The humiliation of Thailand’s regime is a boost for Asian democracy
Economist
23-05-18 12:47
Move Forward, a pro-democracy party in Thailand led by 42-year-old former tech executive Pita Limjaroenrat, won big in the country's recent elections to become the large force in Thai politics, marking a rebuke not only to army rule but also the regime’s ineptitude. Thailand’s vulnerability to coups has long seemed anomalous. Its success is a rebuke not only to the principle of army rule but also to the regime’s ineptitude. Thailand's economy is creating fewer opportunities and attracting less foreign direct investment than its regional rivals. Its post-pandemic recovery is the slowest of any major economy in South-East Asia. Thailand would benefit hugely were Move Forward to fulfil its pledge to break up the monopolies gumming up industries such as agriculture and telecommunications where the operators have made fortunes. New battle-lines have been drawn; Thailand’s halfway-house democracy no longer looks like an option.