:* Industrial unrest* Labor unrest* Rebellion* Riot-Notable historical unrests:* 19th century Luddites* 1978–79 Winter of Discontent...
lead by the PAD. The conflict centred on the nature of the political system. The PPP supports the democratic electoral system, whereas the PAD want it replaced with a system in which some representatives are chosen by certain professions and social groups. The anti-government protesters were mostly better educated, more affluent, urban Thais demanding that the country move away from a Western-style electoral system, which they say Thaksin exploited to buy votes. They instead favor a system in which some representatives are chosen by certain professions and social groups. They are vastly outnumbered by Thaksin's supporters in the rural majority, who delivered his party two resounding election victories. Their loyalty was rewarded by generous social and economic welfare programs for previously neglected provincial areas. The anti-government forces were well organized, and had the behind-the-scenes support of elements of the military and parties close the royal palace, the country's most influential institution.
Samak Sundaravej was elected Prime Minister of the first government under the
2007 constitutionA Permanent Constitution for the Kingdom of Thailand was drafted by a committee established by the military junta that abrogated the previous 1997 Constitution. On August 19, 2007, a referendum was held in which 59.3% of the voters voted in favor of the constitution...
.
Samak Sundaravej, who is an articulate politician, acknowledged being the "replacement" of fugitive Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra.
In 1973, he ran a prominent month-long propaganda campaign, accusing democratic students' movements of being communist rebellions, traitors and spies. The event ended in a massacre of hundreds of students at
Thammasat UniversityThammasat University is Thailand's second oldest university. Founded in 1934 as University of Moral and Political Sciences by Pridi Banomyong, a leader of Khana Ratsadon and one of Thailand's most prominent statesmen. It was transformed from an open university to the current form in 1960....
on October 14, 1973, and a further military coup was conducted, giving him the interior minister position in the junta.
While Prime Minister, PM Samak held daily national state television broadcasts with his own political messages. These were not well areceived by PAD. NBT, the National Broadcasting Television, the state-owned media enterprise, was openly used to counter the PAD's message, which emphasises the overturning of the current democratic system.
Former PM Thaksin had welcomed the offers to come back to Thailand in February 2008 to face corruption charges and to get close control of the PPP party, successor of his Thai Rak Thai Party.
The opposition forced a no-confidence vote on a constitutional amendment which may have resulted in the reinstatement of Thaksin's reputation. The failure to address dramatically rising food and energy prices, and a temple dispute with Cambodia damaged the coalition government's reputation.
Street protests led by the
PADPad or PAD can be either a word, an abbreviation or a three letter acronym.-Pad:* A keypad is a set of buttons which usually bear digits * A Gamepad or joypad for a computer or console* A paper tablet* Part of an animal paw* A bachelor pad...
, the major opposition movement, began in late May after the ruling party agreed to amend the constitution. Their main objective was to block any constitutional amendment aimed chiefly at reinstating Thaksin's reputation and saving the PPP from dissolution after one of its leaders was charged with electoral fraud.
Another of PAD's objectives was to support the courts and the judicial system in justly carrying out hearing Thaksin's cases. While PM Samak has been successful in controlling the police and civil service, various courts remain independent and have issued several independent verdicts.
The Constitution Court concluded that PPP's second-in-command, Yongyuth Tiyapairat, bought votes which would subject the party to dissolution. Both the Constitution Court and Administrative Court ruled that his government seriously violated the constitution and might have prejudiced national sovereignty in negotiating over the sovereignty of the Preah Vihear Temple with Cambodia. The case brought the resignation of his first foreign minister, Nopadon Patama. Several other ministers found wrongfully informing the Anticorruption Board or Election Governing Board of important information, were discharged when this was discovered.
Thaksin and Pojaman's three lawyers were caught red-handedly attempting to bribe Supreme Court judges and were given jail sentences.. That was an ominous sign for Thaksin. Later a criminal court returned a verdict against Pojaman, of tax evasion, to be jailed for three years. Days later, Thaksin and Pojaman jumped bail and issued a statement from London announcing through Thai TVs his decision to seek political asylum in the UK in an attempt to avoid what he called "biased" treatment under Thailand's current judicial system.
Thaksin and his family fled to Great Britain on August 11,2008, to apply for political asylum after his wife was convicted of tax evasion.
PM Samak Sundaravej, through his parliamentary, was able to complete budget bills for megaprojects which cost so much that the King of Thailand spoke out to protest and to thank the head of the National Bank of Thailand (under threats from the government) that the country was on the brink of disaster because of too high and careless expenditure.
PM Samak Sundaravej said "I will never resign in response to these threats. I will not dissolve the House. I will meet the King today to report what's going on". He met with King
Bhumibol Adulyadejclass="infobox vcard" style="font-size: 88%; text-align: left; width: 22em;"|-! colspan="2" style="background: #ffff00; color: #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;" class="fn"|...
at the
Hua HinHua Hin is a famous beach resort town in Thailand, in the northern part of the Malay Peninsula, some 200 km south of Bangkok. It has a population of 84,883 in an area of 911 km², and is one of eight districts of the Prachuap Khiri Khan province.Hua Hin is closely associated with the...
palace.
From August 26, 2008, 30'000 protesters, led by the
People's Alliance for DemocracyThe People's Alliance for Democracy also called the National Liberation Alliance - กลุ่มพันธมิตรกู้ชาติ or the Yellow Shirts - เสื้อเหลือง - was originally a coalition of protesters against Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister of Thailand who was freely elected by the people...
, occupied Sundaravej's Government House compound in central
BangkokBangkok is the capital, largest urban area and primary city of Thailand. Known in Thai as Krung Thep Mahanakhon , or กรุงเทพฯ Krung Thep for short, it was a small trading post at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River during the Ayutthaya Kingdom. It came to the forefront of Siam when it was given the...
, forcing him and his advisers to work at Don Muang International Airport, Bangkok's old international airport. Thai riot police entered the occupied compound and delivered a court order for the eviction of
PADPad or PAD can be either a word, an abbreviation or a three letter acronym.-Pad:* A keypad is a set of buttons which usually bear digits * A Gamepad or joypad for a computer or console* A paper tablet* Part of an animal paw* A bachelor pad...
protesters.
Chamlong SrimuangMajor General Chamlong Srimuang is a controversial Thai activist and former politician...
, a leader of the
PADPad or PAD can be either a word, an abbreviation or a three letter acronym.-Pad:* A keypad is a set of buttons which usually bear digits * A Gamepad or joypad for a computer or console* A paper tablet* Part of an animal paw* A bachelor pad...
, ordered 45
PADPad or PAD can be either a word, an abbreviation or a three letter acronym.-Pad:* A keypad is a set of buttons which usually bear digits * A Gamepad or joypad for a computer or console* A paper tablet* Part of an animal paw* A bachelor pad...
guards to break into the main government building on Saturday. 3 regional airports were closed for a short period and 35 trains between Bangkok and the provinces were canceled. Protesters raided the
Phuket International AirportPhuket International Airport is an airport serving the Phuket Province of Thailand. It is located in the north of Phuket Island, 32 kilometres from the centre of Phuket City. The airport plays a major role in Thailand's tourism industry, as Phuket Island is a popular resort destination...
tarmacTarmac is a type of road surface. Tarmac refers to a material patented by Edgar Purnell Hooley in 1901...
on the resort island of
Phuket ProvincePhuket is one of the southern provinces of Thailand...
resulting to 118 flights canceled or diverted, affecting 15,000 passengers.
Protesters also blocked the entrances of the airports in
KrabiKrabi is a town on the west coast of southern Thailand at the mouth of the Krabi River into the Andaman Sea. As of 2005 the town has a population of 24,986. The town is the capital of Krabi Province and Krabi district. Tourism has become the most important feature of Krabi today...
and
Hat YaiHat Yai is a city in southern Thailand near the boundary to Malaysia. Geographical location . With a population of 157,359 in the core city and about 800,000 in the Greater Hat Yai...
(which were later re-opened). Police issued arrest warrants for
Sondhi LimthongkulSondhi Limthongkul is Thai media mogul and leader of the right-wing People's Alliance for Democracy and later was elected for leader of the New Politics Party . Starting his career as a journalist, he later founded Manager Daily newspaper as well as satellite broadcaster ASTV...
and the 8 other
PADPad or PAD can be either a word, an abbreviation or a three letter acronym.-Pad:* A keypad is a set of buttons which usually bear digits * A Gamepad or joypad for a computer or console* A paper tablet* Part of an animal paw* A bachelor pad...
leaders on charges of insurrection,
conspiracyIn a political sense, conspiracy refers to a group of persons united in the goal of usurping or overthrowing an established political power. Typically, the final goal is to gain power through a revolutionary coup d'état or through assassination....
,
unlawful assemblyUnlawful assembly is a legal term to describe a group of people with the mutual intent of deliberate disturbance of the peace. If the group are about to start the act of disturbance, it is termed a rout; if the disturbance is commenced, it is then termed a riot...
and refusing orders to disperse. Meanwhile, General Anupong Paochinda stated: "The army will not stage a coup. The political crisis should be resolved by political means." Samak and the ruling coalition called for an urgent parliamentary debate and session for August 31.
PM Samak Sundaravej tried using legal means involving through civil charges, criminal charges and violent police force to remove the
PADPad or PAD can be either a word, an abbreviation or a three letter acronym.-Pad:* A keypad is a set of buttons which usually bear digits * A Gamepad or joypad for a computer or console* A paper tablet* Part of an animal paw* A bachelor pad...
protesters from the government office on August 29.
However, the
PADPad or PAD can be either a word, an abbreviation or a three letter acronym.-Pad:* A keypad is a set of buttons which usually bear digits * A Gamepad or joypad for a computer or console* A paper tablet* Part of an animal paw* A bachelor pad...
managed to get temporary reliefs from courts enabling them to legally continue the siege of the government office.
One person died and forty people were wounded in a clash, which occurred when the
DAADDAAD can have several meanings:* The German Academic Exchange Service * Direct Action Against Drugs, a cover name for the Provisional Irish Republican Army...
(NohPohKoh) protesters, supported by Thaksin and the PPP party moved toward PAD at about 3am of September 2 without adequate police intervention.
By the second of half of September 2008, PM Samak Sundaravej was the subject of several court cases for his past actions. An Appeal Court verdict upon a long-standing criminal charge of slander may jail him. A Constitutional Court will return verdict upon whether he has a conflict of interest by being a private employee while holding a PM position. The Anti-Corruption Board may bring a charge of abuse of power in the Preah Vihear case to the Constitutional Court. These instantaneously terminated PM Samak's political role. While fugitive ex-PM Thaksin and Pojaman would also face verdicts from the Supreme Court.
People Power PartyPeople Power is a populist political movement in Australia that was Federally registered as a political party in March 2006. The party contested its first election in the Victorian state election, 2006.- Policies :...
's deputy spokesman Kuthep Suthin Klangsang, on September 12, 2008, announced: "Samak has accepted his nomination for prime minister. Samak said he is confident that parliament will find him fit for office, and that he is happy to accept the post. A majority of party members voted on Thursday to reappoint Samak. Samak is the leader of our party so he is the best choice." Despite objections from its five coalition partners, the PPP, in an urgent meeting, unanimously decided to renominate
Samak SundaravejSamak Sundaravej . He was the Prime Minister of Thailand and Minister of Defense in 2008, as well as the leader of the People's Power Party in 2008...
. 5 coalition parties, namely Chart Thai, Matchima Thipataya, Pracharaj, Puea Pandin and Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana, unanimously agreed to support the People Power party (PPP) to set up the new government and vote for the person who should be nominated as the new prime minister. Chart Thai deputy leader Somsak Prissananantakul and Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana leader Chettha Thanajaro said the next prime minister was nominated. Caretaker prime minister
Somchai WongsawatSomchai Wongsawat is a Thai politician, as well as former executive member of the People's Power Party whose political rights have been revoked by the Constitutional Court for five years....
said PPP secretary-general Surapong Suebwonglee will notify the 5 parties who the PPP nominated, to take office again. Some lawmakers, however, said they will propose an alternate candidate. Meanwhile, Thailand's army chief General
Anupong PaochindaGeneral Anupong Paochinda is an incumbent Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Army. He has been—since he was a Lieutenat General and held the position as the 1st Army Area Commander—a member of the Council for National Security, the junta staging the 2006 Thai coup d'état unseating the elected...
said he backed the creation of a national unity government that would include all the country's parties, and he also asked for the lifting of a state of emergency that Samak imposed in September 2.
Embattled
Samak SundaravejSamak Sundaravej . He was the Prime Minister of Thailand and Minister of Defense in 2008, as well as the leader of the People's Power Party in 2008...
abandoned his bid to regain his Thailand
Prime MinisterA prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. The position is usually held by, but need not always be held by, a politician. In many systems, the prime minister selects and can dismiss other members of the cabinet, and...
post, and he also resigned the
People's Power PartyPeople's Power Party can refer to:* Lok Janshakti Party * People's Power Party...
(PPP) leadership. Meanwhile, PPP's chief party spokesman Kudeb Saikrachang and Kan Thiankaew announced on September 13 that caretaker prime minister
Somchai WongsawatSomchai Wongsawat is a Thai politician, as well as former executive member of the People's Power Party whose political rights have been revoked by the Constitutional Court for five years....
, caretaker justice minister Sompong Amornwiwat and PPP Secretary-General Surapong Suebwonglee were PPP's candidates for premiership post. However, Suriyasai Katasila of
People's Alliance for DemocracyThe People's Alliance for Democracy also called the National Liberation Alliance - กลุ่มพันธมิตรกู้ชาติ or the Yellow Shirts - เสื้อเหลือง - was originally a coalition of protesters against Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister of Thailand who was freely elected by the people...
(a group of royalist businessmen, academics and activists), vowed to continue its occupation of Government House if a PPP candidate would be nominated: "We would accept anyone as prime minister, as long as he is not from the People's Power Party."
On September 14 the state of emergency was lifted. The ruling
People Power PartyPeople Power is a populist political movement in Australia that was Federally registered as a political party in March 2006. The party contested its first election in the Victorian state election, 2006.- Policies :...
, on September 15, 2008, named
Somchai WongsawatSomchai Wongsawat is a Thai politician, as well as former executive member of the People's Power Party whose political rights have been revoked by the Constitutional Court for five years....
, candidate for prime minister to succeed Samak Sundaravej. The PPP will endorsed Somchai, and his nomination will be set for a parliamentary vote on Wednesday. Meanwhile the Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday in a corruption case against Thaksin and his wife, to be promulgated after the parliament vote for the new prime minister.
On October 4, 2008,
Chamlong SrimuangMajor General Chamlong Srimuang is a controversial Thai activist and former politician...
and rally organiser, Chaiwat Sinsuwongse of the
People's Alliance for DemocracyThe People's Alliance for Democracy also called the National Liberation Alliance - กลุ่มพันธมิตรกู้ชาติ or the Yellow Shirts - เสื้อเหลือง - was originally a coalition of protesters against Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister of Thailand who was freely elected by the people...
, were detained by the Thai police led by Col. Sarathon Pradit, by virtue of August 27
arrest warrantAn arrest warrant is a warrant issued by and on behalf of the state, which authorizes the arrest and detention of an individual.-Canada:Arrest warrants are issued by a judge or justice of the peace under section 83.29 of the Criminal Code of Canada...
for insurrection, conspiracy, illegal assembly and refusing orders to disperse (
treasonIn law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more serious acts of disloyalty to one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife...
) against him and 8 other protest leaders. At the Government House,
Sondhi LimthongkulSondhi Limthongkul is Thai media mogul and leader of the right-wing People's Alliance for Democracy and later was elected for leader of the New Politics Party . Starting his career as a journalist, he later founded Manager Daily newspaper as well as satellite broadcaster ASTV...
, however, stated demonstrations would continue: "I am warning you, the government and police, that you are putting fuel on the fire. Once you arrest me, thousands of people will tear you apart." Srimuang's wife, Ying Siriluck visited him at the Border Patrol Police Region 1,
Pathum ThaniPathum Thani is a town in central Thailand, directly north of Bangkok. It is the capital of the Pathum Thani Province, Thailand as well as the Mueang Pathum Thani district. As of 2005, it has a population of 18,320, covering the complete subdistrict Bang Parok....
. Other PAD members still wanted by police include Sondhi, activist MP Somkiat Pongpaibul and PAD leaders Somsak Kosaisuk and Pibhop Dhongchai.
On October 7, 2008, Deputy Prime Minister
Chavalit YongchaiyudhGeneral Chavalit Yongchaiyudh is a Thai politician and general who started his political career as Defence Minister, Deputy Prime Minister during the term of Chatichai Choonhavan from 1988 to 1991, as Minister of Interior from 1992 to 1994 and again Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence...
resigned and admitted partial responsibility for violence due to police tear gas clearance of the blockade of the parliament, causing injuries to 116 protesters, 21, seriously injured. His resignation letter stated: "Since this action did not achieve what I planned, I want to show my responsibility for this operation." But after dispersal, 5'000 demonstrators returned and blocked all 4 entries to the parliament building.
The protesters attempted to hold 320 MPs and senators as hostages inside the Parliament building, cutting off the power supply, and forcing
Somchai WongsawatSomchai Wongsawat is a Thai politician, as well as former executive member of the People's Power Party whose political rights have been revoked by the Constitutional Court for five years....
to escape by jumping a back fence after his policy address. But other trapped MPs failed to leave and flee from the mob. The
siegeA siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit"....
on the area beside the near prime minister’s office forced the government to transfer its activities to Don Muang International Airport, Bangkok's former international airport.
On November 26, 2008, the
Asian Human Rights CommissionThe Asian Human Rights Commission is an independent, non-governmental body, which seeks to promote greater awareness and realisation of human rights in the Asian region, and to mobilise Asian and international public opinion to obtain relief and redress for the victims of human rights violations...
(AHRC) issued a statement saying that
the current crisis is a watershed moment for democracy and rule of law in Thailand. It contains harsh critique of PAD and the criminal justice system of Thailand. This critique should not be seen as one-sided as AHRC have a history of also being critical of the current government (per nov 2008), the Thai Supreme Court, the earlier military junta and the former Prime Minister
Thaksin ShinawatraThaksin Shinawatra is a Thai businessman who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006, when he was deposed in a military coup and convicted in absentia for a conflict of interest. He was born in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand and started his career in the police...
.
See also
- Thailand
The Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia.It is bordered to the north by Laos and Burma, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Burma...
- History of Thailand
The history of Thailand begins with the migration of the Tai- Lao speaking people from their ancestral home in southern China into mainland southeast Asia around the 10th century AD. Prior to this, Mon, Khmer and Malay kingdoms ruled the region. The Thais established their own states starting with...
- Media in Thailand
- Constitution of Thailand
The Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand is the supreme law of Thailand. Since the change from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional democracy in 1932, Thailand has had seventeen charters and constitutions, reflecting the high degree of political instability and frequency of military coups...
External links