The Unforeseeable Future of Thai Politics after the 2019 Election

Thailand Studies Programme Seminar

About the Seminar
The period leading up to Thailand’s March 2019 elections had many unprecedented political ingredients: direct royal intervention in electoral politics, a new pro-military constitution and voting system, and the emergence of a wave of anti-authoritarian young-blood politicians and political parties. Each of these ingredients has had the potential to affect the results of the elections. Each may also have an impact on the post-election political landscape. This talk covers the different scenarios for Thailand’s political future proposed before the elections. It then analyzes the results of the elections as they relate to the short-term possibilities for the formation of a new government, the long-term impact on Thailand of almost five years of military government, and the effects of that period in making the future of Thai politics unforeseeable. In addition to considering the consequences of the 24 March elections in Thailand, the talk will outline broader constraints on the future of the country’s politics, such as the middle-income trap, the reality of an aging society, the decrease in foreign direct investment owing to political instability, and others.

About the Speaker
Kanokrat Lertchoosakul is a Lecturer in the Department of Government of the Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok. She earned her doctorate at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She is the author of The Rise of the Octobrists in Contemporary Thailand: Power and Conflict among Former Left-Wing student Activists in Thai Politics (2016).

Registration
For registration, please fill in this form and email to iseasevents2@iseas.edu.sg by 1 April 2019.