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1 1 (August 8, 2023)

handle is hein.crs/govemmf0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Con res ~on I fles Inim in I Ieii I live d ha 3rch Service since 1914 Updated August 8, 2023 Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations Thailand is a long-time military ally and economic partner of the United States. The United States operates numerous regional offices from the Bangkok Embassy, one of the largest American diplomatic missions in the world. Bilateral cooperation includes security initiatives and operations, intelligence and law enforcement efforts, and regional health and education programs. These ties endure, but nearly two decades of political turmoil in Thailand, including military coups in 2006 and 2014, have complicated relations. The country's instability could be exacerbated following May 2023 elections, in which reformist parties outpolled incumbent military-linked parties, but have been blocked from forming a government. Efforts by successive Thai governments to manipulate political processes and suppress critics have raised questions about Thailand's prospects for returning to full democratic governance, including the peaceful transfer of power and protection for civil liberties. Human rights organizations have alleged numerous abuses by the current military-backed government, including the curtailment of freedoms of speech and assembly, harassment of government critics, use of lese majeste (offenses against the monarchy) laws to muzzle dissent, arbitrary arrests, and a lack of protections for human trafficking victims, laborers, and refugees. 2023 Elections Thailand held nationwide elections on May 14, 2023-its first since 2019. In heavy voter turnout, two reformist parties earned over 58% of seats in the elected Lower House of Parliament: the Move Forward Party, led by U.S.- educated Pita Limjaroenrat, which advocated for lessening privileges enjoyed by the military and royal palace; and Pheu Thai, associated with exiled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was deposed in the 2006 coup. Two military-backed parties, the United Thai Nation Party, led by retiring Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, and the current ruling party Palang Pracharath, led by first Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, finished with the third and seventh largest vote totals. Under Thailand's current military-written constitution, a government is selected by combined vote of the elected Lower House and a 250-seat Upper House, whose members are appointed by the military. In July, an initial vote for a Pita-led coalition government failed, leading to some protests in Bangkok. Parliament subsequently voted to void Pita's nomination as Prime Minister, and a constitutional court suspended him from Parliament on charges that he failed to disclose his holdings in a defunct media firm before running for office, a move many observers consider politically motivated. In August, Pheu Thai announced plans to form a coalition without Move Forward or the military-linked parties, naming media tycoon Srettha Thavasin as its Prime Minister nominee. As of this writing, it is unclear whether the coalition will garner enough votes in Parliament to form a government. If it does succeed, how the Thai public will react to a government that does not include the party that garnered the most votes in the election is also unclear. Political Divisons and Protests Thailand remains deeply politically divided, with the potential for more conflicts ahead. Pita and the Move Forward Party had garnered the support of Thailand's young, urban voters, who are protesting what they reportedly view as the denial of their democratic choice. Further efforts to limit Move Forward and Pheu Thai's role in government would raise the possibility of wider street protests and civil disobedience. Broadly, Thailand's political turmoil involves a clash between the political establishment (a mix of the military, royalists, and senior bureaucrats), young Thais seeking a democratic voice, and Thaksin supporters, traditionally associated with less- affluent rural citizens. Thaksin holds considerable sway, but resides overseas in self-imposed exile. Figure 1. Thailand at a Glance Source: CIA World Factbook, 2023, World Bank. Map, CRS. Move Forward's call to lessen the monarchy's privileges is a major point of controversy in Thailand. Criticizing the monarch is illegal, and the definition of lese majeste has expanded over the past two decades to include even subtle criticisms of the king, palace, military, or government. King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who succeeded his widely revered father in 2019, is reportedly deeply unpopular with the public for his profligate lifestyle and history of capricious and often violent behavior. Since 2020, pro-democracy protests have been notable for their overt criticism of the monarchy, as well as their support from students from across the political spectrum. Securty Relations U.S.-Thai security relations, which date back to cooperation in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, have long been the highest-profile pillar of the relationship. In addition to hosting military exercises, Thailand has provided the U.S. military with access to important facilities, particularly the strategically located Utapao airbase and Sattahip naval

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