Thailand’s Election

The people of Thailand, through their ballots of 23 December, had clearly expressed their desire to have the country run by a coalition government under the “populist policy” of the two parties: the People Power Party and the Democrat Party. The People Power Party won the election with 233 seats in the Parliament, when the Democrat Party got only 165 seats. No party wins enough votes to form a new government, therefore, a coalition with other small parties that won election has to be formed. This is a big change from the days when the Thaksin’s Thai RakThai “one-party-rule system” dominated the parliament and the country. The Election Commission is to be congratulated for conducted a fair election, without violence. Tulsathit Taptim in his article, “The nation’s head and heart spoke at once” in the Nation newspaper, was correct in saying that this election was a “bye-bye to the military”, but not a “welcome home Thaksin”. When Thaksin returns to the country, he will have to go straight to Court to fight the various corruption cases that he and his family were accused of. For sure, political polarization will continue in Thailand. But like in other democratic countries, Thailand will have to learn how to govern through negotiations and compromises between the two political poles of these two dominant parties in public interest. Fighting each other in the streets will lead the country to nowhere.

Filed under Thailand |