REFLECTING on Thailand’s lagging economy on the 20th anniversary of the Sep. 19, 2006 coup that overthrew the elected caretaker government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was former Future Forward leader and current head of Progressive Movement Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit who proposed ways to reallocate the military’s vast resources to stimulate growth, Amarin TV said this evening.
Speaking at a seminar organised by the House Standing Committee on Military Affairs at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre under the theme “Unfamiliar Memories: Wounds of the Coup and the Vanishing Justice Process” Thanthorn noted that although the Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy cited four reasons for staging the coup, historical evidence suggests a hidden agenda: establishing mechanisms to subordinate elected governments to the judiciary and independent agencies.
Consequently, over the past two decades, Thailand has seen three constitutions and ten prime ministers — five of whom were removed from office following Constitutional Court rulings. Nine major political parties were dissolved, two elections were declared void, and another coup d’état occurred in 2014.
Over the past 20 years, Thailand’s average annual GDP growth stood at just 2.6% — below the global average of 3.3%. Viewed as a race, Vietnam has surged ahead with 300% growth since 2006, while Indonesia and the Philippines grew by approximately 250%; meanwhile, Thailand lagged behind its neighbours with growth of only 162%.
Furthermore, coups have fostered a “bloated bureaucratic state.” The number of government agencies expanded from 166 to 225, the workforce swelled to 3 million personnel, and the budget skyrocketed to 3.8 trillion baht. Additionally, interest payments as a percentage of government revenue are projected to reach 13.6% by 2029 — a burden that will severely crowd out budgets for education and welfare for future generations, Thanathorn pointed out.
Solving these problems requires more than just criticising the past; it demands shaping a future vision. The Thai military must transform into a force characterised by “high combat capability, technology-driven economic contribution, and democratic alignment.” This involves reallocating the vast resources currently held by the military, such as 71 golf courses, 12 buildings and hotels, 196 radio stations, and over 5.8 million rai of land, to maximise public benefit.
One of the four examples Thanathorn gave was the army’s Ram Inthra International Convention Hall. This facility, valued at 3.4 billion baht, has been abandoned for three years, resulting in over 700 million baht in economic loss and opportunity costs regarding the land. Should this be transferred to the Treasury Department to auction off private management rights, catering to the MICE industry, the facility could generate 3 billion baht in rental revenue for the state over 20 years and stimulate tens of billions of baht in economic circulation.
The second example is the conversion of the air force’s Thupatemi Golf Course into a large public park. Proposed by Chetawan Teuaprakon, a Pathum Thani MP from the People’s Party, this initiative aims to address the lack of large parks in the area, serving over 300,000 local residents while improving public well-being and real estate values. It also includes plans to develop the frontage along Phahonyothin road into a transportation hub connecting the Red and Green Line electric train systems.
The third example involves upgrading the navy’s Sattahip electricity operations into a “Smart Grid Sandbox” to resolve chronic power outages faced by local residents. This entails transforming the navy’s electricity utility into a professionally managed entity and upgrading low-voltage systems and digital meters, thereby establishing the country’s first experimental zone for a smart grid network.
The fourth example concerns the procurement of dual-use defence technology: investing in “Autonomous Defence Tower” technology. This system utilises AI and sensors for border surveillance, replacing the need for manual patrols by military personnel. Thanathorn advocates an “Offset Policy” that mandates domestic software production and development to build a high-tech industry supply chain in Thailand — capabilities that can also be leveraged for monitoring wildfires and natural disasters.
Thanathorn noted that through three years of collaboration with military representatives on the House Committee on Military Affairs, he had observed a significant number of military personnel who are ready for and desire change. He hopes for consistent support from everyone, as they share a common goal: refusing to pass on society in its current state to the next generation and believing firmly in the ability to create a better society for their children and grandchildren.
CAPTIONS:
This and Front Page: Progressive Movement leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit giving a keynote speech at today’s seminar. Photos – Amarin TV
Insert: Sep. 19, 2006 coup. Photo – AP/Apichart Weerawong and published by CBS News
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