| Thailand Military Government Flounders |
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The Economist, Feb.28.- The royalist generals who seized power in Thailand in September won the initial battle easily, but did not have much of a plan for what to do next ... The generals trapped themselves with their early declarations that they wanted only to repair Thai democracy after the alleged abuse it suffered under the government they deposed, headed by Thaksin Shinawatra. ... Their latest fiasco has been an attempt to co-opt Somkid Jatusripitak, one of Mr Thaksin’s lieutenants. Mr Somkid was ostensibly being hired to explain economic policy: specifically, why the regime was replacing populist, free-market policies known locally as “Thaksinomics” with a vague doctrine called the “sufficiency economy” which was the gift of King Bhumibol, Thailand’s venerated monarch. ... Most of the military government’s problems have been of its own making. It panicked foreign investors with badly designed currency controls and a senseless clampdown on foreign business ownership. It failed to consult properly before announcing these policies, and was forced to beat a partial retreat, making itself look even clumsier. ... Few will miss the generals when they go―if they go. The supposed next step is that a panel chosen by the junta will produce a new draft constitution which will include more checks and balances on executive power. That will be put to a referendum, followed by national elections. But the generals may seek some continuing influence, mainly for fear that Mr Thaksin's camp will regain power and start prosecuting them for the coup. Here lies the danger. The generals are so unpopular that if they try to skew the new constitution too far in their favour, it could well fail in the referendum, leaving the public angry and the way back to democracy unclear. As for Mr Thaksin, he has things to worry about too. Corruption charges are now being filed against him; his Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party faces possible dissolution in a trial over alleged electoral shenanigans; and several big chunks of TRT, including Mr Somkid’s faction, have broken away. Nevertheless, he remains popular ... [ full text by subscription to The Economist ] |
