The political system
State structure. Thailand is a constitutional monarchy. But for several years now, the kingdom has been living in a tense political climate, with one government for and against former Prime Minister Thaksin after another, with their share of protests of varying scale. With the coup d'état of May 22, 2014, Thailand's 18th Constitution fell into oblivion. A "new provisional constitution" was immediately proclaimed by the junta, the 19th. The army retains full powers, particularly in areas affecting the Kingdom's security. The provisional government appointed by the junta had to abide by the army's decisions. A Legislative Assembly, made up mainly of officers, was set up, so as not to give parliament too much power.
The new constitution, signed by the new King Rama X, the 20th, gives the military greater powers, such as setting government policy for 20 years, appointing senators who are not members of political parties, and acting as guarantors of monarchical legitimacy. The current monarch has nonetheless requested amendments to the texts of the new constitution, with regard to articles concerning his office, in order to retain a degree of independence. This 20th Constitution was approved by referendum in August 2017.
Political parties. Several political parties field candidates in national elections, but only five were favored by voters: the Democrat Party, the New Aspirations Party, the Thai Nation Party, the National Development Party and the Pheu Thai Party ("For the Thais"), created by former adherents of the Thai Rak Thai Party ("Thais love Thais") dissolved following the 2006 crisis. The Democratic Party is the country's oldest political party, and remained in power until August 2011. After its coup d'état on May 22, 2014, the military junta, self-proclaimed "Council for Peace and Order Maintenance", remained in power until 2019 with Prayut Chan-o-cha at its head. The Palang Pracharath Party ("People's State Power Party"), was founded in 2018 shortly before the elections. In reality, it is the military junta's national-conservative party.
Current issues. The army has promised to run the country "smoothly". The main leaders of the Red Shirt movement, close to Thaksin, have been imprisoned or have fled Thailand. To stop them escaping, and for fear of the formation of a government in exile, many former political leaders were forbidden to leave the kingdom. The crime of lèse-majesté is now punishable by court martial, and political opponents are subject to unprecedented intimidation. In the 2019 elections, the Palang Pracharath Party wins the majority of votes and Prayut Chan-o-cha remains Prime Minister until 2023. This year's elections were won by Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of the progressive Move Forward party, but the powers that be blocked his path to the post of Prime Minister. He owned a television station at the time of the elections, which is against the law. Srettha Thavisin of the Pheu Thai Party was sworn in as Prime Minister by the National Assembly on August 22, 2023. The same day saw the return to Thailand of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra after 15 years in exile. He was imprisoned following the convictions he faced, before obtaining a pardon from King Rama X in September, which reduced his prison sentence to one year. He is now on parole for health reasons... Paethongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin's daughter, became Prime Minister on August 18, 2024, after Srettha Thavisin was deposed.
Political relations between Thailand and Europe remain tense for the time being. Conversely, the country enjoys excellent relations with the USA and China. Thailand is positioning itself as a major player in the connectivity of mainland Southeast Asia, notably through the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) and the Greater Mekong Project. Thailand holds the presidency of ASEAN in 2019.
Economic resources
Agriculture. Until recently, rice was the country's main source of wealth. At the heart of the world's largest plantation zone, Thailand regularly produces 22 million tonnes of rice a year, making it the world's second largest exporter of the cereal after India in 2023. Over 8 million tonnes were exported in 2023, while domestic consumption is 150 kg per person per year. The country ranks first in the world for the production and export of rubber and manioc, a crop that has enabled it to enter the preferential oilcake supply circuits of the large intensive livestock farms of developed countries. Thailand is also the world's second-largest exporter of sugar. Timber harvesting, which began in the late 19th century, has accelerated sharply over the last thirty years, to the point where the forested area has lost almost 60% of its surface area. Finally, fishing is a major source of revenue for the country: with total catches regularly exceeding 3.5 million tonnes per year, and the modernization of fishing techniques, Thailand has become one of the world's top 10 producers of seafood products. As a result, the country's territorial waters are no longer sufficient for the national fleet, which has to fish in neighboring waters. This problem has prompted the country to develop aquaculture, which is currently booming.
Industry. The agri-food industry, thanks in particular to fishing, is at the forefront. Mineral resources remain modest, but Thailand is a major producer of tin and tungsten. Offshore exploitation of natural gas in the Gulf of Siam is also promising. Thailand is one of Southeast Asia's leaders in petrochemicals and automobile manufacturing, but remains highly dependent on foreign investment in other service sectors (electrical appliances and components, computers, integrated circuits, supplies, plastics) concentrated in urban areas, i.e. mainly Bangkok, and exploited at the expense of the rural world, which accounts for two-thirds of the total population.
Foreign investment. Thailand, a former "emerging country" whose growth was based on the model of NICs (newly industrialized countries) such as Malaysia and Singapore, was once considered one of Asia's famous "tigers". Opened up to the market economy in the early 1960s, it seems to be able to cope with globalization with a labor force that remains as cheap as ever. But its economy remains fragile, as it is closely linked to the external economy. In 2010, growth in tourism was affected by the clashes in Bangkok at the start of the year, and by the floods at the end of the year. In 2011, however, calm has returned, and the major heads of state are taking it in turns to visit Bangkok to bolster their relations. First and foremost, Japan, the Kingdom's biggest foreign investor. The tourism sector rebounded in 2012, as did the country's economy, which this time recorded GDP growth of 4% in 2018. Thailand enjoys very good relations with China, which is Thailand's2nd largest supplier and its largest customer. In 2014, after the coup d'état and the flight of many investors, the ruling junta strove to attract foreigners back, positioning itself as a "pro-business" player. The current trend is definitely towards a return, particularly in the manufacturing, technology, raw materials refining and tourism sectors. Thailand is also the gateway to the Burmese market. A coveted market that will inevitably benefit Thailand.
Tourism. Tourism is Thailand's leading source of foreign currency. The majority of visitors come from other Asian countries (75%, led by China, Malaysia and Japan), followed by Europeans (15%) and Americans (7%). Historically, the political factor triggering the expansion of Western tourism was essentially the US military intervention in Vietnam. Thailand became the main rear base for the American soldiers involved, and media coverage of the conflict indirectly contributed to the revelation of tourism potential in the "Land of Smiles". A few years later, the construction of Bangkok's international airport also played a major role in the boom in tourism. Over the past twenty years, the number of visitors to Thailand has fluctuated considerably, starting in 2005. At the time, the government was expecting 13 million visitors, but the tsunami tragedy of December 26, 2004 was not to be. The 6 provinces affected were among the most visited: Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga, Ranong, Satun and Trang.
Today, all infrastructures have been rebuilt. The political turmoil of 2014, the terrorist attacks of 2015 and 2016, the year of mourning in 2017 and the bad weather did absolutely nothing to halt this uninterrupted progress since 2006. The global health crisis put the brakes on this trend, with the kingdom closing its borders to foreign tourists from March 2020 to the end of 2021. In 2023, Thailand welcomed 28 million foreign travellers. The recovery of Thailand's tourism industry is a positive sign for the country's economy. Tourism is a major source of revenue for Thailand and is set to continue growing in the years ahead.
Current economic challenges. Thanks to its solid economic foundations, Thailand's public debt remains under control, inflation is still under control and foreign exchange reserves remain comfortable. In 2015, the government tackled a reorganization of licensing and authorization controls of all kinds. All government departments were merged to become more efficient. While initially it was the big groups that had to show their credentials, it's now the turn of smaller structures to be investigated. As a result, many hotels, bars, restaurants, diving clubs and stores of all kinds are closing overnight. In 2018, a new project was launched. Entitled Thailand 4.0, it is one of the most ambitious reforms ever undertaken: its aim is to transform the Thai economy by basing itself on high value-added, more intellectual professions, which should enable greater innovation and technological development. Thailand 1.0 was based on agriculture, Thailand 2.0 on light manufacturing, Thailand 3.0 on heavy industry, and finally Thailand 4.0 on creativity, research and development.
Thailand 4.0
Architecture. Modernizing the country's infrastructure is one of the government's priorities. A number of major projects have already been completed, and others are in the pipeline. Among these, the King Power Mahanakhon, a 314-metre building inaugurated in 2016, has become the country's tallest skyscraper! That is, until 2018, when the IconSiam shopping mall and its Magnolias Waterfront Residences reached 317 meters. The race for the tallest building is far from over, and this is a technical demonstration for the megalopolis. The pharaonic Rama IX Super Tower project, due for completion in 2022, was finally cancelled. At 615 metres, it would have been the country's tallest tower! In addition to these architectural feats, the Thai capital's skytrain (BTS) and metro (MRT) networks are also constantly expanding. A new railway station in the north of the city, Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, was completed at the end of 2021. It becomes Bangkok's main railway station, while the iconic Hua Lamphong Central Station continues to operate mainly regional services. But infrastructure modernization is also taking place throughout the country. Pattaya, for example, was due to inaugurate its first tramway line in 2021, but the project has been delayed due to the global health crisis. The project has not yet been officially approved, but bridges linking the islands of Koh Samui (Surat Thani) and Koh Chang (Trat) to the mainland are currently being studied. This would boost tourism and facilitate hospital links between the two islands and the mainland.
The gradual legalization of cannabis. Thailand is the first Asian country to legalize cannabis for medical use. The use and cultivation of cannabis has therefore been possible since April 20, 2019 - amusing when you consider that 4/20 is slang for cannabis smokers, but also the day of celebrations dedicated to cannabis in all its forms. This breakthrough began in 2016 when General Koomchaya, Minister of Justice, recognized that the kingdom had failed in its fight against drugs. In fact, more than 60% of those incarcerated in the country's prisons were doing so for drug-related offences. A change in attitude towards drug addicts is gradually taking place, and they are now recognized more as sick people than criminals. At the end of 2018, the government authorized the import of cannabis and kratom (a controversial opiate) for medical use. Contrary to what you might think, it's more the elderly who turn to cannabis oil (devoid of THC, the psychotropic substance) for medical purposes. Marijuana was long considered a traditional herb in Thai medicine, before it was classified as a narcotic in the 1970s. This event marks a real shift in thinking in such a conservative country. But be warned, the laws are still very strict on marijuana use and trafficking, and unauthorized people caught in possession could face between 5 and 10 years' imprisonment.
Transgender people in parliament. In another example of changing attitudes in the kingdom, the March 2019 parliamentary elections saw the first transgender candidate for Prime Minister, Pauline Ngarmpring. In 2024, three transgender MPs will sit in the hemicycle. While transgender people are tolerated in Thai society, the LGBTQ+ community is still ostracized. Often excluded from "normal" jobs, they often have to work in the middle of the night for miserable pay. Recently, a bill was approved by the military junta which, if passed, would make Thailand the1st country in Southeast Asia and the2nd in Asia, after Taiwan, to legalize same-sex marriage.
Rising value of the baht and coronavirus. The rise in the value of the Thai currency, which began in 2018, has continued into 2019. The fact that the country has a positive trade balance and a fairly low debt ratio has favored this rise in the Thai currency. The baht appreciated by almost 8% against the euro and the dollar, giving pause to some Western tourists, who preferred to head for other destinations, such as Indonesia and Vietnam. While traveler arrivals have fallen very little, tourists are spending considerably less, which is a cause for concern for the tourism sector, which accounts for almost 20% of the country's GDP. Retirees living in the kingdom have also seen their purchasing power fall sharply. Exports are down, as they are more expensive. But this has not only had a negative impact on the country's economy, as imports have become cheaper and the baht has become Asia's safe-haven currency. Since the health crisis of 2020, the baht has begun a gradual rise in value, and in September 2024 the exchange rate was €1 = 37.41 Bahts.
Weapons possession and the Nakhon Ratchasima tragedy. On Saturday February 8, 2020, a terrible event shook the entire country. A Thai soldier, furious over a financial dispute, embarked on a bloody rampage that left 29 people dead and 52 wounded. The man stole weapons from the army's arsenal and went to the busy Terminal 21 shopping mall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Isaan province, on Saturday afternoon. The army plays an important role in the political life of Korat, the city's other name, which is home to numerous military barracks. It was only after a 17-hour siege that Thailand's elite troops were finally able to neutralize - and therefore shoot - the mad soldier. The fact that this took place on Makha Bucha day, one of the country's four biggest Theravada Buddhist festivals, heightened the drama. Although not linked to the possession of weapons, this event nevertheless raises the issue of firearms in the country. There are an estimated 8 million firearms in circulation, most of them unregistered. Murders by firearms are frequent in the country, but this is the first time a soldier has attacked civilians. The army's dominant role in the country's social and political life is also being strongly questioned. Thailand's first mass shooting, reminiscent of an American tragedy, has sent shockwaves through the kingdom.
