About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

1 1 (December 12, 2019)

handle is hein.crs/govbgwu0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 01;0i E~$~ & December 12, 2019 Thailand: 2019 Elections, Issues, and Outlook for Congress In March 2019, Thailand held its first elections since a 2014 coup installed a military government. Through an electoral system weighted in favor of the military and a process fraught with allegations of irregularities, junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha and his military proxy party emerged victorious (although with a narrower margin than expected), with Prayuth remaining in the position of prime minister. The U.S. Department of State certified in July 2019 that a democratically elected government had taken office in Thailand, allowing for the restoration of the military assistance that had been proscribed since the 2014 coup. U.S. officials welcomed the March election and subsequent reopening of military assistance as positive steps towards rekindling the bilateral ties that have frayed over more than a decade of political turmoil in Thailand. Many observers note, however, that the new government was elected through a system that many view as created by the junta to preserve its rule. Given Thailand's new political climate, some analysts have raised questions about how the United States will balance its democracy-promotion goals with its strategic interests with Thailand and the region. The March 24 elections were described by a number of independent monitoring groups as deeply flawed and heavily tilted to favor the military junta. Thailand's military-drafted constitution gave structural advantages to the military, and a series of draconian laws passed by the junta in 2016 allowed it to tighten censorship over media outlets and silence critics, purportedly in the interest of national security and public safety. Additionally, Thailand's sole election management body, the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT), did not grant approvals for international observer groups in time to allow for adequate election oversight. Some independent election monitoring groups, such as the Asian Network for Free Elections International Election Observation Mission (IEOM), were able to monitor and assess pre-election activities and election-day operations at polling stations in every province. ANFREL saw a campaign environment which is heavily tilted to benefit the incumbent military junta and the candidates that it supports. -The Asian Network for Free Elections ANFREL) On election day, roughly 75% of Thailand's 51 million registered voters took to the polls. Although voting ran smoothly overall, reports of irregularities such as incorrect ballot tallying and conflicting reports of voter turnout drew extensive criticism from Thailand's pro- democracy parties and international observers. The irregularities triggered a 45-day delay in releasing the official results, which were announced on May 8. Some experts assert that the delay was manufactured by the junta to discourage civil unrest prior to the coronation of King Rama X in early May 2019. T',h,-a~nd's New GovKY nmekn On June 5, 2019, Prayuth was elected prime minister with the full support of a 250-seat Senate of military appointees and a coalition of neutral and pro-military parties in parliament. Prayuth and his cabinet of 35 ministers were sworn into office on July 16, 2019, and the junta officially known as the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) was subsequently dissolved. The cabinet includes a number of key members from the NCPO, and also a network of politicians whose parties were pivotal for the pro-military alliance to clinch its parliamentary majority. The entrenchment of junta personnel in the Thai government's most powerful positions Prayuth is also defense minister, and three former military officers hold deputy prime minister positions has led many analysts to believe that Thailand's new civilian government is a continuation of military rule. Since forming a new civilian government, Prayuth encountered a number of obstacles, which led many experts to question his effectiveness as prime minister and his ability to win greater legitimacy at home and abroad: * Lack of Absolute Power. As leader of a civilian government, Prayuth no longer enjoys the powers and protections that came along with Article 44 under the military government, a controversial provision that granted absolute powers to the junta chief. With the loss of such powers, Prayuth's military tendencies have garnered increased scrutiny. His arguably quick- tempered disposition and visible frustration with criticism have led many experts to question his ability to cooperate with lawmakers across the political spectrum. * Unstable Coalition. Prayuth's coalition in parliament commands a four-seat majority. His capacity to pass legislation will therefore rely heavily on his ability to keep his coalition intact. Prayuth could risk losing unsatisfied members in his camp to the opposition bloc, the Democratic Front. Comprised of a number of anti- junta parties, the Democratic Front is headed by the populist Pheu Thai party, which was founded by exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Prayuth's policy agenda hews to a long-term national strategy passed by the junta in 2018, which serves as a blueprint to facilitate Thailand's long-term development and national security. The national strategy authorizes the removal of any future government that fails to adhere to the outlined policies. The strategy additionally grants insurrection immunity to generals who stage coups in the gogn, q \popmm -,\\mw-m ggmm g , q a S ' X

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most