With all of Thailand's contesting political parties lined up behind populist policy platforms ahead of the general election on May 14, it is not readily obvious what sets them apart.
What these parties stand for in view of the economy and business is not where to look. Where they stand apart revolves around the place, role and function of traditional institutions in Thailand's political order. Where and how these institutions, from the military, the bureaucracy and the judiciary, fit into Thailand's constitutional framework represents the country's defining political fault line.
