Supreme Court ruled that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra had abused her power and so had to step down. Commerce Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongphaisan will replace Yingluck. The caretaker government, populated by her allies, says it will press ahead with plans for an election on July 20. Nine judges unanimously concluded Yingluck manipulated her position as prime minister when she replaced former security chief, Thawil Pliensri, an opposition favourite, with her brother-in-law. Yingluck's supporters are calling the Constitutional Court intervention a judicial coup.
Elites in Thailand have historically fought protracted, sometimes violent, battles for control of the state as part of a revolving door power swap. Yingluck is part of this mix of business leaders, bureaucrats and military commanders that have ruled Thailand since a so-called democratic revolution in 1932. Yingluck herself is a scion of a business dynasty. Her brother is telecoms tycoon turned political populist Thaksin Shinawatra. After five years as prime minister, a military coup ousted Thaksin in 2006 on the grounds of corruption, conflict of interest and authoritarianism.
Thailand has had 17 charters or constitutions and 28 prime ministers since that time. Many were army men who reigned for less than 365 days. Nine prime ministers have rotated into power since 2006. More stable democracies like the United States, South Korea and England can claim three leaders in charge at most.
Two sets of Thai elites are locked into a messy showdown. There are two main losers: democracy and the Thai people. The ordinary mass of Thais has been merely caught up between these opposing factions. All said and done, most people just want to go back to work, school and get on with their lives.
Excerpts fro Al Jazeera article
Elites in Thailand have historically fought protracted, sometimes violent, battles for control of the state as part of a revolving door power swap. Yingluck is part of this mix of business leaders, bureaucrats and military commanders that have ruled Thailand since a so-called democratic revolution in 1932. Yingluck herself is a scion of a business dynasty. Her brother is telecoms tycoon turned political populist Thaksin Shinawatra. After five years as prime minister, a military coup ousted Thaksin in 2006 on the grounds of corruption, conflict of interest and authoritarianism.
Thailand has had 17 charters or constitutions and 28 prime ministers since that time. Many were army men who reigned for less than 365 days. Nine prime ministers have rotated into power since 2006. More stable democracies like the United States, South Korea and England can claim three leaders in charge at most.
Two sets of Thai elites are locked into a messy showdown. There are two main losers: democracy and the Thai people. The ordinary mass of Thais has been merely caught up between these opposing factions. All said and done, most people just want to go back to work, school and get on with their lives.
Excerpts fro Al Jazeera article
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