Thai Raksa Chart’s Dissolvement: Nothing New

The Constitutional Court’s sentence to hang another party associated with Thaksin Shinawatra is not so surprising to say the least, however, will Thailand fall back into the same coup d’etat cycles of the past decade? Is the pressing matter that remains hanging in the air.

 

Many analysts that have been around Thailand’s political arena long enough likely concluded the fate of Thai Raksa Chart party right after seeing the televised royal decree, and the words “most inappropriate” being conveyed to describe Thai Raksa Chart’s nomination of Princess Ubolratana as prime ministerial candidate.

It took the Election Committee about a week to file a partition for dissolving the Thai Raksa Chart party to the constitutional court, and it took the constitutional court less than a month to unanimously cast their sentence for political death to Thai Raksa Chart.

However, many supporters of the TRC still took the constitutional courts sentence with tears, and many took it with resolve to further support their representatives that have now either been ban for ten years from running for political positions or barred from member of parliament candidacy in the upcoming elections.

 

According to the New York Times the junta government saw fit to deploy 1,200 police officers around the constitutional court on Thursday along with signs on barricades warned that protesters could face six months in prison.

Local news agencies reported the same numbers with addition to the detail that there would be some non-uniform officers around to make for a Orwellian Esque feel. Why else have 1,200 undercover and uniformed police patrol an expected crowd 200 if not for the dramatic dystopian effect?

 

The dissolution of the TRC party should disillusion any pro Thaksin-cum-royalist that they could happily have one with the other. For instance back in April to May of 2014, there were speculations and cheery talks among the Red shirts while they gathered on Utthayan road near the palace of the, then, crown prince that the Red shirts had the support of crown prince. Then, Red shirt gathering on Utthayan road was cracked down swiftly and Prayut staged the coup that placed him as premiere of the junta.

So, it’s two out of two now that whenever the Red shirts claim royal support things turn out unfavourably for them.

 

Dr. Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a Thai political scientist, speaker, professor, and the Director of the Institute for Science and International Security, for Bangkok Post wrote:

“At issue after the disbandment of Thai Raksa Chart (TRC) Party is whether Thai politics is about to enter another cycle of election, unrest, coup, and constitution”

 

It is quite clear that nothing significant in terms of the socio-political rift among Thailand’s metropolitan elites and democratic progressives have been ameliorated. Thai Raksa Chart party’s dissolvement is likely another piece of Birch to the fire that had never burned out.

However, as the Nikkei Asian Review writes:

“Although the new king spends most of his time in Munich, he has strengthened his grip in many areas, including repopulating the privy council, streamlining palace bureaucracies, taking personal ownership of crown assets, and recovering control of royal properties forfeited after a revolutionary coup in 1932 ended absolute monarchy. He has tackled a number of entrenched problems in the Buddhist clergy, and effected changes to the military chain of command.”

A firm visible hand ensures the power economy is distributed accordingly.