Duncan McCargo, Visiting Professor of Political Science at Columbia University and Professor of Political Science at the University of Leeds, wrote a January 2, 2018 op-ed in the Nikkei Asian Review about the possibility of Thailand finally holding its postponed election–which had been scheduled for 2016–this year.
Titled “Will Thailand Return to Electoral Democracy in 2018?,” Professor McCargo’s op-ed notes that “according to some readings, the new king [of Thailand] would gain a much-needed boost in legitimacy from fresh elections and any resulting retreat of the NCPO leadership, which has been sounding increasingly tired and shrill over recent months. If so, a 2018 election looks highly likely. But if the uncertain outcome of the impending election threatens to destabilize Thailand and indirectly affect royal standing, the palace might prefer to play safe and support another postponement to 2019, at the earliest.”
Read the full article here.
