Thai King's Power Grab Could Backfire
Two weeks ago, the Thai king issued a royal decree placing two army units under his direct control, rather than under the normal military hierarchy. The decree claims the change was made necessary by an emergency, but there is no obvious emergency that justifies such a decision.In reality, taking personal control of the military units is just the latest move by King Maha Vajiralongkorn to expand his influence over Thailand's politics, military affairs and economy since ascending to the throne in late 2016. With elections and the seating of a new parliament earlier this year, Thailand shifted...