Prayuth's return as prime minister takes Thailand back to 1980s

Military still holds sway in a democracy that has yet to mature

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, seen casting his vote in the March general election, now leads what could be called a "pseudo-civilian" government. © Reuters

TORU TAKAHASHI, Editor-in-Chief, Editorial Headquarters for Asia

June 8, 2019 11:23 JST

BANGKOK -- Thailand's general election was billed as a step toward democracy after five years of military rule, but the result -- former junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha's return as prime minister -- is in essence a step back to the "half-democratic" era of the 1980s.