Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Kultur-, Sozial- und Bildungswissenschaftliche Fakultät - Institut für Asien- und Afrikawissenschaften

Dr. Paul Chambers from the Payap University, Thailand - Political Science: "The State of Civil-Military Relations in Thailand"



Wednesday, June 5th 2013 / 18:00 - 20:00, room 117



Abstract:

The armed forces of Thailand have long been a major political actor standing upon the political stage.  Be it as junior partner to absolute kings, enjoying absolute power themselves, or currently, as the guarantors for security to the kingdom of Thailand, the military remains a crucial opaque entity of enormous clout.  The military leadership has, since 2006 been steadfastly opposed to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. In 2011, the pro-Thaksin Puea Thai party won a landslide election.  Then, from 2011 until 2013 an uneasy accommodation settled across civil-military relations in Thailand.  At present, as tensions rise between Thailand’s judiciary on one side, and Puea Thai and pro-Thaksin Red Shirt demonstrators on the other, the military finds itself at the center of a political storm. What is the likelihood of military intervention? What is the extent today of civilian control over the military? Will Thailand’s armed forces continue to exert enormous power or will Thailand see any demilitarization? These and other related issues will be discussed at this presentation.