Quoted in "SPECIAL REPORT: Reform a failure, but junta’s grip still strong", in The Nation

Quoted in "SPECIAL REPORT: Reform a failure, but junta’s grip still strong", in The Nation:

"Despite all this, Prayut has retained a level of support even in the Northeast, a red-shirt stronghold. Here, the military has been clever enough to recruit from among low-income rural families, winning their loyalty by providing livelihoods, says Titipol Phakdeewanich, dean of political science at the region’s Ubon Ratchathani University.

“Except for the anti-coup hardcore, many people [in the region] don’t really hate Prayut although sentiment in the social media is very strong against him,” said Titipol, citing informal research he conducted in Ubon Ratchathani and neighbouring Yasothon and Amnat Charoen.
Some government policies, such as the rice price guarantee, had benefited the locals, he added.

A summary of my interview on Suthep Thaugsuban’s new political party named “Ruam Palang Prachachat Thai".

A summary of my interview on Suthep Thaugsuban’s new political party named “Ruam Palang Prachachat Thai".

...
Because of the mutual interests between Suthep Thaugsuban, the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), and the military, it is very likely that the new political party under Suthep’s leadership will support the military remaining in power.

I don’t think that this party will specifically support Gen Prayut Chan-O-Cha, somehow Prayut might not be the next prime minster. However, Suthep’s party is intended to maintain and strengthen its relationship with the NCPO and the military in order to support the military to remain in power.

There have been a number of indications that the NCPO and the military want to maintain their grip on power after the election, such as by reaching out to local politically influential people in the provinces of Buriram and Chonburi.

Although Suthep is popular in the south, his political charisma is overshadowed by the former Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai. Indeed, I argued that the Democrat party has been able to maintain its stronghold in the south not because of Mr Abhisit Vejjajiva, but largely as a result of Chuan Leekpai’s political charisma and influence in the South.

These pictures were sent to me from police special branch in Ubon Ratchathani. How thoughtful of them to take an interest in my interviews and articles.

Quoted on Pro-Democracy Protest in Bangkok Post

In Bangkok Post: "Titipol Phakdeewanich, dean of Ubon Ratchathani University's Faculty of Political Sciences, said the government was quite careful and tried to prevent violence which could have led to a negative image of the regime and affected its legitimacy." 

Quoted on Academic freedom

In The Nation: "Titipol Phakdeewanich, dean of political science at Ubon Ratchathani University, told The Nation that NCPO and the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) called him yesterday to ask if he was planning to attend the event at Thammasat University and whether he was aware if any other university staff and students were planning to go."

I was quoted in The Nation: 4th Anniversary of the 2014 Coup

I was quoted in The Nation:
However, military power alone would not enable the survival of the junta for long unless it also has strong support from big corporations, which dominate the Thai economy.
The military has enjoyed increased acceptance from big businesses, says Titipol Phakdeewanich, dean of political science at Ubon Ratchathani University. “When they are doing well in their businesses, getting wealthier or getting benefits facilitated by government policies like Pracha Rath, it is no surprise that they support [the military],” he points out.

A summary of my Interview in Khaosod, with respect to the NCPO’s establishment of political allies

Despite the claim made by Prime Minster Prayut Chan-O-Cha: the establishment of political allies and attracting existing politicians [by the NCPO] (especially former MPs and influential provincial political figures) is a typical path to power in Thai politics, he argued that this is an unacceptable element of the Thai political culture and is undemocratic.

Therefore, Gen Prayut’s claim reflects that he and the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), including the military, accept the ongoing political culture, despite the 2014 coup-maker disapproving it as a form of decay in Thai democracy.

He argued that the way Thai politicians change parties prior to elections is a reflection of politics without ideological basis. Instead, this pattern of behaviour demonstrates that Thai politicians prioritise their personal interests over the interests of the public. They only tend to move to join those with a high possibility of electoral success, or to those who are well endowed with financial resources.

Therefore, Gen Prayut’s acceptance of unacceptable elements of Thai political culture is a reflection of the lack of reform before the next election – despite the NCPO justifying their coup on the basis that they would reform Thai politics.

Indeed, this is only a repetition of the same old pattern of Thai politics because money and power attract politicians.

Today, we have observed that the NCPO has been using all kinds of state mechanisms to establish and strengthen their relations with political power-brokers and with business and political groups.

Supporting democracy is not a priority for politicians who have already declared themselves as supporters of the NCPO, in the attempt to ensure that the military will remain in power after the election. Therefore, it is important for Thais to not vote for them if we want democracy to survive in Thailand. 

The upcoming elections will not be free and fair because the NCPO has continued to suppress freedom of expression and restrict political activities. Therefore, it is important for the NCPO to allow all parties and actors to have their liberties and political freedoms in the event of an election in order to ensure that it is free and fair.