2171. An Unfinished Revolution: The Trajectory of Thailand’s Current Protests
- Author:
- Pavin Chachavalpongpun
- Publication Date:
- 03-2021
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Brown Journal of World Affairs
- Institution:
- Brown Journal of World Affairs
- Abstract:
- This essay investigates the ongoing protests demanding monarchical reform in Thailand. Since July 2020, protestors have strived to place constraints on the monarchy back into the constitution in response to the increasingly unrestrained power of King Maha Vajiralongkorn.1 As part of this effort, protesters proposed a crucial ten-point demand for immediate reform. The demonstrations were driven by several factors, including the generational shift, the evolution of social media, and the interconnectedness with other movements in the region.2 After months of protests, however, Vajiralongkorn has continued to ignore the popular call for change. Instead, he has undermined protests through violent crackdowns, legal measures, and online censorship. The crown is now on the defensive.3 It has become the battle of the century—the outcome of which may take Thailand back to the absolute monarchy of the past or toward a modern republic. The concept of a constitutional monarchy in Thailand has remained elusive since its inception in 1932. Today, such an arrangement is intolerable to many Thais.
- Topic:
- Social Movement, Reform, Protests, and Monarchy
- Political Geography:
- Thailand and Southeast Asia