The Thai military is actually bothering with elections?
Just to be clear, the Thai military is powerful politically not because it is the military but because the population views the military as connected to and as the extension of the monarchy. The Thai monarchy is highly respected and supported throughout Thailand. As a result, when the military overthrows the government it is viewed as having the support of the monarchy. As a result, even voters that voted for the ruling party that got overthrown would tactically accept the result even if voting behavior next election is not likely to change.
That's how it used to be, but is it still the case? Any thoughts on this article?
"youth-led social movement that has demanded the resignation of Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has also submitted a list of reforms calling for substantive changes to the monarchy, including the repeal of its draconian lèse majesté laws, which forbid the insult of the monarch and have been used as a weapon to silence dissent. Reforms also call for more transparency and accountability as well as banning the monarch from endorsing political coups, which is a frequent occurrence.
In an era where social norms are changing and old institutions of power are struggling to hold on to public legitimacy, it is important to assess how Thailand ended up at this point. How did a monarchy that had become a revered institution—personified by a young, charismatic king, whose image decorated the homes of millions of Thais—find itself in a crisis of legitimacy in such a short span of time?"
https://www.geopoliticalmonitor.com/the-rise-dominance-and-decline-of-thailands-monarchy/
