How the US Media Sees the Political Situation in Thailand

[Nickcage49]

Here's an article from the Washington Post on what's been happening here regarding the leadership changes in the country. It's a good read: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/08/17/thailand-move-forward-party-dissolution-democracy/

 

Here's the text for those who don't subscribe:

Headline: 
Opinion 

Thailand’s democracy takes two steps back
The Move Forward Party is dissolved, the prime minister is removed — but the country remains a critical American ally.

Thailand’s fragile democracy suffered two major setbacks this month at the hands of an unaccountable, all-powerful court whose rulings cannot be appealed. The latest developments once again show the limits of the Biden administration’s attempt to put democracy promotion at the center of its foreign policy, especially when democratic regression happens in a U.S.-aligned country that serves as a crucial bulwark against China’s rising influence.

 

First, on Aug. 8, the country’s Constitutional Court unanimously ordered the dissolution of the Move Forward Party, the country’s most popular political party and the winner of last year’s parliamentary election. The court also banned the party’s top 11 officials from politics for 10 years, including its charismatic young leader, Pita Limjaroenrat. That ruling was widely expected — the same maneuvering felled the party’s predecessor, the Future Forward Party, four years ago.

 

Then on Wednesday, the court ordered the immediate dismissal of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin for ethics violations after less than one year in the job. Mr. Srettha hails from the Pheu Thai Party, the second-largest party, which campaigned as a pro-democracy ally of Move Forward. Mr. Srettha only got the job when Mr. Pita and Move Forward were blocked from forming the government by a coalition of conservative business tycoons and pro-military and royalist parties that saw Move Forward’s reform agenda as too radical.

The two rulings show the country’s entrenched old guard reasserting its control. Instead of military coups, the anti-reform, anti-democracy camp now practices “lawfare,” subverting the popular will through the use — or rather, abuse — of the legal system. Lawfare has become a common weapon used by autocratic governments that want a veneer of legal legitimacy to cover what is still just old-school repression.

 

Move Forward’s transgression was its proposal to open debate on the role of the monarchy in Thailand, where the king serves as the constitutional head of state, campaigning to reform a draconian law against defaming the monarchy, section 112 of the criminal code known as lèse-majesté that has been abused to silence dissent. It is considered the strictest such law in the world, with a penalty up to 15 years in prison. At least 272 people have been charged with lèse-majesté since 2020.
The court’s ruling effectively disenfranchises more than 14 million Thai voters who gave the Move Forward Party a stunning victory in the 2023 parliamentary elections and a plurality of 151 seats in the parliament.

 

Mr. Srettha’s dismissal stems from his appointment of an ethically tainted lawyer to a senior cabinet office job, though he resigned after less than a month. But the real reason, many analysts believe, is that the conservative old guard wanted to send a warning to Mr. Srettha’s patron, the billionaire former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra who is still believed to control the levers of his Pheu Thai party behind the scenes.

 

The practical effect of these rulings might be limited. The day after Move Forward was dissolved, all 143 of its remaining members of parliament announced the formation of a new party, called the People’s Party, with a new leader, 37-year-old Natthaphong Ruangpanyawut. He said the new party will continue to push reform. But the legal attacks continue; some 44 Move Forward politicians are being investigated for ethics violations by the country’s anti-corruption agency.

 

Also, on Friday, Pheu Thai and its coalition partners in parliament overwhelmingly selected Mr. Thaksin’s 37-year-old daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, as the new prime minister despite her thin résumé. Though both her father and her aunt served as prime minister and were overthrown in military coups, and it is unclear how long Ms. Paetongtarn will last in the job.

 

Thailand poses a difficult dilemma for the United States. The country remains a critical American ally in Southeast Asia, and the U.S. and Thai militaries hold annual joint exercises. The United States is also reportedly looking to sell sophisticated F-16 Block 70 jets to the Thai air force.

The State Department said the United States was “deeply concerned” by the dissolution of Move Forward. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, said Congress would “continue to evaluate” how developments would impact the bilateral relationship. The question is: What will the United States’ and Thailand’s democratic allies do? If history is any guide, the answer, sadly, is not much.

 

Thai officials largely brushed off the criticism over Move Forward’s dissolution, saying the country wouldn’t be swayed by “foreign interference.” They know that in the geopolitical rivalry between America and China, Thailand is too important an ally to seriously sanction. As long as the United States pays only lip service to promoting democracy as a guiding principle, they are probably right.
 

 

[maesariang]

Thailand is more fun than the US and cheaper. Enough said.

[Roo Island]

9 hours ago, maesariang said:

Thailand is more fun than the US and cheaper. Enough said.

Depends on how much money you have. The US can be very fun. Cleaner air and water. Better roads. Great national parks.

[mfd101]

The US needs to stop thinking of Thailand as "a critical American ally in SEA". It's a nice-to-have, not a necessity for the US.

 

Arguably more important for an expansionist China.

[spidermike007]

They are correct. However Thailand is not a struggling democracy. It is something else entirely. 

[newbee2022]

17 hours ago, Nickcage49 said:

Here's an article from the Washington Post on what's been happening here regarding the leadership changes in the country. It's a good read: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/08/17/thailand-move-forward-party-dissolution-democracy/

 

Here's the text for those who don't subscribe:

Headline: 
Opinion 

Thailand’s democracy takes two steps back
The Move Forward Party is dissolved, the prime minister is removed — but the country remains a critical American ally.

Thailand’s fragile democracy suffered two major setbacks this month at the hands of an unaccountable, all-powerful court whose rulings cannot be appealed. The latest developments once again show the limits of the Biden administration’s attempt to put democracy promotion at the center of its foreign policy, especially when democratic regression happens in a U.S.-aligned country that serves as a crucial bulwark against China’s rising influence.

 

First, on Aug. 8, the country’s Constitutional Court unanimously ordered the dissolution of the Move Forward Party, the country’s most popular political party and the winner of last year’s parliamentary election. The court also banned the party’s top 11 officials from politics for 10 years, including its charismatic young leader, Pita Limjaroenrat. That ruling was widely expected — the same maneuvering felled the party’s predecessor, the Future Forward Party, four years ago.

 

Then on Wednesday, the court ordered the immediate dismissal of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin for ethics violations after less than one year in the job. Mr. Srettha hails from the Pheu Thai Party, the second-largest party, which campaigned as a pro-democracy ally of Move Forward. Mr. Srettha only got the job when Mr. Pita and Move Forward were blocked from forming the government by a coalition of conservative business tycoons and pro-military and royalist parties that saw Move Forward’s reform agenda as too radical.

The two rulings show the country’s entrenched old guard reasserting its control. Instead of military coups, the anti-reform, anti-democracy camp now practices “lawfare,” subverting the popular will through the use — or rather, abuse — of the legal system. Lawfare has become a common weapon used by autocratic governments that want a veneer of legal legitimacy to cover what is still just old-school repression.

 

Move Forward’s transgression was its proposal to open debate on the role of the monarchy in Thailand, where the king serves as the constitutional head of state, campaigning to reform a draconian law against defaming the monarchy, section 112 of the criminal code known as lèse-majesté that has been abused to silence dissent. It is considered the strictest such law in the world, with a penalty up to 15 years in prison. At least 272 people have been charged with lèse-majesté since 2020.
The court’s ruling effectively disenfranchises more than 14 million Thai voters who gave the Move Forward Party a stunning victory in the 2023 parliamentary elections and a plurality of 151 seats in the parliament.

 

Mr. Srettha’s dismissal stems from his appointment of an ethically tainted lawyer to a senior cabinet office job, though he resigned after less than a month. But the real reason, many analysts believe, is that the conservative old guard wanted to send a warning to Mr. Srettha’s patron, the billionaire former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra who is still believed to control the levers of his Pheu Thai party behind the scenes.

 

The practical effect of these rulings might be limited. The day after Move Forward was dissolved, all 143 of its remaining members of parliament announced the formation of a new party, called the People’s Party, with a new leader, 37-year-old Natthaphong Ruangpanyawut. He said the new party will continue to push reform. But the legal attacks continue; some 44 Move Forward politicians are being investigated for ethics violations by the country’s anti-corruption agency.

 

Also, on Friday, Pheu Thai and its coalition partners in parliament overwhelmingly selected Mr. Thaksin’s 37-year-old daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, as the new prime minister despite her thin résumé. Though both her father and her aunt served as prime minister and were overthrown in military coups, and it is unclear how long Ms. Paetongtarn will last in the job.

 

Thailand poses a difficult dilemma for the United States. The country remains a critical American ally in Southeast Asia, and the U.S. and Thai militaries hold annual joint exercises. The United States is also reportedly looking to sell sophisticated F-16 Block 70 jets to the Thai air force.

The State Department said the United States was “deeply concerned” by the dissolution of Move Forward. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, said Congress would “continue to evaluate” how developments would impact the bilateral relationship. The question is: What will the United States’ and Thailand’s democratic allies do? If history is any guide, the answer, sadly, is not much.

 

Thai officials largely brushed off the criticism over Move Forward’s dissolution, saying the country wouldn’t be swayed by “foreign interference.” They know that in the geopolitical rivalry between America and China, Thailand is too important an ally to seriously sanction. As long as the United States pays only lip service to promoting democracy as a guiding principle, they are probably right
 

 

Why the hell US officials call Thailand a democracy?? They never came across with Autocracy, kleptocracy, dictatorship, oligarchy, thievocracy, ??? Probably some more words for it.

[mdr224]

Ive always called thailand a faux democracy. They like to pretend they have royalty like the british, and elections like americans…its all just for show. Thailand is doing what china does with their government

Edited August 19 by mdr224

[mfd101]

'Oligarchy' is probably the best descriptor.

[newnative]

Good article.  Thanks.

[LALes]

Democracy is a term that is bandied about by people who don't know or don't care what it is.

It sounds good and is useful to their agenda.  There are countless, tin-horn dictatoships around the world that the US is totally unconcerned about.  Couldn't care less.  These 
"sh*tholes", as Trump called them, exist solely because they have no strategic benefit for the US or they have no resources worth a damn. 

Whatever you feel about our little, SE Asian, provincial backwater, it is STRATEGIC.  Sitting on two bodies of water necessary to China's aim to break out of the US Containment Policy, Thailand will always be of interest to the US.  Just look at what happened in Bangladesh last week.  Did Thailand take notice when they decided to change the PM?  Will Daughter of Toxinstein be more of a US or China ally?  Moving away from US to China can be detrimental to your health.

[LALes]

Controlling the world's 7 Seas, ie: the world's shipping lanes, is vital to US hegemony.

That includes such "minor" seas as the South China Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

America can't do much about China's Belt & Road overland trade route but it will do its damndest to prevent any upstart from getting too powerful on the sea lanes.

[Berkshire]

The author is clearly knowledgeable about Thailand and its politics.  But to be honest, most Americans couldn't tell the difference between Thailand and Taiwan.  And they really couldn't care less.  I say this as an American myself. 

[Srikcir]

1 hour ago, newbee2022 said:

Probably some more words for it.

MAGA

[Srikcir]

20 minutes ago, LALes said:

prevent any upstart from getting too powerful on the sea lanes.

For which Thailand has no vested interest. 

[wwest5829]

2 hours ago, Berkshire said:

The author is clearly knowledgeable about Thailand and its politics.  But to be honest, most Americans couldn't tell the difference between Thailand and Taiwan.  And they really couldn't care less.  I say this as an American myself. 

Sad but true.

[wwest5829]

2 hours ago, Srikcir said:

For which Thailand has no vested interest. 

I am thinking trade is a vital interest?

[LALes]

On 8/19/2024 at 9:56 AM, Srikcir said:

For which Thailand has no vested interest. 

You couldn't be more wrong.  Any country with a large export economy has a vested interest in who controls the world's shipping lanes.  If Thailand moves closer to China, you will see that manifest itself here in the good, old LOS.

[KhunLA]

USA MSM pretty much ignores TH politics.   Most Yanks probably couldn't find it on a map.

 

 

[John Drake]

On 8/18/2024 at 3:12 PM, Nickcage49 said:

They know that in the geopolitical rivalry between America and China, Thailand is too important an ally to seriously sanction.

 

It isn't an ally or a country beyond serious sanctions.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 8/19/2024 at 5:36 AM, Roo Island said:

Depends on how much money you have. The US can be very fun. Cleaner air and water. Better roads. Great national parks.

I've seen Chicken Shack "females" on a web site. If that's the best the US can do in the rental market most will still prefer to fly to Thailand, where we don't have to put a bag over her head.

You can enjoy the national parks on your own some.

[Roo Island]

3 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I've seen Chicken Shack "females" on a web site. If that's the best the US can do in the rental market most will still prefer to fly to Thailand, where we don't have to put a bag over her head.

You can enjoy the national parks on your own some.

Perhaps you've looked at the wrong website.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 8/18/2024 at 8:12 PM, Nickcage49 said:

The latest developments once again show the limits of the Biden administration’s attempt to put democracy promotion at the center of its foreign policy, especially when democratic regression happens in a U.S.-aligned country that serves as a crucial bulwark against China’s rising influence.

If the US doesn't realise how deep China's influence goes in LOS they should give up and stay home where they can't cause problems for everyone else.

 

Having read the article, seems like it was written by a neocon that thinks the entire world revolves around the US.

 

BTW, if LOS was the same as the <deleted><deleted> place we abandoned to live in LOS, we wouldn't want to live in LOS, other than for the year round temperature.

[thaibeachlovers]

Just now, Roo Island said:

Perhaps you've looked at the wrong website.

No, I'm pretty sure it was the right one. The only uglier ones I've seen were on a website about a place on a Venezuelan island where a Brit couple ran a love hotel, but that was before covid.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 8/19/2024 at 1:29 PM, newbee2022 said:

Why the hell US officials call Thailand a democracy?? They never came across with Autocracy, kleptocracy, dictatorship, oligarchy, thievocracy, ??? Probably some more words for it.

Probably don't want the sheeple in the US to know that many US allies are not democracies.

[Roo Island]

4 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

No, I'm pretty sure it was the right one. The only uglier ones I've seen were on a website about a place on a Venezuelan island where a Brit couple ran a love hotel, but that was before covid.

Venezuelans win lots of beauty contests. You're definitely looking at the wrong websites!

[Rhys]

What will they do?  Pull a Raygun...break move.

 

[newbee2022]

56 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Probably don't want the sheeple in the US to know that many US allies are not democracies.

Sure, even US struggles if Trump would win (God sake we have Michelle and Kamala and Tim)

[Danderman123]

On 8/19/2024 at 7:51 AM, mfd101 said:

The US needs to stop thinking of Thailand as "a critical American ally in SEA". It's a nice-to-have, not a necessity for the US.

 

Arguably more important for an expansionist China.

Actually, the US should concentrate on wresting Vietnam away from Russia's grasp. Thailand is a side show.

[stevenl]

3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

If the US doesn't realise how deep China's influence goes in LOS they should give up and stay home where they can't cause problems for everyone else.

 

Having read the article, seems like it was written by a neocon that thinks the entire world revolves around the US.

 

BTW, if LOS was the same as the <deleted><deleted> place we abandoned to live in LOS, we wouldn't want to live in LOS, other than for the year round temperature.

When was the last year you lived in Thailand?

[mfd101]

1 hour ago, Danderman123 said:

Actually, the US should concentrate on wresting Vietnam away from Russia's grasp. Thailand is a side show.

Vietnam is still ruled by old men living in the past. But the day-to-day reality for most of its citizens is one of get-rich-quick thru enterprise & hard work.

 

Much like China, but more flexible strategically because it sees - on a daily basis in the Sth China Sea - that its only military threat is China. So being friends both with The West and with China's not-very-friendly-ally Russia makes sense.