New Mandala: Kingdom of Fear – and Favor

Maha Vajiralongkorn is struggling to attract the respect directed toward his father, Bhumibol Adulyadej – with analysts expecting the new king of Thailand to be weak, “precisely because of his lack of moral authority, divinity and popularity once enjoyed by Bhumibol,” explains Pavin Chachavalpongpun for New Mandala, a publication based in Australia. “Vajiralongkorn reigns as a monarch whose authority is based upon fear, and as one who cares little about people around him.” The king who had reputation as a playboy relies on rigid rules, and those closest to him can be surprised by sudden promotions or demotions, arrests, exile, or even fatal accidents. In 2014, a military coup removed leaders with elections scheduled for this year. Vajiralongkorn, in power for just six months, has already consolidated his power with changes to the constitution, and he freely applies the lese-majeste law, including warnings for Thai citizens not to befriend or read articles by at least three well known critics including Chachavalpongpun. In Thailand, “Poverty has declined substantially over the last 30 years from 67% in 1986 to 7.2% in 2015 during periods of high growth and rising agricultural prices,” notes the World Bank. But growth has slowed, and erratic governance could threaten tourism, foreign investment and exports. – YaleGlobal