Eight decades of fragile democracy

Asense of jubilation enveloping Siam following the return of the young King Ananda Mahidol from Switzerland in 1945 proved short-lived. The next year, in the morning of June 9, 1946, the 20-year-old King was found dead in bed with a bullet wound to his head. His younger brother Prince Bhumibol Adulyadej was named King Rama IX the same day. Tension rose around the government at that time, headed by Prime Minister Pridi Banomyong. Hounded by unsubstantiated rumour and intrigue that the government was involved in the death of King Ananda, Pridi was forced to resign in August. Thamrong Nawasawat was named the next prime minister. Unfortunately, his government lasted only slightly over a year as it was toppled by a bloodless coup led by Lt Gen Phin Choonhavan and Pol Lt Gen Phao Sriyanond, with backing by Field Marshal Plaek Phibulsonggram. Political squabbles among powerful elites, the military and police groups have since marked the development of Thai politics from the 1940s on, with business people coming into play a few decades later, culminating eventually in the rise of argua- bly the most divisive figure in Thai politics – former telecom tycoon and Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Since the 1932 Revolution that replaced absolute monarchy with constitutional monarchy, Thailand has seen episodes of democratic growth interspersed by years of military rule. Under 86 years of “democracy,’’ the country has had 20 constitutions and 25 coups and attempted coups, making it one of the most coup-battered nations in the world, according to an article entitled “Coups Trample Democracy’s Fragile Roots” published to mark the 70th anniversary of the Bangkok Post. Although the 1932 Revolution was supposed to usher in democracy, the country did not enjoy political freedom until more than a decade later. Following the end of World War II, a new charter was promulgated in 1946 which guaranteed basic rights and freedom to people, according to the Encyclopedia for Youngsters. Under the freer atmosphere, a first generation of political parties was established, starting with Kaona or Progress Party in 1945, followed by Prachachon or People Party and Sahacheep Party. The Democrat Party was among the pioneer political parties. Led by such prominent figures at that time as former Prime Minister Khuang Aphaiwong, MR Seni Pramoj and his brother MR Kukrit Pramoj, the Democrat Party was established in 1946 and has since reserved its place in history as the country’s oldest political party. Political parties, along with career politicians behind them, did not fare well during the first period of Thailand’s political development. Six years after the first generation of political parties made waves, all of them were dissolved after Field Marshal Plaek led a coup against his own government. The vicious cycle would be repeated time and again until 1973, when the October 14 student-led popular uprising resulted in the fall of the tyrannical government of Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn and prompted a burst of political freedom. After that, the political pendulum that seemed to have swung to the left was forced back in 1976, when left-leaning students and protesters were cracked down on brutally in and around Thammasat University. The massacre remains one of the darkest episodes in Thai political history to this day. It was not until 1978 that yet another charter was promulgated that paved the way for a general election in 1979 and passage of a Political Party Bill in 1981. Political parties that would later become household names, including the Social Action party, Chart Thai Party, Palangdharma Party and New Aspiration Party, were born during this period. Even though another coup was staged in 1931 by military officers who called themselves the National Peace Keeping Council (NPKC), the growth of political parties and role of career politicians as an integral part of the country’s democratic development, along with the political conflicts it has brought on the country, has become irreversible.