Thailand: the coup d'etat.

Thailand: the coup d'etat.
Again the country in the eye of the political Hurricane

Alfredo Ascanio (askain)

To day Thailand besides suffering the natural onslaughts as the Tsunami and the flu Aviar, returns to its very united same old political crisis to the problems of corruption and of political personnel’s decisions of many of its military political leaders. But the person that always seeks the balance of these complex powers is the King Bhumiboi Adulyadej and the fact is that the tradition of Thailand was always to be wrapped in political crisis owed al to be able military that has always existed in that country and also its crisis with the old Burma (today Myamar) and with the kingdom of Cambodia.

Thailand is a tropical country and with a small territorial extension (513.115 Km2 ), but with a high greater population of the 63 million inhabitants. Being a 32% of their urban population is supposed that is a really rural country, where they inhabit the 75% of the Thais, with a 14% of Chinese, 4% of Malaysians and 7% of Cambodians and other ethnic groups. This country is of young population therefore barely the 6% they are over 60 years. The expense in education that represents an average from the 4% of the GDP indicates that barely the country has a 7% of illiterate population and that probably the country yes have a problem of public health therefore this expense represents barely the 2% of the GDP.

The country has as system of government a parliamentary Monarchy, supported in the Constitution of 1997. Thailand is a multiparty country and the leader of the State is the King Bhumiboi Adulyadej, since the year of 1946. The Prime Minister of the government is Thaksin Shinawatra since the year of 2001. The legislative power is bicameral with 200 senators, chosen by in Provisional Counsel and with 500 Representatives.

This country with commercial bonds with Japan, Singapore, USA, Germany and Chinese, presents a GDP per capita of a little more than 2 thousand dollars, but with a high external debt of almost 46 million dollars, that is to say almost the 10% of its aforesaid annual GDP in dollars of more than 525 million dollars (year 2.004).

The country spends the 16% of its budget in military defense, but with an army formed by a 48% of paramilitary and the 52% remainder of a professional soldier.

Thailand was the old one Siam with an origin in the 11th century, when the town Thai is installed in the territory of the Asian southeast, al to be expelled of China.

The country adopts mostly the Buddhist religion. The Kingdom of Siam is unified in the year of 1350 but its capital is destroyed in the year of 1767 due to the war with Burma. Then a new monarchy with their capital in Bangkok arises and the country fight for is not a European colony, although the Laos and Cambodia were yielded to France and part from Malaya the United Kingdom.

In the year from 1931 the country is surprised for a first coup d'etat to place a constitutional state. In the year of 1941 is country is occupied by Japanese troops and then an anti-Japanese resistance appears.

In the decade of the years 60 and 70 the country controlled by the soldiers they experience again various coup d'etats and during the Vietnam War, USA places in the country its military bases. Then, it is from the year of 1975 and with western investments when the economy of the country is fortified and already for the year of 1988 a democratic government with the prime Minister exists Chatichai Chunjavan, but al to arise rivalries with the military dome receives the country again another coup d'etat in the year of 1991 headed by the general one Sunthom Kongsompong and a new one is named: Anand Panyarachun.

The country continues fighting for consolidating its democracy and during the year of 1992 a new government with the presence of the prime Minister is formed Narong Wongwan, ally to the groups of soldiers with being able, but al to be accused of having bonds with the drug trafficking is separated of the government and is substituted for Suchinda Krapayun, commander of the armed forces. This appointment causes many to protest liderizadas by the general opponent Chamiong Srimaung and was the massacre of May 18, the year of 1992 with more than 100 dead persons the one that does that the King Bhumibol promotes a meeting to reconcile to Chamiong with Suchinda and besides to ask the renunciation of this last one.

A provisional government under the direction is formed of Anand Panyarachun and again solidifies the opposing forces directed by Chuan Likpai as the prime Minister.

In the year from 1996 the prime Minister Chaovalit Young Chaisyudh, of the party New Aspiration, assumes the government, but already for the year from 1997 the country begins a high very united economic crisis also to the call Asian crisis. The distrust in the economy of the country is high and the country has to resort to the loans of stabilization of the International Monetary Fund for more than 17 million dollars. Almost to ends of the year from 1.997 the Prime Minister Young resigns al to be accused of the crisis and assumes Chuan Likpai, of the Democratic Party.

The economic crisis is aggravated with a budgetary deficit from the 2% of the GDP, which obliges al government to elevate the taxes. Almost to ends of the years from 1999 the country begins to be recovered of its economic crisis with a growth of the GDP of the 4,2% al year, the half of what had grown in the first years of the decade of the years 90.

The representatives of the opposition pressure al government of Likpai so that call of new elections for January of the year 2001 and then obtains the victory Thaksin Shinawatra of the Thai party they Love Thais (TRT), a leader processed by corruption but that then was acquitted by the Constitutional Court.

The problems of the economy of USA and the attack of September 11 to the Twin Towers at New York, they have impact in the world economy and again in the economy of Thailand, a country with an unprotected border and with high supported drugs traffic indices by the militias of the military government of Myanmar, the old Burma until 1997. Then arise another crisis but now between Myamar and Thailand, a fight of powers between armed groups and the crisis with Cambodia. Again the country battle with Islamic rebels in the south of the country. To ends of the year 2004 the country suffers the so much onslaughts of the call Aviar Flu as of the Tsunami in the Indian Ocean.

September 19 the country is faced again with another military coup (http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golpe_de_Estado_en_Tailandia_(2006) ). Al to be absent the prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, defendant of fraudulent management of financial type and that had traveled to the meeting of the UN in New York, the Real Army of Thailand advances at 15 of October day for the general elections and decrees the martial law. It is created immediately an Administrative Council for the Reform, and this Council assumes the executive powers with total loyalty al King.

The social division of the country and the high corruption it has been two justifications to give the coup d'etat. The coup d'etat was directed by the general one Sondhi Boonyaratklin, but the leaders of the three branches of the army they have proposed him al King a cabinet and as the prime minister al general leader Sorayud Chulanont. Nevertheless a political transition exists for now or to be able executive collegial, which has called for political meetings for 20 of September. In the meantime, a strict control exists with hardly reproofs to the national mass media and of the outside.

It is expected that for the month of October they be not carry out the general election but within a year but in the meantime the King legitimizes the Administrative Council for the Reform and the general Sondhi Boonyaratklin, leader of the military coup. It is expected that the democratic order be recovered quick and the endorsement al democracy.

Behind the causes of this coup d'etat they are the decisions of the Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to dismiss al commander of the region of Bangkok and members of the Electoral Commission that tried again to support illicit at multimillionaire Shinawatra, leader of the party Thai Rak Thai.

Now there it will be that to expect a year more to know the political future of Thailand.But It seems knowing the political history of Thailand that this country needs come back its eyes to the not military politicians, therefore to seem that the political soldiers do not have the vocation for manage the democracy in a country and with they to seem that the corruption enlarges.