Thailand and the Battle to Win the Hearts
Thailand and the Battle to Win the Hearts
Thailand is experiencing rough times at the moment. All relevant actors of the political system contribute to the instability of the nation. The opaque struggle for power in Thailand led to this crisis and the protests on both sides of the public are farces.
Abstract:
This paper shows how all relevant actors of the political system contribute to the instability of the nation. The opaque struggle for power in Thailand led to this crisis and the protests on both sides of the public are farces.
The People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) is accusing Thaksin, his Thai Rak Thai party and their successors, for cronyism, vote-buying and corruption. It is true that Thaksin built up a regime and did abuse his authority. His cronies still continue working in the successive organisations. But this is only one side. The truth is that corruption and opacity are an overall problem in Thailand.
The trinity of bureaucracy, military and monarchy is not a one time coalition to eradicate the evil, but an establishment, that has own interests and opaque ways of taking influence as well.
Unfortunately the Thai intelligentsia is not bringing any light in the dark, but delivering gun powder to the opponents by producing vague theories of Thai-Style-Democracy without electoral legitimation.
In opposition to that this paper suggests to responsibly take into account the necessity and the potential of the rural voters and the need for transparent policies by all actors.
The 2006 coup d’état in Thailand is not the first that the country has seen. Since 1932 eighteen coups have taken place in Thailand. But stating this, commentators often neglect the fact that since fifteen years there hasn’t been any unconstitutional change in Thai government.
The occasions on 19th of September 2006 and the current development are unprecedented for three reasons: 1. The role of the king and the question of its successor; 2. The political weight of the rural citizens; 3. The idea of a Thai-Style-Democracy.
In the following the actors in the political system of Thailand and their positions are described. A special view is given to the questions of corruption and abuse of authority. The leaders of the different movements are critically portrayed and network relations between different groups, as the military, the bureaucracy and the monarchy, highlighted. It is made clear that all actors contribute to the instability of the country. The thesis is set up as an objection to the current ideas of undermining electoral democracy. It says the way out of the crisis is to accept the politicization of the rural voters and to commit to transparent ways of polity.