Thailand protests: parliament to hold special session, with business community wary of further economic fallout
- Lawmakers’ Monday discussions about the demonstrations will be closely watched by business leaders looking to ascertain the impact of the protest movement
- The Thai economy, one of the worst performing in Southeast Asia, is already reeling from Covid-19 and is projected to contract 7.1 per cent this year
The demonstrators have defied a ban on gatherings and the threat of crackdowns by the police, while breaking long-held taboos about publicly criticising the royal family and questioning laws that stifle discussion of the monarchy.
Observers are unsure what to expect from next week’s parliamentary session. Yutthaporn Issarachai, a political scientist at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, said it might not result in any pragmatic outcome other than to initiate a dialogue about the protests, which he said “could continue for some time”.
More optimistic is Decharut Sukkumnoed, an independent economic scholar, who said the lawmakers should at very least reach an agreement on “amending the constitution, instead of the government coalition buying more time thinking the protesters would eventually be exhausted and subside”.
Keeping a close eye on proceedings is Thailand’s business community, which is still reeling from the Covid-19 pandemic. The kingdom’s economy, one of the worst performing in Southeast Asia, is set to contract by 7.1 per cent this year, according to the International Monetary Fund.