Thailand’s 2024 Military and Police Reshuffles: What do They Mean?
THAILAND STUDIES PROGRAMME
About the Webinar
On October 1, 2024, Thailand implemented its newly reshuffled military and police leadership. These appointments are particularly significant because senior security officials hold a monopoly on the country’s firepower. Prime Minister Paethongtarn Shinawatra’s government currently lacks civilian control over the military, which, under the constitution, remains under the authority of His Majesty the King. The King, rather than the elected Prime Minister, wields more legal power over decisions regarding military reshuffles—a clear impediment to the democratization process. This year’s military reshuffle highlights ongoing factionalism and the tensions between civilian and military preferences. Meanwhile, the police reshuffle falls under the purview of the Prime Minister. However, the police force is also highly factionalized, with the new senior appointees emerging from factional and partisan competition.
In this discussion, Dr Paul Chambers will explore who the new appointees are, the factions they represent, and how they may impact civil-military relations. It will assess whether this reshuffle is a victory for the government or the arch-royalist military and consider the implications of these changes for potential future military intervention in Thai politics.
About the Speaker
Dr Paul Chambers is a lecturer and advisor for International Affairs at the Center of ASEAN Community Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand. Dr.Chambers is a part-time visiting fellow at the Thailand Studies Programme of the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. He has a PhD in political science from Northern Illinois University. His articles have appeared in Asian Survey, Contemporary Southeast Asia and The Journal of Contemporary Asia, among others. He speaks Thai, Lao, Spanish, in addition to English.
Registration
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