Thitinan, State, Democracy, Thailand

Today's "reference of the day" is a new journal article by Thitinan in Journal of Democracy (October 2008) entitled "Thailand Since the Coup". It is available for a free download from here (PDF). Thitnan's article covers a wide range of topics and has a lengthy section on the succession issue. Key excerpt:

Without clearer indications from the King, the palace, or the Privy Council, the royal succession will remain Thailand’s biggest and most daunting question mark, with far-reaching implications for political stability. It is clear now that Thailand’s democratic institutions are too weak, divided, and politicized to manage the succession effectively. Unless clearer signs appear of what will happen after King Bhumibol, all bets are off as to where Thailand will be headed when the current royal twilight finally fades to full darkness.

BP: It also has more on Thaksin and PAD and as always anything from Thitinan is an interesting read.

This tidbit from the footnotes is also interesting:

5. In the event, the CNS leadership wanted to delay the elections until 2008 but was
constrained by Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont’s insistence on sticking to the original timetable. Author’s interviews with two CNS members, 6 June and 5 August 2008.

btw, (conspiracy theory watch), when will someone point out that Johns Hopkins is the publisher of Journal of Democracy and what connection this has with the "Johns Hopkins cabal".

h/t Thailand Jumped the Shark who also has links to some other academic papers.