Editorial: Triumph of democracy

The Thai election verdict, rejecting military-monarchy establishment, is a lesson for all the dictatorship regimes

Hyderabad: The stunning electoral verdict in Thailand, rejecting a well-entrenched military-monarchy establishment and unambiguously favouring the revival of democracy, is a lesson for all the dictatorship regimes in the region. General Prayuth Chan-Ocha, who unseated a civilian government in 2014, and got himself appointed prime minister with the support of the Thai army, royalist parties and the monarchy, has been trounced while two of the nation’s main opposition parties, Pheu Thai and Move Forward, have won a handsome election victory. The Move Forward party, led by rising political superstar Pita Limjaroenrat, took a stunning 151 of the 500 seats up for election. Pheu Thai, led by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s daughter Yingluck Shinawatra, bagged 141 seats. This was the first general election since the massive 2020 student-led pro-democracy protests. The traditional military-royalty establishment, which has controlled the country’s politics for decades, now faces a serious existential crisis. A significant consequence of having a democratic government in Thailand is that it may help in overcoming the differences among the ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) members on how to get the Myanmar military regime to implement the transition plan to democracy, which the junta had agreed to. The most immediate question, however, is whether, despite the mandate for change, the two reformist parties will be allowed to form a government. A common concern today in many countries is that ruling forces that lose elections may not accept the results, and will try to stay on in power.

A decade in power gave Prayuth enough time to stack all institutions, including the Thai judiciary with his loyalists. However, given the people’s mood, he may be wary of turning Thailand into another Myanmar. Indeed, the Thai election results will be celebrated by pro-democracy forces in Myanmar who have taken up arms against the military regime in that country. The mandate reflects a strong public yearning for change. Even a few years ago, it would have been unthinkable that Move Forward, a party calling for wholesale changes to Thailand’s bureaucracy, its economy, the role of the military, and even the laws protecting the monarchy, could win more seats and votes than any of its rivals. Thailand is one of the few countries where anyone criticising the king, the queen, the heir-apparent or the regent could be jailed for up to 15 years. However, the 2020 protests challenged the military-royalty stranglehold on the country’s politics and demanded reform of the monarchy, long considered to be an untouchable subject for political parties. Move Forward’s Pita Limjaroenrat, a 43-year-old Harvard graduate who has electrified the country’s youth with his campaigns, has already announced his desire to become prime minister. An alliance between his party and other like-minded parties like Pheu Thai is poised to give democratic parties an absolute majority in Parliament.

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