Why Is Thailand Allergic to Democracy?

Over the past week, Thailand’s political unrest has descended into serious, chaotic violence. On Monday and Tuesday, protesters entered the grounds of both police headquarters and Government House, having already occupied other ministries. Despite a short truce to observe the king’s 86^th birthday on December 5, the conflict is likely to start up again, since protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban has vowed to keep on, and the deep divides in Thai society remain.

In a new article for BloombergBusinessweek, I analyze why Thailand’s democracy has been so fragile, and why the country is so addicted to extraconstitutional interventions. You can read the whole piece here.