military junta — 9DASHLINE

Myanmar's future will not resemble its past

Written by Hunter Marston

The root of Myanmar’s crisis is political: as long as the military holds power, the country will be at war, and the economy will underperform.

Southeast Asia9DLMay 6, 2026Myanmar’s Future Will Not Resemble Its Past, Hunter Marston, 9DASHLINE, Myanmar, military junta, Min Aung Hlaing, Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar Coup, USDP, sit-tat, civil resistance, People's Defence Forces, grassroots opposition

The fragility of democracy in Thailand and the return of the Shinawatra family to power

Written by Aniello Iannone

The persistent influence of the military and entrenched oligarchies continues to subvert the will of the electorate, creating a hybrid political system where democratic processes are overshadowed by authoritarian interventions.

Southeast Asia, Power Politics9DLOctober 3, 20249DASHLINE, The fragility of democracy in Thailand and the return of the Shinawatra family to power, Aniello Iannone, Shinawatra, Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck Shinawatra, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Paethongtharn Shinawatra, Constitutional Court of Thailand, Thai, Thailand, Move Forward Party (MFP), progressive, v, monarchy, Thai politics, democracy in Thailand, entrenchment, oligarchies, military, Military coups, Shinawatra family, populism, Shinawatra clan, polarisation, democratic representation, Thai-style democracy, Future Forward Party (FFP), General Prayuth Chan-ocha, military junta, military regime, Thai Rak Thai (TRT), 1997-98 Asian financial crisis, autocratic, privileged bureaucratic class, impoverished working class, General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, Red Shirts, Yellow Shirts, National Council for Peace and Order, 2017 constitution, Thai Senate, military-backed elites, 1997 “people constitution”, hybrid regime, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, Pita Limjaroenrat, charismatic, Srettha Thavisin, Pheu Thai Party, establishment, United Thai Nation Party, military-oligarchic alliance, pro-democracy reformists, generational divide, hybrid political system, cleavages

The new Thai Senate: Less powerful and less predictable

Written by Mathis Lohatepanont

The new senators are largely unknown to the public; their individual preferences can only be gleaned with time, and so how they will behave is largely still a matter of speculation.

Southeast Asia9DLAugust 14, 20249DASHLINE, The new Thai Senate: Less powerful and less predictable, Mathis Lohatepanont, Thai, Thailand, military coup, Senate, senators, constitution, military junta, Thai politics, conservative, General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Pita Limjaroenrat, progressive, lèse-majesté law, lèse-majesté, Thaksin Shinawatra, Pheu Thai Party, grand compromise, Move Forward Party, National Anti-Corruption Commission, State Audit Commission, "husband-wife” parliament, House of Representatives, post-coup, coup-makers, election system, byzantine process, Bhumjaithai Party, dark blue, Somchai Wongsawat, Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan, orange, red, progressive “new breed”, Thai Rak Thai Party, anti-Thaksin Abhisit Vejjajiva, Prayut Chan-o-cha, Newin Chidchob, Buriram, political clans, medical marijuana, legalising medical marijuana, pluralistic, parliamentary roadblocks

Moving forward while moving backwards: More of the same in Thai politics

Written by William J. Jones

In May 2023, the Thai general election saw a political ‘bomb’ drop on Thailand. The progressive reformist Move Forward Party placed first, taking 151 seats in the 500-member parliament, setting the stage for a head-on collision with Thailand’s conservative establishment.

Power Politics, Southeast Asia9DLMarch 6, 20249DashLine, Moving forward while moving backwards: More of the same in Thai politics, WILLIAM J. JONES, Thailand, Bangkok, Thai general election, Move Forward Party, MFP, Article 112, lese-majeste law, Thai Constitutional Court, constitutional court verdicts, Thaksin Shinawatra, conservative elite, lawfare, Thai Election Commission, Pita Limjaroenrat, Theerayut Suwannakaysorn, policy platform, reformist policy platform, National Anti-Corruption Commission, NACC, Supreme Court’s Division for Political Office Holders, lifetime ban from politics, political rights, Pannika Wanich, Future Forward Party, conservative establishment, Thai opposition, socio-political reform, United Thai Nation, Palang Pracharat, Puea Thai government formation, Puea Thai, money politics, patron-client relationships, clientelism, cronyism, backroom deals, parole, Thai Rak Thai, People’s Power Party, Yingluck Shinawatra, middle-class urban voters, populist people’s party, Thai electorate, military junta, former military junta, Paetongtarn Shinawatra

Thailand’s upcoming general election: A preview

Written by Ken Mathis Lohatepanont

The blurring of the lines between the government and the opposition means that voters may very well end up with a government that straddles Thailand’s traditional divides.

Southeast Asia9DLMarch 14, 20239dashline, Thailand’s upcoming general election: a preview, KEN MATHIS LOHATEPANONT, Thailand, 2014 military coup, military coup, 2017 constitution, election, Thai election, Thai Senate, Thai House of Representatives, Thai Prime Minister, majoritarian electoral system, conservative parties, opposition parties, COVID-19, Prayut Chan-o-cha, general election, prime ministerial term limit, Prawit Wongsuwan, prime ministerial candidate, Palang Pracharath Party, PPRP, United Thai Nation Party, UTN, patronage systems, Democrat Party, Bhumjaithai Party, marijuana legalisation, Prayut regime, Pheu Thai Party, Thaksin Shinawatra, self-imposed exile, military junta, Government House, coalition, Move Forward Party, parliament, Thai parliament, public debate, economic contraction, high inflation, economic policies, minimum wage, welfare state, Pom 700, Constitutional Court, infrastructure, electric vehicles, global hub, banking services and credit, Paethongtharn Shinawatra

ASEAN enters 2023 in a moment of crisis

Written by Hunter Marston

Some experts suggest Indonesia is likely to propose adopting a seven-vote threshold instead of requiring all ten members to agree on passing a measure. This would go a long way to making the institution more agile, responsive, and decisive.

Southeast Asia9DLJanuary 17, 20239dashline, ASEAN prepares to enter 2023 in a moment of crisis, Hunter Marston, ASEAN, East Asia Summit, Phnom Penh, power competition, consensus, regional, Southeast Asian, Sino-US rivalry, democracy versus authoritarianism, coup in Myanmar, myanmar, China, USA, Indonesia, Cold War, Vietnam’s occupation of Cambodia, Vietnam, Cambodia, withdrawal of US forces from Thailand, Soviet, civil war in Myanmar, Five Point Consensus, bloc, ASEAN centrality, Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore, Myanmar military, junta, Myanmar Junta, Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah, Malaysia, Cambodia’s strongman Hun Sen, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Thailand, authoritarian, Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG), Continental versus maritime Southeast Asia, Philippines, military junta, South China Sea, democracy, Laos, territorial claims in the East Sea, Code of Conduct for maritime disputes, Timor-Leste, United States, US-China rivalry, Hoang Thi Ha, Japan, Australia, minilateral, Quad, AUKUS, Great Power competition, US President Joe Biden, Washington, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Kremlin, United Nations, rules-based order, Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, diversity, 1991 Paris Peace Accords, military regime, Yangon, “CMLV” states, Asian Financial Crisis, trade, currency exchange regime, ASEAN’s convening power, ASEAN enters 2023 in a moment of crisis