The Thai Government Will Ensure Protests Only Get So Far

The current protests in Thailand will not threaten the stability of the country’s military-led government, but they will accelerate a limited constitutional reform process and prompt Bangkok to impose more restrictions on the political opposition. Protests that began in July and escalated in recent weeks represent the greatest political challenge to the Thai government since the country transitioned out of five years of direct military rule in mid-2019 to a political system still dominated by the military. But while they may be disruptive to particular parts of the capital city, these student-led actions are unlikely to build into the paralyzing unrest seen in the years leading up to the country’s 2014 military coup. ...