Thailand’s democracy index 2022 is the most improved in the world

Don’t laugh but, Thailand’s democracy index in 2022 is the most improved in the world, so says the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). It has jumped 17 spots on the global scale, ranking 55th out of 167 countries, at a score of 6.67 out of 10.

The EIU is a research and analysis organization that provides economic and political forecasts and analyses for countries and industries worldwide. Yesterday, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported the rank of the Global Democracy Index which was created by the EIU.

This is a significant improvement from its 72nd-place ranking in 2021. The Democracy Index considers five aspects, including the electoral process and pluralism, the functioning of government, political participation, democratic political culture and civil liberties.

According to the EIU, the improvement in Thailand’s democracy can be attributed to the greater participation of opposition parties in the country’s political landscape and a decrease in separatist movements. Thai residents are also becoming more politically active, as evidenced by several protests seen in the country.

The EIU concludes that the upcoming election in May this year will lead to a reduction in the power of the present government and an increase in the strength of opposition parties.

However, the next prime minister must be accepted by the military, which still holds power in Thailand’s present democratic system.

In conclusion, the EIU report stated…

“The improvement in Thailand’s Democracy Index is a positive sign for the country’s political future. It highlights the increasing political participation of Thai residents and the potential for a more democratic future. However, the new prime minister might have to be accepted by the Thai military because they still play a role in the present democratic system.”

Norway won the highest democracy index with a score of 9.81, followed by New Zealand, Iceland, Sweden, and Finland.

As stated in the report, 28 countries in Asia are included in the ranking. The democracy index of nine countries improved, seven countries remained in the same places as last year, and 12 countries fell from last year’s report.

The EIU added in the report that Russia has the worst democratic development in the world, with its rank falling from 124 last year to 146 this year.

Thailand has had a long and complex history with democracy, marked by periods of democratic rule and military coups. Thailand’s first constitution was established in 1932 as a constitutional monarchy, following a successful revolution that ended absolute monarchy in the country.