Although the memory of the Milk Tea Alliance may have faded, it was only four years ago that it sparked an internet ‘war’ between Thai and Chinese netizens over the status of Hong Kong and Taiwan.
If Thailand manages to advance a mutually agreed vision for regional connectivity, it can potentially benefit both from competition and collaboration.
While the Thai protests can be seen as a political dispute, the conflict is embedded in the dual structure of the Thai polity, or two competing notions of legitimacy.
The conflict between the anti-Thaksin group and his supporters is not ideological, social or ethnic – and yet it has hit the country harder than any other preceding conflicts.
With the Thai military maintaining enormous political influence, it will be difficult to achieve democratic development, civilian control and the demilitarization of society.
The political disturbances in Thailand over recent weeks ended with a military crackdown in the third week of May. At least 89 people, including two foreign journalists, died in the clashes, and over 1800 were injured. More than thirty buildings in central Bangkok were set on fire. An election may or may not be called before the end of 2010. Attempts at reconciliation have so far come to nothing, and unless injustices and inequalities are addressed by policies of the national government, further unrest is unavoidable.
When Asian leaders attending a summit meeeting – including the prime ministers of China and Japan – had to be whisked out of a besieged luxury Pattaya hotel by helicopter on 11 April, it was official: Thailand is in deep political trouble.
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