So Thailand's July election just got more interesting. I was expecting something of the kind, after all, past elections have had "proxy" candidates for Thaksin and some members of his party have gone so far as to wear masks of his face while campaigning. So it was inevitable that a "proxy" would appear on the scene, but I personally was not expecting Thaksin's younger sister Yingluck.
So now two of my research interests are colliding, Thailand and transnational feminism, because Ms. Shinawattra is the first woman to win the nomination of a major party in Thailand, and if Phua Thai wins the election, she will be the first female premier. Now, the fact that she will be seen as merely a cover for her more powerful brother is a complicating factor, and I find it fascinating that in the article on BBC that I linked to she is quoted as using her "femininity to work" for Thailand. What will this look like? Will voters get behind her? If she does win will she simply be a puppet? Will the reasons the protestors protest change? It will be fascinating to watch, but I expect that the unrest will simply get worse again. At times like this, while I'm deeply sad that my parents are leaving Thailand, I'm really glad that they will not be there for the election season. No matter what happens I doubt things will go smoothly.
No comments:
Post a Comment