Historical Foundations and the Fall of Absolute Monarchy of Thailand
Thailand’s history of statehood dates back to the Kingdoms of Sukothai (13th-15th century) and
Ayutthaya (1351-1767). Rama I, the founder of the Chakri Dynasty, established the capital in Bangkok
after Ayutthaya was sacked by Burmese troops in 1767. During the reign of King Mongkut (Rama IV),
Siam granted economic and legal concessions due to pressure from France and Great Britain. King
Chulalongkorn (Rama V) began the country’s revolution, consolidating monarchial power by creating a
modern military and a centralized bureaucracy, relying on the old aristocratic elite to implement
fundamental reforms.
The palace’s claim to absolute power and its reliance on traditional elites eventually clashed with the
interests of new elites in the army and civil service. This friction, coupled with rapid social change and
the fallout of the Great Depression of 1929, weakened the absolute monarchy, culminating in a coup
d’état on June 24, 1932, against King Prajadhipok (Rama VII).
Political Instability and the Cycle of Coups (1932–2014)
Following the overthrow of the absolute monarchy, a bureaucratic polity emerged.
• Constitutional Turbulence: Between 1932 and 2017, Thailand had twenty constitutions, including
eight interim constitutions. Nine of these were suspended by military coups, and nineteen were
promulgated under authoritarian rule. Political rivalry over state control quickly emerged between
military elites and civilian bureaucrats.
• The Rise of Conflict: The long-term process of economic and societal transformation began in the
1950s, creating new socioeconomic groups with new demands.
• 1970s Crises: In October 1973, student protests in Bangkok against the corrupt government of General
Thanom Kittikachorn led to violence and the collapse of the military dictatorship. A succeeding
democratic regime lasted until October 6, 1976, when a massacre among Thammasat University
students, perpetrated by far-right parliamentary groups and security forces, allowed military leaders to
seize the government.
• 1980s and 1990s: The 1980s saw the emergence of a new electoral authoritarian regime under
unelected Prime Minister General Prem Tinsulanonda. An army coup in February 1991 (under General
Suchinda Krapyayoon) was staged due to the military’s suspicion of civilian interference. Following the
Black May massacre (May 1992)—where soldiers killed numerous anti-Suchinda protestors—the King
intervened to ease Suchinda out of office, forcing the military to withdraw. The subsequent 1997
Constitution established a “democratic regime of government with the King as Head of the State”.
• The Thaksin Era and Polarization: Thaksin Shinawatra’s Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party won the 2001 general
elections. Thaksin weakened horizontal accountability mechanisms by placing loyalists in institutions like
the police, military, Election Commission, and Constitutional Court. His attempt to establish an "elective
dictatorship" triggered counterreactions from vested interests and the Bangkok middle class. The anti-
Thaksin People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD, or Yellow Shirts) emerged in 2006, leading to a military
coup on September 19, 2006, while Thaksin was abroad.
Thailand’s history of statehood dates back to the Kingdoms of Sukothai (13th-15th century) and
Ayutthaya (1351-1767). Rama I, the founder of the Chakri Dynasty, established the capital in Bangkok
after Ayutthaya was sacked by Burmese troops in 1767. During the reign of King Mongkut (Rama IV),
Siam granted economic and legal concessions due to pressure from France and Great Britain. King
Chulalongkorn (Rama V) began the country’s revolution, consolidating monarchial power by creating a
modern military and a centralized bureaucracy, relying on the old aristocratic elite to implement
fundamental reforms.
The palace’s claim to absolute power and its reliance on traditional elites eventually clashed with the
interests of new elites in the army and civil service. This friction, coupled with rapid social change and
the fallout of the Great Depression of 1929, weakened the absolute monarchy, culminating in a coup
d’état on June 24, 1932, against King Prajadhipok (Rama VII).
Political Instability and the Cycle of Coups (1932–2014)
Following the overthrow of the absolute monarchy, a bureaucratic polity emerged.
• Constitutional Turbulence: Between 1932 and 2017, Thailand had twenty constitutions, including
eight interim constitutions. Nine of these were suspended by military coups, and nineteen were
promulgated under authoritarian rule. Political rivalry over state control quickly emerged between
military elites and civilian bureaucrats.
• The Rise of Conflict: The long-term process of economic and societal transformation began in the
1950s, creating new socioeconomic groups with new demands.
• 1970s Crises: In October 1973, student protests in Bangkok against the corrupt government of General
Thanom Kittikachorn led to violence and the collapse of the military dictatorship. A succeeding
democratic regime lasted until October 6, 1976, when a massacre among Thammasat University
students, perpetrated by far-right parliamentary groups and security forces, allowed military leaders to
seize the government.
• 1980s and 1990s: The 1980s saw the emergence of a new electoral authoritarian regime under
unelected Prime Minister General Prem Tinsulanonda. An army coup in February 1991 (under General
Suchinda Krapyayoon) was staged due to the military’s suspicion of civilian interference. Following the
Black May massacre (May 1992)—where soldiers killed numerous anti-Suchinda protestors—the King
intervened to ease Suchinda out of office, forcing the military to withdraw. The subsequent 1997
Constitution established a “democratic regime of government with the King as Head of the State”.
• The Thaksin Era and Polarization: Thaksin Shinawatra’s Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party won the 2001 general
elections. Thaksin weakened horizontal accountability mechanisms by placing loyalists in institutions like
the police, military, Election Commission, and Constitutional Court. His attempt to establish an "elective
dictatorship" triggered counterreactions from vested interests and the Bangkok middle class. The anti-
Thaksin People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD, or Yellow Shirts) emerged in 2006, leading to a military
coup on September 19, 2006, while Thaksin was abroad.
