While the Thai people and the rest of the world hope that the country can form a government through elections, statements by Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha indicate the opposite, at least in the near future. The prime minister, also the former army chief who led a military coup in May, added to speculation that a general election scheduled for 2015 could be pushed back until a clear road map is determined. The crucial components of this road map were to be a new constitution and 11 areas that needed reform.
The army seized power in a bloodless coup and toppled the government of Yingluck Shinawatra, following months of political uncertainty. The move was condemned by the western nations, which asserted that a democratic government should be set up. The reluctance to conduct elections is slowly ensuring that anti-coup voices are being raised — especially among the country’s lawmakers and student groups, which are an intimidating faction.
The army’s decision to silence dissenting voices, which include segments of the media and political groups, is not going to win them support in the long run. Such a situation could give rise to a greater opposition in society, which could gather pace, exposing the current government’s high-handed attitude. The coup in 2006 was carried out to replace Thaksin Shinawatra, free Thailand from his corrupt policies and ensure the eventual return to democracy through elections. The coup this year is a return to virtual martial law and possibly an attempt to maintain the political stranglehold, till the end of King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s reign, and engineer the disappearance of the Shinawatras and their Red Shirt party from mainstream politics.
