Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
extreme corruption. This coup demarcated an emerging trend in Thai politics: the
Bangkok business community and educated classes siding with the military against pro-
vincial business-politicians and their money politics.
In 1992, after reinstating elections, an unelected military leader inserted himself as
prime minister. This was met with popular resistance and the ensuing civilian-military
clash was dubbed 'Black May'. Led by former Bangkok mayor Chamlong Srimuang,
around 200,000 protesters (called the 'mobile phone mob', representing their rising urban
affluence) launched a mass demonstration in Bangkok that resulted in three nights of viol-
ence with armed soldiers. On the night of 20 May, King Bhumibol called an end to the vi-
olence.
After Black May, a new wave of democracy activists advocated for constitutional re-
forms. For most of the 1990s, the parliament was dominated by the Democrat Party,
which represented the urban middle class and business interests. Its major base of support
came from the southern Thai population centres, formerly port towns now dominated by
tourism and exports (rubber, tin and fishing). On the other side of the spectrum were the
former pro-military politicians based in the central plains and the people of the agrarian
northeast in new provincial towns who focused on state-budget distributions. These polit-
ical lines still exist today.
In 1997, the boom years went bust and the Asian economic crisis unfolded. The coun-
try's economy was plagued by foreign-debt burdens, an overextension in the real-estate
sector and a devalued currency. Within months of the crisis, the Thai currency plunged
from 25B to 56B per US$1. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) stepped in to impose
financial and legal reforms and economic liberalisation programs in exchange for more
than US$17 billion to stabilise the Thai currency.
In the aftermath of the crisis, the Democrats returned to power uncontested, but were
viewed as ineffective as the economy worsened.
The Thai national anthem is played on TV and radio stations at 8am and 6pm. The video that accompan-
ies the TV broadcast shows a multi-ethnic, multi-religious Thailand living in harmony under the national
flag.
Thaksinocracy & the 2006 Coup
In 2000, the economic slump began to ease. The telecommunications billionaire and
former police officer Thaksin Shinawatra, through his Thai Rak Thai (TRT or 'Thai Lov-
