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Thailand faces economy and political challenges
泰国面临经济和政治双重挑战
Friday marks one year since the Thai military took power. At the time, many predicted their success or failure would depend on their ability to manage the economy and reform a political system that appeared to be broken down. But things have not gone according to plan for the Generals. And while the economy has faltered, the promised reforms have also failed to materialize, leaving many uncertain about the future.
This was the moment, one year ago, when Thailand's military took over.
After months of street protests and political deadlock the Generals announced they’d had enough.
Since then their rule has been absolute. At the time, Wilawan, a garment manufacturer, had been keen to see the military step in. She'd supported the street protests that opened the door for the coup. But this year has not been good.
Business is down thirty percent, inflation is biting hard, and overseas buyers are nervous about the future.
"We can’t deny that the demonstrations and the coup have had a negative effect on the economy, and we need to adjust to the situation," said Wilawan Lawvinitnum. owner of Vinity Apparel.
In the countryside, the impact has been even more profound.
Stuck between offering subsidies and falling commodity prices, the incomes in the countryside have dropped by as much as twenty percent, while prices continued to rise.
And while that may be due to factors outside the Generals control, they have offered little to the lower income families bearing the brunt of the downturn.
"Like the agricultural prices are still contracting, rubber in particular. 40 percent of the population are still in the agriculture sector. So that affects income of a lot of people," said Dr. Pipat Leungnareumitchai, analyst of Phatra Securities.
The military have imposed their rule with force.
Demonstrations have been shut down, and critics have been silenced with detention and threats.
But for the most part, Bangkok has remained peaceful, something the residents are grateful for after years of street protests.
12 months on of the military emplacements that are all over this areas now been cleared away. the streets have been cleaned. People here are incredibly grateful, and peace has returned to the capital city. But there are concerns that the tensions are still there. The political problem that plagued Thailand for well over a decade are lying just beneath the surface.
And those underlying tensions may bubble up soon.
Wrangling over a new constitution and referendum is being used as an excuse to further delay elections.
And with a faltering economy, uncertainty is not good news.
"They don't look the same, but nowhere need the popularity they had after they came in in May 2014, after 6 months of streets protests. So now they have to really run the Thai economy and government of Thailand to put out with people's demands and expectations, not going to be easy. We will see more tensions or even turmoil in the year ahead," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, political scientist.
Democracy monument was raised to commemorate the coup that established Thailand as a constitutional Monarchy in 1939.
The latest coup seems to be turning back the hands of time.
