Basic Political Science Assignment (HSG0334)

Thailand Political Crisis 2013-2014

Nur Tihani Binti Mohd Murad (202653)

Section: 701

Lecturer’s Name: Sir Mohd Azib Bin Mohd Azhar

Centre for Foundation Studies

International Islamic University Malaysia

 From November 2013 till May 2014, Thailand had facing huge political instability.

Thailand’s political crisis began since the peasant uprising in the 1970s. The political crisis

was caused by a movement organized by a political pressure group, the People’s Democratic

Reform Committee (PDRC) led by former Democrat Party representative (MP) Suthep

Thaugsuban. This movement was been established to remove Prime Minister Yingluck

Shinawatra, a coup d’etat, and also the establishment of a military junta (the National Council

for Peace and Order). Besides, the actual aim of the protests to remove the influence of former

Thailand’s Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra who is Yingluck’s brother. Thaksin

Shinawatra was involved in corruption and also damaging to Thailand’s democracy. The

protest was carried out with street protests and boycott of general elections. The effects of the

crisis,on 9 December 2014, the House of Representatives have been disunion and then new

election held.Then, Prime Minister of Thailand, Yingluck Shinawatra has been removed from

power, martial law imposed in Thailand, 2014 Thai coup d’etat against the caretaker

government and establishing National Council for Peace and Order.

First of all, the political concept related to the crisis is influence. The term influence is

the capacity to affect the character, development, or behavior of someone or something or the

effect itself. Specifically, there is not too much the difference between the power and the

influence as the severe of the threat that is the distinctive features of power while to others,

threat is threat whether severe or not, as long as it produces compliance.To begin with,this

crisis happened as the protests wanted to remove the influence of Shinawatra’s family in

Thailand’s politics. From 2001 until 2006, Thaksin Shinawatra was a Prime Minister but his

credibility was very dubious as he was found guilty for involvement in corruption and tried to

damage Thailand’s democratic system. Then, her sister, Yingluck Shinawatra was appointed

as Prime Minister of Thailand after won in the 2011 election. On 7 May 2014, she was

removed as Prime Minister of Thailand by the Constitutional Court decision. Simultaneously,

their party, the Pheu Thai Party which was getting the majority from the rural northeast part

of Thailand because of the economic and social gains from Thaksinomics. It shows how the

Shinawatra had influenced the people in rural area.

Next, the second political concept that can be identified is sovereignty. Sovereignty

refers to the supreme political authority in the State. According to John Locke's political

thought, the term sovereignty also being called "Supreme Power." Sovereignty can be divided

into two types which are internal sovereignty and external sovereignty. Internal sovereignty

functions to legislate and implement the law within its territory. Besides, external sovereignty

is the international recognition that a country is sovereign. As in Thailand, the form of the

legislature is a bicameral body consists of two chambers, the upper house, the Senate of

Thailand, and the lower house, the House of Representatives of Thailand. The other country

that has the bicameral type of legislature are Malaysia, Denmark, United Kingdom, Norway,

Japan, and Sweden or parliamentary democracy, where president is the head of state. From

the issue, the first example is when the Senate of Thailand had disapproved of the opposition

of the amnesty bill by the anti-government protesters. The second example was when

Yingluck's premiership the amnesty proposal and amendments have been debated in the

House of Representatives as well benefit to Thaksin Shinawatra but the suggestion opposed

by the Democrat Party.

The Islamic values from the issue are honesty. Honesty is an important element to be a

good leader as it can shape people's beliefs and make them obey with the commands.

According to al-Mawardi's political thought, when an Imam ( leader ) is found to be morally

corrupt of he holds an opinion he needs to be removed from the role as the Imam not honest

with the people and society. Without honesty, society could cut-up or the circumstances can

be worse. Islam also orders human beings to not cheat or betray other human beings. As Allah

mentioned in Quran (4:29):- O believers! Do not devour one another’s wealth illegally, but
rather trade by mutual consent. And do not kill each other or yourselves. Surely Allah is ever

Merciful to you. - Surah AnNissa. From the verse, Allah commands us to have truthfulness in

speak, action, and not do the things that are prohibited in Islam.

Next, the Islamic values from the issue are having freedom (hurriyyah). Thailand is a

country that practices the democratic system as all the people in Thailand have their rights to

decide which best government should order the country. Besides, people in that country can

freely profess their respective religions. The way Thailand gives freedom to its people can be

portrayed with the Prophet Muhamad history when he governed Medina the Prophet did not

ban and force other religions such as the Jews to accept Islam if they want to stay in Medina.

Meanwhile, they still can embrace their customs without contradicting Islamic believes. All

things considered that Thailand has given its people the freedom and rights to choose and vote

any government that receivable to order the country peacefully.

REFERENCES

1. Wikipedia. Thailand Political Crisis 2013-2014.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_2014_Thai_political_crisis

2. Compilation of reading materials on Basic Political Science. (2020). Deparment of

Human Sciences, CFS, IIUM.

3. Wikipedia. Parliamentary System.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliamentary_system.

4. Quran.com.Surah AnNissa (4:58).

https://quran.com/4