Democratization and the Military in Thailand

Abstract

Thailand has faced political turmoil in the last two decades, characterized by political conflict between pro-democracy forces and anti-democracy forces. This conflict derived from the process of political democratization that began in the 1990s and accelerated since 2001. There are two major factors responsible for this advance in democratization. First are the rapid socio-economic changes that have occurred since the latter half of the 1980s. Enormous investment from foreign countries after the Plaza Accord in 1985 was a decisive triggering device in this process. The changes have broadened the size of the middle class occupied by the lower middle class in rural areas and increased the size of the lower class in urban areas. Lower-middle-class people, who comprise a majority of the electorate, have shifted from loyal subjects to citizens with increasing political awareness. The second factor is the 1997 constitution, which drastically changed the electoral system and had profound effects on Thailand's political system. The nation had a political leader, Thaksin Shinawatra, who utilized the new rule and changed the political consciousness and attitudes of the majority of the people. An increasing number of citizens came to think that democracy should be the only political system. Some parts of the establishment are not happy with democratization. One is a politically influential numerical minority, upper class and urban middle class individuals. They have enjoyed privileged status under the authoritarian government, and the new electoral politics, dominated by the numerical majority, has decreased their political power and influence. Another group is the monarchy and its supporters. King Bhumibol Adulyadej (reign: June 9, 1946-October 13, 2016) spent years building his undisputed authority, which was undermined by democratization.The disgruntled establishment embarked on a de-democratization effort in 2005. They resorted to coups to topple the elected government in 2006, 2008, and 2014. The military and the judiciary played a critical role in these coups because they