Southeast Asian politics slide back toward oppression

Democracy on the wane as wave of strongman rule sweeps the region.

After being officially proclaimed prime minister of Thailand by King Maha Vajiralongkorn on June 11, Prayuth Chan-ocha thanked parliament and ruling coalition parties for giving him the opportunity to serve the country.

During the two and a half months since the March general election, including a three-day coronation for the monarch in early May, Prayuth, a former general who was interim prime minister during the years of military rule, had to form a coalition to cement his leadership. But he won hands down in parliament in the vote for prime minister on June 5, thanks to a new constitution drafted by the junta and approved in an April 2017 referendum.

In full: https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Comment/Southeast-Asian-politics-slide-back-toward-oppression

Related Stories

Latest News