Offering a detailed account of the background to the present political crisis in Thailand, this article argues that Thai people can prevent themselves from becoming a failed state only by reversing the custom of allowing the state bureaucracy to exploit the institutions of monarchy for the purpose of legitimising suppression. Further, for ensuring sustainable development, the emphasis in Thai politics must be on making sure that the demands of the new urban classes are satisfied without further undermining the livelihoods and lifestyles of the agrarian community upon which the future of Thailand depends. It should also be recognized that the political stability and welfare of the whole region depends on establishing full parliamentary democracy in Thailand.
 
May 31, 2010.