Thailand escapes ‘not free’ label despite election chaos

Thailand’s surge from the shackles of “not free” to “partly free” status in the annual Freedom House survey has sent ripples across the globe.

Despite a rocky electoral journey that left many questioning the integrity of the democratic process, the Land of Smiles defies the odds, prompting scrutiny and speculation.

Freedom House, a Washington DC-based non-profit organisation championing democracy and human rights, paints a vivid picture of the global landscape, assessing 210 countries and territories. Amongst the 84 labelled as free, 59 as partly free, and 67 as not free, Thailand’s narrative takes centre stage.

With meticulous scoring based on 25 indicators encompassing political rights and civil liberties, Thailand garners a total score of 36 out of 100, a figure reflecting a blend of progress and persistent challenges.

While celebrated for holding competitive elections, Thailand’s journey towards democracy remains fraught with uncertainties. Despite the Move Forward Party (MFP)’s electoral success, establishment forces thwarted their path to governance, leaving observers wary of the nation’s democratic trajectory.

“The more competitive balloting, and the fact that the second-ranked opposition party (Pheu Thai) made it into government, led to score improvements that pushed the country across the threshold from Not Free to Partly Free status.”

Yet, amid the glimmer of progress, doubts linger. Thailand’s democratic resilience is questioned, with echoes of the 2014 coup still reverberating, leaving its overall score a far cry from pre-crisis levels, reported Bangkok Post.

The Freedom House report, unveiled in the wake of the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index, underscores Thailand’s enigmatic political landscape. Despite strides towards democratic governance, shadows of unelected influences loom large, inviting scrutiny and debate on the true state of Thailand’s political freedoms.

In related news, the yearly Democracy Index compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has seen Thailand’s ranking fall by eight places, a change largely ascribed to the latest government formation by unelected senators rather than voters.