A study on democratization of Thai politics in the 1990s

人们普遍认为，泰国政治在1990年代实现了民主化。1992年5月事件和1997年宪法是这十年中最引人注目的事件。5月事件不可或缺的不是中产阶级，而是全力动员支持者进行大规模反政府集会的占隆。然而，Chamlong被认为“过于激进”，因为他诉诸街头抗议和议会外的政治。结果，占隆最终被迫退出政坛，他的失败成为那些试图通过街头政治动员群众来效仿他的人的惨痛教训。他的退出也进一步增强了他的保守派和自由派对手的力量。另一方面，在五月事件中只占一部分参与者的中产阶级，却被捧为事件的英雄，在代表中产阶级的传媒的帮助下，变得非常有主见。他们的大胆带来了政治改革，并在1997年的宪法中留下了印记。支持改革的争论以议员们的批评为特征。一些人声称国会议员应该被排除在内阁部长之外。改革的目标是政治的效率、稳定和道德，为此，1997年起草了新宪法。这部宪法并不那么民主。它规定，一个人必须拥有学士以上的学位才能成为国会议员，参议员或内阁部长，尽管学士约占人口的5%。然而，这部宪法对民主化的贡献在于它安抚了那些对议会政治不满的人，并倾向于技术官僚而不是民主。归根结底，保守主义（而不是激进主义）和妥协（而不是改变）是这十年民主化的关键。

It is widely observed that Thai politics was democratized in the 1990s. The May 1992 incident and the 1997 constitution are most conspicuous events during the decadeWhat was indispensable for the May incident was not the middle-class but Chamlong who made every effort to mobilize supporters for large anti-government rally. However, Chamlong was regarded as "too radical" in the sense that he resorted to street protests and politics outside the parliament. As a result, Chamlong eventually forced to retire from politics, and his failure became a bitter lesson for those who sought to emulate him by mobilizing the mass in street politics. His withdrawal also further empowered his conservative and liberal opponents. This was the most important legacy of the incident.On the other hand, the middle class, which constituted only a part of the participants in the May incident, was hailed as the hero of the incident and became very assertive with the help of the mass media that represented the class. Their boldness brought about the political reform that found its mark in the 1997 constitution. Arguments for the reform were characterized by the criticism of MPs. Some claimed that MPs should be excluded from cabinet ministers. The reform aimed at efficiency, stability and morality of politics.With this end in view, a new constitution was drafted in 1997. This constitution was not so democratic. It stipulated that one should have academic degree above bachelor to be MP, senator or cabinet minister although bachelors accounted for about five percent of the population. Nevertheless, this constitution contributed to the democratization in the sense that it appeased those who were discontent with parliamentary politics, and preferred technocracy to democracy.In the final analysis, conservatism (rather than radicalism) and accommodation (rather than change) were crucial for the democratization during the decade.