Since the 1932 revolution which ended 150 years of absolute monarchy in Thailand, the kingdom has had 13 successful military coups and 11 attempted coups. In other words, the military has proven itself to be a constant threat to civilian rule and democracy, ready to grab power when the opportunity avails itself.
But its intervention in the nation’s politics has generated a lot of resentment and resistance from Thai citizens who want the military to stay out of politics for good. To prevent that from happening, the military has drafted a new constitution which gives the institution a permanent role in politics.
To what extent can the people accept the new political framework? Will the military’s permanent presence in politics bring about greater stability, progress and developments to Thailand? Or will it lead to a continued turmoil and further deepen authoritarian rule in the country?
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