THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Has new time bomb for Thai political crisis just been revealed?

Has new time bomb for Thai political crisis just been revealed?

Re: “Political crisis ‘is a clash of regimes, not colour groups’”, National, June 20.

Social thinker Seksan Prasertkul argues that Thailand’s political crisis is actually the result of a clash between the two regimes – “modern elites” empowered by democracy and backed by the masses, and “state elites” empowered by the bureaucracy and machinery of state. Would this explain why insider bureaucrats are increasingly taking the helm of state-owned entities?
The NCPO’s claim of legitimacy was based on its stated mission to re-establish order in a chaotic society that was ripped apart by opposing political factions with irreconcilable ideological differences. 
According to Seksan’s view, without strong “modern elites” as a viable alternative, people who were scared by the last political turmoil will understandably rely more and more on “state elites”, who seem to be doing all the right things at the moment.
The potential problem is that the current “state elites” who grew up in past regimes with an old conservative mindset may find it difficult to adapt to the fast-changing economic and political landscapes. They will likely fall back on “old habits” when they feel threatened by outside forces.
Therefore, Seksan may be right to say that this will inevitably create a new social friction, in other words a new time bomb.
Anan Pakvasa

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