AN ANALYSIS OF POLITICAL ARGUMENTS BY FOUR IMPORTANT THAI SCHOLARS: ARTICLES FROM PUBLIC MEDIA DURING THE TIME OF THE 2006-2014 CRISES

Abstract

            In this dissertation, the researcher studied the political arguments by four important Thai scholars in respect to the following issues: (1) The 2006 coup d’état; (2) the major government crackdown on protestors in May 2010; and (3) the boycott of the general election on February 2, 2014. These issues were broached in the writings or public articles published in Thai printed media, Thai online printable media, and articles based on interviews, seminars and academic forum in addition to other related sources.

The objectives of the researcher in studying the arguments by these four scholars were as follows: (1)

to analyze the political arguments and the reasoning to support the idea, including justifying the ideas applied to the arguments by Thai scholars through the public articles during the time of 2006-2014 crises; (2) to compare the political agreements among four important Thai scholars to get the conclusion of political agenda, including the means to get it. 

Findings were as follows: The political arguments by four scholars had shared something in common (eg. the source and scope of power and the violence) in that they did not reject the democracy regime with the King as the head of state. However, the points of the arguments were regarded to the difference of primary definition and assumption. For example, the source and scope of power, one party who would like to expand the royal/prerogative respects for the purpose of appointing the government who had the knowledge, morality, and the same political viewpoints. The other party would like to expand the people power for the purpose of election, the governing power and the same political viewpoints.