Problems Of Thai Internal Security

Abstract

It has been twelve months* since the so-called National Administrative Reform Council (NARC) seized political power from the democratically elected government (on 6 October 1976) and installed the military-backed government of Tanin Kraivixien. The 1974 Constitution was scrapped, Parliament was dissolved and all political parties were disbanded. The whole country was put under maniai law. Within the first three months of the new regime about 8,000 people were arrested on suspicion of being communists or persons dangerous to society. All these were done in the name of nadonal ? to safeguard the country from communism, economic disaster and violence. Furthermore, the Prime Minister, with the approval of the Cabinet and the Military Advisory Council, has been given absolute powers to execute anyone charged with endangering the security of the country, without having to go to civil or military coun. It is the objective of this paper to analyze and assess the internal security situation of Thailand after 6 October 1976, to investigate whether the situation has improved or deteriorated and to comment on its future trend. In understanding the internal security situation of the country the attitudes and behaviour of politically potent forces are analyzed. The more important forces are the radical left in the cities, the overseas Thais, the students and intellectuals, the labour organizations, the press, the urban middle class, the politicians, the Communist Pany of Thailand (CPT), the rural poor and the military.