Can Thailand’s Military Evolve?

Описание: Title: Can Thailand’s Military Evolve?: Moving Beyond Domestic Interference, Institutional Corruption, and Personal Gain
Author: Mark S. Cogan
URL: http://www.airuniversity.af.edu/JIPA/...

Abstract: The Thai military maintains a close interdependence with the monarchy and a history of recurrent extra-constitutional interventions in domestic politics, marked by numerous successful coups throughout Thailand’s modern history. A culture of greed, corruption, and self-enrichment pervades the armed services, often sidelining professionalism and institutional integrity in favor of personal ambitions. Thailand’s military faces continuous and unaddressed challenges, with security-sector reform and modernization efforts frequently disrupted by influential elites seeking to assert control. High-ranking military officers exceed their authority, engaging in activities that are ostensibly exploitative and detrimental to Thailand’s external relations. This article critically assesses efforts to implement security-sector reforms and foster a military aligned with its intended purpose, examining three distinct eras in Thailand’s military development. It extrapolates insights from each era to the context of a new semi-democratic Pheu Thai-led government.
Keywords: Thailand, military, coup, reform, security sector reform, civil-military relations, modernization, corruption, monarchy