Enabling Environments for Civic Movements and the Dynamics of Democratic Transition - Thailand
| Publisher | Freedom House |
| Publication Date | 10 July 2008 |
| Cite as | Freedom House, Enabling Environments for Civic Movements and the Dynamics of Democratic Transition - Thailand, 10 July 2008, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4912b6318.html [accessed 7 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Period of democratic transition: 1992
Pro-democracy civic movement: present
After a brief experiment with democracy in 1973, the military took power in Thailand in 1976 and began its domination of the Thai political scene. In February 1991, following a period of modest liberalization under General Prem in the late 1980s, the Thai army staged a bloodless coup against elected president Chatichai Choonhaven, claiming that Choonhaven's administration was corrupt and incompetent.
Soon after the coup, the pro-military National Assembly adopted a controversial new constitution allowing an unelected prime minister to be appointed by the lower house. Elections to the lower house took place in March 1992, bringing a majority of pro-military parties to the new National Assembly. This new majority subsequently installed General Suchinda Kraprayoon – former head of the 1991 coup – as the new prime minister despite his previous statements that he was not a candidate. Within hours of his appointment students began demonstrating, demanding Suchinda's resignation and calling for a constitutional amendment under which the prime minister must be an elected member of Parliament. For the next month, protests in Bangkok escalated, attracting significant support from the urban middle class. Former Bangkok governor Chamlong Srimuang emerged as leader of the movement, which culminated in a 200,000-strong rally on May 17 that was violently dispersed; at least 40 died and 600 were injured when the army fired on a mainly peaceful crowd. Following the violence, the king appeared on television and instructed the government to end the movement through peaceful reconciliation. Soon after, the Parliament amended the constitution to ensure that future prime ministers were chosen from among elected members of Parliament. Elections considered to be the cleanest in Thailand's history were held in September 1992, with pro-democracy parties winning a slim majority.
Thailand continued its democratic progress in the 1990s, holding several democratic elections, and promulgated a new constitution in 1997 that called for a directly elected upper house among other reforms.
