Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
By the 1970s a new era of political consciousness bubbled up from the universit-
ies, marking a period of cultural turmoil. In 1973 more than half a million people -
intellectuals, students, peasants and workers - demonstrated in Bangkok and in
major provincial towns, demanding a constitution from the military government. The
bloody dispersal of the Bangkok demonstration on 14 October led to the collapse of
the regime and the creation of an elected constitutional government. This lasted
only three years until another protest movement was brutally squashed and the mil-
itary returned in the name of civil order.
By the 1980s the so-called political soldier General Prem Tinsulanonda forged a
period of political and economic stability that led to the 1988 election of a civilian
government. Prem is still involved in politics today as the president of the palace's
privy council, a powerful position that joins the interests of the monarchy with the
military.
Name Changes
The country known today as Thailand has had several monikers:
•
» The Khmers are credited for naming this area 'Siam'.
•
» In 1939 the name of the country was changed from Siam (Prathet Syam) to Thailand
(Prathet Thai).
The Business Era
The new civilian government was composed of former business executives, many
of whom represented provincial commercial interests instead of Bangkok-based mil-
itary officials, signalling a shift in the country's political dynamics. Though the coun-
try was doing well economically, the government was accused of corruption and
vote-buying and the military moved to protect its privileged position with a 1991
coup.
Elected leadership was restored shortly after the coup and the Democrat Party,
with the support of business and the urban middle class, dominated the parliament.
The 1997 Asian currency crisis derailed the surging economy and the government
was criticised for its ineffective response. That same year, the parliament passed
