The results of the latest general election have indicated a clear direction that most citizens would like the country to go. However, because of the entrenched power structure, the effort by a coalition of opposition parties to form a new government that could radically transform Thailand may be futile. The first reason is the Election Commission's scrutiny of the claims that Mr Pita Limjaroenrat, the Move Forward Party's leader, owns ITV shares. Second, he may be unable to garner the needed 376 votes from the Senate and parliament. Finally, will the dispute over the House speaker position affect the coalition?
This would be a disappointment for over 30 million voters who want to see Thailand enter the 21st century. Mr Pita told CNN he would move Thailand forward through his work to "demilitarise, demonopolise and decentralise". Framing his work with the three Ds is conceptually sound, as it has long been recognised that, in Thailand, business tycoons thrive through business protection and connections with the military generals who ruled the country for most of Thailand's modern political history, supported by a highly centralised administrative system. Recognising these structural problems, which have existed for centuries, is one thing; tackling them is another.
