Thailand's Constitutional Groundhog Day
The Constitutional Déjà Vu Machine FIRST INSTANCE (1932): The Genesis of Instability Thailand's modern constitutional history began, somewhat violently, with the 1932 Siamese Revolution, which ended absolute monarchy. Since then, the country has had a staggering 20 constitutions and charters. This initial shift, while portending democratic aspirations, also laid the groundwork for constant
constitutional tinkering by various power factions, predominantly the military. The idea that a constitution is a fluid document, rather than a bedrock, was established early on. REPETITIONS (1997 & 2007): The Illusion of Reform Fast forward to 1997, Thailand adopted what was widely hailed as the 'People's Constitution,' a purportedly democratic document forged under significant public
participation. It was seen as a golden age of Thai politics. However, this didn't deter the military. In 2006, a coup led by General Sonthi Boonyaratglin promptly abrogated it, replacing it with an interim charter. Then, after another military intervention, a new, military-endorsed constitution was promulgated in 2007. The cycle was clear: public demand for reform, a period of relative openness,
followed by military intervention and a revamped constitution designed to rein in popular power. REPETITIONS (2014 & 2017): Solidifying Military Control The same script played out yet again in 2014, when General Prayut Chan-o-cha staged another coup, overthrowing the elected government of Yingluck Shinawatra. This led to the 2017 constitution, the very document Bloomberg's article mentions. This