PrintJuly 1, 2010
Thailand's Ticking Political Time Bomb
Thailand's politics are in turmoil, featuring mass demonstrations, a growing role for the military in Thai politics, and erosion of the country's fledgling democracy. If the United States aims to construct a foreign policy which can adapt to the coming Thai tempest, we need to understand the players and the turf. The Conflict and Its PlayersAt a fundamental level, society is split over one man: telecommunications tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin's popularity owes critically to the fact that after campaigning in 2001 with a bevy of populist promises, he delivered upon these once elected. As such, he earned a loyal mass following, becoming adored by most of Thailand's rural, often impoverished population -- who constitute the bulk of the electorate. In 2010, four years after being overthrown in a military coup, Thaksin continues to possess much political capital across the country. Efforts to apprehend him, cut off his sources of copious funding, and perhaps even eliminate...(Read Full Article)
