In the face of the myriad of questions and issues that beset Thai politics in the lead-up to the general election, which must be held by May 7, the biggest facts and dilemmas are not being raised. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is now headed to complete nine years in office, the first five of which were under a military government after he and his cohorts seized power by force in May 2014, and the last four under an elected coalition government enabled by the 2017 constitution crafted by a committee the ruling generals had set up. Moving forward, Thailand risks settling into a prolonged period of economic stagnation and political decay unless there is a qualitative change of government after the poll.
As direct and disguised authoritarian rule has become increasingly entrenched in recent years, the main institutions, policymakers, political actors, and adjustment mechanisms have been compromised and co-opted. This means that Thai mainstream media is not investigating and asking tough questions about government performance and the role of traditional institutions, such as the military and judiciary. Instead, the Thai media has more or less conveyed government policy lines and preferences on a routine basis, failing to protect and promote the public interest.
