Thailand has been marked by political turmoil for decades. There have been more than a dozen coups since the 1930s. Now the country faces a fateful choice.
The candidates are all beaming on the election posters that have been gracing the streets of Thailand from Chiang Mai to Phuket for weeks. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s facial expressions and gestures are deliberately casual and confident of victory. The former putsch general, now 69 years old, is behind in all polls. At the top of the voters’ favor is another, who is only half her age and only gave birth to a son in early May – two weeks before the parliamentary elections on Sunday: Paetongtarn Shinawatra (36), the new star in the political sky and heir to a very rich dynasty .
Her father, billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra, and her aunt, Yingluck Shinawatra, each held power in Thailand for several years. Both were deposed by military coups and live in exile. In the highly polarized kingdom, however, the family still has many supporters.
After giving birth, she showed how ambitious Paetongtarn is in her pursuit of power: Just two days after her second child was born, she invited reporters to the hospital in Bangkok. “I am ready to return to the election campaign. We have to achieve a landslide victory for Pheu Thai,” she said, referring to her party’s good poll numbers. Before that, despite the sultry tropical heat, she had campaigned tirelessly and heavily pregnant.
Rarely clear choice program
However, the progressive move-forward party with its top candidate Pita Limjaroenrat (42) is also in the running. The party scores with an election program that is rarely clear, promising an end to conscription and measures to combat the high level of air pollution that has been making the country negative headlines for months.
Thailand is at a crossroads, Harvard graduate Pita summed it up during the election campaign. “One way leads us to finally transforming ourselves into a fully democratic country.” The other, that of the ruling conservative establishment, seems outdated to many and insists on traditions like the controversial lèse majesté law, which provides for extremely long prison sentences for lèse majesté.
The last election was held in 2019, five years after the 2014 coup. Thanks to a new constitution introduced by the military, Prayut was confirmed in office. Mass protests followed a year later, demanding reform of the monarchy and new elections – unsuccessfully.
Prayut also has an advantage on Sunday: together with the 500 elected members of parliament, 250 unelected senators decide who becomes head of government. These were appointed by the military in 2018 and are believed to be loyal to Prayut. To get into office, a candidate must win the majority of the 750 seats, i.e. 376 votes. A difficult task for the opposition.
Democracy rises in respect
Whatever the vote, there is already talk of a fateful choice in the popular holiday destination. Many scenarios are conceivable. Protests and chaos could again threaten, both Thailand is not alien. Neither have there been military coups: there have been more than a dozen of them in the kingdom since the 1930s.
“Especially among young people, awareness of democracy seems to have increased in recent years,” said Celine Caro, head of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) office in Thailand, the German Press Agency. They observed very closely whether the electoral process was respected and whether the new government ultimately reflected the preferences of the voters. Whether it will remain peaceful, nobody knows at the moment. “The weeks after the election will show whether it is possible to consolidate democracy in Thailand,” emphasized Caro.
The topic that is currently moving people in the country the most and that largely determined the election campaign is the economy. According to the World Bank, Thailand can expect growth of 3.6 percent this year – but mainly driven by the recovery of the stricken tourism industry after the corona pandemic.
Rich and poor are drifting apart
Many market vendors, factory workers and farmers have long been at a loss as to how to make ends meet. The gap between rich and poor is also widening in Thailand. Taxi drivers in Bangkok say they often have to work 16 to 17 hours to support their families. It often happens that their eyes close at the wheel. “Something has to change, so I will vote for the opposition,” says taxi driver Noi.
The election is also being followed with interest in Berlin. “Germany is Thailand’s most important trading partner in the EU, and vice versa, Thailand is one of Germany’s most important trading partners in Southeast Asia,” says KAS manager Caro. In addition, the EU and Thailand only announced in March that they would resume negotiations on a free trade agreement. Alternatives in the region to the overpowering China are becoming increasingly important.
It will probably be months before a new government is sworn in. Parliament has to vote on the draft budget at the end of August – then it could be seen where the journey is going and whether there is a majority capable of governing. “Anything is possible in this election,” Caro sums up the political situation.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
