#Kingdom under fire 2 thailand upgrade#

At issue is whether political authority should derive from popular sovereignty or a traditional hierarchy that claims a moral right to rule. The coronavirus, auguring the biggest economic shock since the 1997-1998 financial crisis, could hasten a social, economic and political reckoning.Īt the heart of Thailand’s uneasy politics is an unsettled conflict over political legitimacy that may be traced to the end of the absolute monarchy in 1932. What is needed is a new constitution that allows for articulation of popular interests through elected representatives and accountable institutions.

#Kingdom under fire 2 thailand upgrade#

The fundamental problem is political: the reforms necessary to upgrade Thailand’s economy run counter to the interests of the country’s elite. Already facing questions about its legitimacy following a 2019 election marred by irregularities, the military-backed Thai government will be hard pressed to meet the needs of a population facing massive unemployment, loss of income and rising debt. The economic strategy that lifted Thailand to upper middle-income status by 2011 has faltered over the past decade, leading to severe inequality and rising poverty, and the pandemic has now slowed the growth model’s twin engines – exports and tourism. Thailand so far has curbed the COVID-19 pandemic, but it faces a severe economic shock that will deepen existing inequalities and is likely to fan smoldering political tensions. Such a scenario requires amending the 2017 constitution. What should be done? The social consequences of the looming economic crisis should encourage the establishment to endorse a more pluralist political system that can build effective institutions, translate popular aspirations into policy and enable a fairer distribution of wealth. The crisis is likely to accelerate Thailand’s extreme concentration of power and wealth and deepen political divisions, which could trigger a social, economic and political reckoning. Why does it matter? Thailand’s economic model was already faltering, and the political order contested, before the pandemic. The sharpest economic shock since the 1997-1998 financial crisis will strain a society simmering with discontent and a political order designed to thwart popular political participation. What’s new? The global slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic will take a heavy toll on Thailand’s economy, which is reliant on exports and tourism. Middle East & North Africa View Program.Turkey’s PKK Conflict: A Visual Explainer.The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict: A Visual Explainer.Conflict in Ukraine’s Donbas: A Visual Explainer.The Climate Factor in Nigeria’s Farmer-Herder Violence.How Climate Change Fuels Deadly Conflict.How Yemen’s War Economy Undermines Peace Efforts.Crime in Pieces: The Effects of Mexico’s “War on Drugs”, Explained.

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