Thailand's establishment silences voices of change

A reset is taking place to preserve the autocratic power of royalist-conservative forces

Thitinan Pongsudhirak

August 4, 2024 05:05 JST

Supporters of the Move Forward Party let off smoke bombs outside the parliament on the day of the second vote for a new prime minister in Bangkok on July 19, 2023.

Thitinan Pongsudhirak is professor at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Political Science and a senior fellow at its Institute of Security and International Studies in Bangkok.

Nearly 15 months since Thailand's general election on May 14, 2023, a political reset is taking place to preserve and perpetuate the disguised autocratic power and prerogatives of the royalist-conservative establishment.