One Year after Taking Office, Can Prayut Chan-ocha’s Administration Survive?
THAILAND STUDIES PROGRAMME WEBINAR
About the Webinar
In the year after it took office following Thailand’s March 2019 elections, the path of leadership has not been a smooth one for the second administration of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha or for the Phalang Pracharat Party that forms the heart of the governing coalition. The government has been challenged by a strong parliamentary opposition led by the Phuea Thai Party and, until its dissolution, the Future Forward Party. Many cabinet ministers have been accused of corruption. Conflicts among coalition parties over policy matters have weakened the government’s ability to present a united front. And the COVID-19 pandemic crisis spurred criticisms of the government’s response and of its alleged attempt to use a state of emergency declared to fight the pandemic as a means of political control. These challenges raise the question of whether Prayut’s administration can survive its four-year term.
This talk will address a set of scenarios for the near-term future of Thai politics, touching on challenges to the stability of the government, and especially the role of the young generation in politics; on the role of the opposition parties; on the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic; and on conflicts within the Phalang Pracharat Party.
About the Speaker
Punchada Sirivunnabood is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Mahidol University, Thailand. Her research focuses on elections and political parties in Thailand and Indonesia and on regional security in ASEAN. She earned her doctorate in political science at Northern Illinois University. She has been a visiting professor at the University of Cambridge and was in 2019 Visiting Fellow in the Thailand Studies Programme of the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.
Registration
This webinar will be delivered online entirely. You can join the webinar at the specified date and time using devices (computer, phone, or tablet) with internet connection.
Please register here to receive your unique link for joining the webinar.
Limited spaces only, register early to avoid disappointment.
To join the webinar,
1. Install the Zoom client onto your computer or download the app on your mobile device.
2. Set up a Zoom account, using the following link: https://zoom.us/signup
3. Click on the unique link in your email.
For the best experience, please mute your microphone. If you have questions for the speaker, please key in your questions via the Q&A, stating your name and affiliation. The moderator will field them to the speaker during the Q&A session.