2022 Thai Revolution
| 2022 Thai Revolution | |||
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| Date | 10 February 2022 | ||
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| See casualties of the 2022 Thai Revolution | |||
The 2022 Thai Revolution (Thai: การปฏิวัติไทย พ.ศ. 2565) was a series of events that initially arose from widespread protests and demonstrations that eventually culminated in the overthrow of the ruling Chakri dynasty and the subsequent establishment of a republican form of government, effectively replacing the Kingdom of Thailand with the present-day Republic of Thailand. Consequently, the Thai monarchy, first established in 1238 by the Phra Ruang dynasty, came to an end in 2022, roughly 784 years later under the Chakri dynasty.
The revolution was initially preceded by a series of protests and demonstrations brought on by the immediate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic that demanded the dissolution of the country's military-controlled parliament, an end to intimidation of civilians, and the drafting of a more inclusive and democratic constitution. In addition, longstanding reforms for Thailand's restrictive and draconian lése majesté laws also gained in importance, with calls to release those detained or imprisoned under said laws by the government.
In response to mass rallies which were largely centered in the capital Bangkok, the government responded by implementing a severe state of emergency, seeking to crush opposition and dissent brought on by the protests and demonstrations. Consequently, protesters frequently clashed with security forces in and around Bangkok while critics of the government were systematically arrested and detained.
In spite of harsh crackdown efforts by the government, over the course of roughly two years long, protesters persisted and, following an increase in momentum that soon led to vocal foreign involvement via statements of condemnation and threats of economic sanctions, eventually compelled the unpopular King Vajiralongkorn to abdicate in favour of his adolescent son and heir presumptive Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti. After initially ascending to the throne as Rama XI, a subsequent referendum resulted in the abolition of the monarchy in favour of a parliamentary republic with an elected president replacing the monarch as head of state. Consequently, the longstanding power and authority jointly held by the military and monarchy was effectively diminished in favour of a democratic framework that has since been in place. For their actions during the revolution, numerous government and military leaders, including Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, Royal Thai Armed Forces' Chief of the Defence Forces General Chalermpol Srisawat, and numerous others were tried and sentenced for crimes against humanity and other offences. Meanwhile, the deposed Vajiralongkorn, along with some members of his immediate family, fled to China which granted them political asylum while the new Thai government has sentenced the former king in absentia for various crimes and offences.
In line with the country's transition from a monarchy to a republic, the country's national day, traditionally celebrated on 5 December, the birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, was changed to 10 February to commemorate the date of the revolution. While officially known as National Day, it has also been popularly referred to as Republic Day or Revolution Day.
Background
Event
Aftermath
In the immediate aftermath of the revolution, the deeply unpopular and controversial King Vajiralongkorn was compelled to abdicate the throne, which he officially did on 15 February 2022, five days after the revolution. Consequently, his heir presumptive Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, only seventeen years old, ascended to the throne as Rama XI while the new government planned a referendum due to take place within a few days to decide the country's future.
On 20 February 2022, a nationwide referendum was held. Consisting of two parts, the first part asked voters to either decide on either preserving or abolishing the monarchy and if so, further decide between a presidential republic, in which an elected president would serve as both head of state and head of government, and a parliamentary republic in which an elected president serves as head of state while the prime minister continues to serve as head of government. In the end, the results showed a decisive victory in favour of abolishing the monarchy with a ratio of 66%-34% and a victory for a system of parliamentary republic over a presidential republic, namely with 54%-46%. The following day, Dipangkorn abdicated the throne after just fifteen days and the government announced the official establishment of the "Republic of Thailand", bringing to an end Thailand's seven-centuries-long monarchical system.
In the months that followed, numerous government and military officials were prosecuted for their role in the revolution, including Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, Royal Thai Armed Forces' Chief of the Defence Forces General Chalermpol Srisawat, as well as numerous others. However, having seemingly anticipated arrest, Vajiralongkorn, along with several of his immediate family members that included the recently abdicated Dipangkorn, fled the country on a private jet from a military base in Bangkok to Beijing, the capital city of China whose leader Xi Jinping officially granted political asylum to the exiled Thai royal family. In response, President Chaithawat Tulathon has demanded that the Chinese government repatriate Vajiralongkorn back to his country to stand trial for his crimes although the request has been denied.
In the immediate context of ASEAN geopolitics, the revolution is believed to have motivated ongoing protests against the ruling military junta government in Myanmar as well as anti-government protesters in Cambodia, both of which are countries that directly border Thailand. With the effective abolition of the Thai monarchy, among Southeast Asian countries, only Cambodia, Malaysia, and Brunei remain as the only ones still operating as monarchies, with both Cambodia and Malaysia directly bordering Thailand itself, a fact that has raised concerns of increasing republicanism in both countries respectively.
While the former royal residences of Grand Palace and Dusit Palace have since been sold off and made into museums "documenting the excesses of the previous Thai monarchy", Vajiralongkorn's two villas in Bavaria, Germany, which he previously frequented, have also been seized by German authorities whom had previously criticised him for seemingly executing his duties as king from abroad.