In Search of Democracy with a National Character: Thailand’s Current Political Conflict

Abstract

Since the inauguration of the Thaksin administration in January 2001, Thailand has been in deep turmoil with two rival political camps fighting with each other. Beneath a number of incompatibilities that the rivalry has produced in response to different political phases lie the fundamental incompatibilities over the idea of democracy and the nature of the government. This chapter examines the manners in which these incompatibilities have been managed. It firstly places the current political conflict in the history of Thai people’s long-standing endeavour to seek a democracy suitable to the traditions and values of their own country. It also discusses the rise of the “new rich”, Thaksin and his colleagues included, as a result of Thailand’s integration to global economy. These developments have contributed to the current political conflict. The chapter then focuses on the conflict situation since 2001 and examines and assesses various efforts to address the incompatibilities. Among the findings of the chapter are as follows: Firstly, narrowing the gap between incompatible positions or goals of the conflicting parties or the integration of them did not taken place, making it necessary for the rival camps to mobilize the general public to overwhelm each other. Secondly, coup d’etat was used decisively to eliminate the Thaksin and pro-Thaksin governments as parties to conflict, hereby dissolving specific incompatibilities. Thirdly, the fundamental incompatibilities over the idea of democracy and the nature of the government remained intact. These incompatibilities were not subject to the manoeuvring-around tactic, which would have created a space in which they would change for the better or dissipate on their own with sufficient time available.