Thai Democratization

A history of Thai democratization.

Siamese Revolution and 1932 Constitution

1933 Coups

World War 2 and the Free Thai Movement

National Military Council and 1949 Constitution

1952 Coup

1957 Coup

On September 16th, 1957, Sarit launched a coup. Absolute monarchy was again re-established under Rama IX.

The assembly was dissolved. Only in 1959 was a new legislature established, but it was entirely appointed by the military.

Reforms, Revolts, and a Self-Coup

The 1968 Constitution was produced by the palace. The bicameral National Assembly was re-established; a lower house of 219 elected members and a senate of 164 appointed members. Members of the house were not allowed to serve in government, and the house was presided over by the president of the senate. This constitution came in the context of waning American support for Southeast Asian powers.

The 1970s saw a series of peasant revolts, as well as the rise of the National Student Center of Thailand (NSCT) in political influence.

Thanom staged a self-coup in 1971. He declared himself the chair of the National Executive Council. He dissolved the assembly and replaced it with the National Legislative Assembly; a unicameral legislature of 299 appointed members, of which 200 were military.

Unrest continued and reached a peak in the October 14 Event in 1973. While the protests were violently put down, Thanom was forced to resign. King Rama IX then assumed the power to appoint prime ministers personally.

A convention was called to draft a new constitution. The first drafts would have placed significantly more power in a democratically-elected legislature. Monarchists forced the 1974 Constitution instead to resemble the 1949 one.

National Administrative Reform Council and 1976 Constitution

Following the October 6 event in 1976, a violent crackdown on protests at Thammasat University, monarchist and military interests began to conspire against the government. Sangad seized power and established the National Administrative Reform Council (NARC). Rama IX appointed Thanin as prime minister.

The 1976 Constitution amounted to an absolute monarchy.

National Policy Council

Even after the 1976 coup, military interests sought to monopolize power and to isolate Rama IX politically.

An attempted coup by junior army officers failed on March 26th, 1977.

Sangad and Kriangsak launched a successful coup on October 20th, 1977. The new junta took the name of National Policy Council (NPC), and Kriangsak himself served as prime minister.

The 1978 Constitution re-established the bicameral National Assembly; a lower house of 301 elected members and a senate of 225 appointed members. Parties continued to be banned, but the lower house did have meaningful checks against military power.

Prem inherited the junta leadership in 1980. His government survived two attempted coups by the same group of junior army officers, first on April 1st, 1981 and again on September 9th, 1985. Prem did eventually restore rights to political parties.

Chatichai in turn inherited the junta leadership in 1988. He organized free elections on July 24th, 1988 which his Thai Nation Party won.

National Peace Keeping Council and 1991 Constitution

On February 19th, 1991, Sunthorn launched a coup and established the National Peace Keeping Council (NPKC). Rama IX approved of the coup on February 26th.

In the aftermath of Black May in 1992, a violent crackdown on protests, the NPKC organized elections and dissolved.

1997 Constitution

Council for Democratic Reform and 2006 Constitution

2007 Constitution

National Council for Peace and Order and 2014 Constitution

2017 Constitution

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