Chronicle / Constitutional Monarchy Part 10
1979, Jan 7 - After almost a year of constantly increasing armed conflicts between the Chinese-oriented communists of Cambodia and the Soviet-oriented communists of Vietnam, Vietnamese troops, together with Cambodian recruits march into Phnom Penh, topple the Khmer Rouge regime and install a Vietnamese-backed puppet government. In the following months, the terror methods of the Khmer Rouge rulers are exposed to a shocked world public, sort of giving the Vietnamese a posthumous justification for the invasion of the neighboring country. However, Thailand feels threatened by the de facto territorial expansion of Communist Vietnam. In spite of the worldwide low regard of the Khmer Rouge, Thailand pops up financially, logistically and morally the Khmer Rouge remnants that have again turned into a guerilla force, as the Khmer Rouge are the potentially strongest counter balance in Cambodia against the Hanoi-installed and controlled government. Furthermore, Thailand also is instrumental in the establishment of two more anti-Phnom Penh guerilla forces, the rather rightist Khmer People’s National Liberation Front of former Cambodian Prime Minister Son San and the forces loyal to ex-monarch Prince Norodom Sihanouk. The three guerilla fractions remain in control of areas bordering Thailand; Thailand even agrees to channel arms shipments from China to the Khmer Rouge through it’s territory. Thai government policy pursues the worldwide economic isolation of Vietnam because of the Cambodian invasion, as well as the non-recognition of the Vietnamese-installed government in Phnom Penh. The Thai positions are soon adopted by all of ASEAN, making the economic organization a political broker for developments in Cambodia.
1979 - Refugees from Cambodia flood Thailand, a development that is said to cause an increase in inflation nationwide, affecting the country’s business and labor sector. The European Community assigns its first ambassador to ASEAN to reside in Bangkok. The military launches an amnesty program during which more than 8,000 armed insurgents surrender to the authorities, most of them coming from the provinces of Chiang Rai, Phayao, Sakhon Nakhon and Mukdahan. At the same time, the Communist Party of Thailand weakens because of the rift between China and Vietnam, mostly over the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia.
1979, Apr 22 - As promised, the forces that came to power in the October 20, 1977 coup hold a general election. It is won by General Kriangsak, who had in 1977 been installed as prime minister by the military. That military leaders who take over the Thai government through a coup d’etat have a high chance of becoming elected leaders of the country is a peculiarity of Thai politics. The country’s chief executive is not elected directly by the people as it is the case for example in the US and France or any country with a presidential form of government. Rather, in Thailand the chief executive (prime minister) is chosen by the parliament, and depending on the constitution in force, he must or must not even be a Member of Parliament. Therefore, the elected chief executive never has to have much popular appeal; rather, he has to garner the support of local political leaders. Representatives are elected on a strictly local level, as for example in Great Britain, and representation in Parliament does not depend on what percentage of votes a party won nationwide; in every constituency, a number of candidates with the most votes go to Parliament, and losers stay out. Within the constituencies, established political structures in most cases secure certain shares of votes for certain candidates, regardless of the candidates?party affiliation. Acting military governments have obviously no difficulties of securing the support of at least one fraction striving for power in any constituency. Where opposition cannot be rendered unpopular through propaganda, opposition candidates can be obstructed in many ways. As Kriangsak and his supporters had established a well-based political organization while in power, it was widely regarded as a foregone conclusion that Kriangsak would continue to be prime minister after the election. In the months that follow his election, Kriangsak expands his policy of political and economic liberalization; he also grants amnesty to former members of the Communist Party of Thailand.
1979, Nov 30 - The US embassy on Wireless Road in Bangkok suffers a pre-dawn attack by grenade launcher. Though there is some damage, no one is injured.
1980, Feb 29 - Because the Kriangsak government seems to be unable to handle the crisis brought about by the Cambodian refugees, Kriangsak resigns.
1980, Mar 12 - General Prem Tinsulanonda, formerly Defence Minister and concurrently Army Chief, becomes prime minister of Thailand. He adopts a tougher anti-Vietnamese stand and pursues an economic and financial policy which will become the base of Thailand’s extraordinary economic growth in the 80’s. Prem is very close to the country’s Royal Family, and, for his fatherly approach to political problems and conflicts within his government, earns the nickname Papa Prem - in spite of being a bachelor.
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