The Political Competition of Provincial Administration Organization in Thailand’s Eight Upper-North Provinces: Before and After the 2014 Coup

Abstract

This article focused on the circumstance of election competition and the monopoly on the position of Provincial Administration Organization (PAO)’s president and council members. The article also analyzed the relationship between president of PAO and political party by comparing the situation before and after the May 22, 2014 coup. The researcher found that the election competition of PAO’s president was not high considering by the low number of candidates and small difference of voting scores received among the candidates. The political monopoly on PAO’s president position was moderate. To clarify, there were infrequences changes the president of PAO in each election. On the other hand, the old PAO’s council members were less likely reelected to the position after the new election was held.  For the relationship to the political party, mostly PAO’s presidents had connections with Thai Rak Thai party (or in other names called later). The 2014 military coup caused a little effect on either the access or maintenance political power of the candidates who nominated by the Phue Thai party in 2020 PAO election.