Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra may have been deposed from the country by the Thai military but the charismatic politician-cum-businessman is still able to have a lasting influence on Thailand’s political scenario. With the first elections since the military coup over, it is clear that Shinawatra-backed People Power Party is the favourite to form the next democratically-elected government. But lots of uncertainties remain regarding the election results.
The powerful Thai military and the royal family do not want to see Thakshin Shinawatra return to the country as he is known to be a voice of the poor rather than the elite upper and middle-class. The current PPP leader and the future Prime Minister is Samak Sundaravej with a right-wing past and a direct supporter of Mr. Shinawatra. Many believe that although the PPP has fallen just short of the majority mark of 240 and needs support of other smaller parties to form a government, there is every chance that after forming the coalition government, the PPP could start prosecution cases against the army for ousting Thaksin. If there is a possibility of such an eventuality taking place, no one can rule out another military coup.
But at this stage, ordinary Thais want to see the back of the army given the economic and political uncertainty that has cast a shadow on the south-east Asian country’s overall development. Foreign investors are highly skeptical of the political uncertainty and it is for sure that Thailand’s economy has been greatly affected since September, 2006 when the coup took place.
It remains to be seen whether the military dictates Thai politics even more and feels the wrath of the people. But the United States and many other countries have made it clear that Bangkok cannot afford to be under the military rule for the sake of domestic development. Which party wins is not the major concern, the return of democracy is the priority.
Image Link: BBC
Source: Telegraph
