Princess to contest the general election in Thailand

What to know?

• In a historic first for Thailand, a senior member of the royal family is running in a general election — a move that some suspect could increase the monarchy’s overall power in the country.
• Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya, the elder sister of King Maha Vajiralongkorn and the oldest child of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, will be the prime ministerial candidate for the Thai Raksa Chart Party in the upcoming March 24 election. The party is closely linked to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is widely believed to have played a role in Ubolratana’s candidacy.
• Her decision to run could change the entire outlook for the long-delayed election, which will be the country’s first after nearly five years of military rule.
• Thailand’s current prime minister, Prayut Chan-o-cha, a now-retired army chief who took power in the military’s 2014 coup, also threw his hat into the ring under the pro-military faction Palang Pracharat. The development could potentially result in a showdown between the royal family and the military.
• Under Thailand’s system of constitutional monarchy, the king traditionally acts as a figurehead leader while the prime minister runs the country. The king, who lived what international media called a luxury lifestyle before taking over the throne in December 2016, has appeared to seek greater involvement in state affairs.
• In 2017, the king made several changes to the constitution — a rare act of political intervention by a sitting monarch. For instance, he introduced a clause that named the monarch as the key arbiter in times of constitutional upheaval, which effectively makes it possible for the monarchy to become involved in political matters.
• Ubolratana’s move may be part of a broader increase in the monarchy’s influence, echoed Paul Chambers, a lecturer for international affairs at Thailand’s Naresuan University.
• It wouldn’t be the first time that a brother and sister held dominant positions in Thai politics. Billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra and his sister Yingluck Shinawatra are former prime ministers who continue to enjoy enormous influence in their home country despite both of them living in exile after fleeing corruption charges.
• Ubolratana’s lifestyle hasn’t always followed traditional royal pathways. The 67-year old relinquished her royal title in 1972 when she married a foreigner and moved to the U.S., but she eventually returned to Thailand after her divorce.

Thaksin’s role

• Ubolratana’s chances at winning are considered strong since she represents a group affiliated with Thaksin, a kingmaker whose parties and affiliated factions — such as the opposition Pheu Thai — have won every Thai election since 2001.
• Thailand has long faced a cycle of Pheu Thai candidates winning elections, the military not accepting their tenure, a coup happening and then plans to return to democracy in which Pheu Thai candidates win again
• The link between the princess and Thaksin is of great interest to analysts, many of whom suspect a new alliance between the monarchy and the former prime minister.

The role of the military

• Current Prime Minister Prayut’s candidacy is seen as the real wild card because it’s not entirely clear what his intentions are. The military and monarchy in Thailand have always been closely aligned so the notion of a potential power struggle between the two seems unthinkable to most.
• That’s why some experts believe Prayut may eventually bow out of the race. Prayut’s domestic popularity has recovered as of late, boosted in part by his administration legalizing medical marijuana last month. Based on a January survey by the National Institute of Developement Administration, a Bangkok university, the former army general was the most popular choice among a range of candidates for prime minister — followed by Pheu Thai candidate Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan.

 The Pheu Thai Party

• The Pheu Thai Party is the third incarnation of a Thai political party founded by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
• The Pheu Thai Party was founded on 20 September 2008, as an anticipated replacement for the People’s Power Party(PPP), which Constitutional Court of Thailand dissolved less than three months later after finding party members guilty of electoral fraud.
• The People’s Power Party was a replacement for Thaksin’s original Thai Rak Thai Party(TRT) which the Constitutional Court dissolved in May 2007 for violation of electoral laws.

(International)(cnbc)

Pic courtesy:aljazeera