Rethinking Thai Constitutionalism: Crisis, Reform, and the Half-life of the 2017 Constitution

Thailand’s constitutions have historically been short-lived, averaging one every four years since the end of the absolute monarchy in 1932. Frequently dismantled and rewritten by groups coming to power through military coups, they have functioned as little more than political instruments to seize momentary advantages for ruling elites, only to be discarded when power shifts.

There is little reason to believe that the current junta-drafted 2017 Constitution, Thailand’s twentieth, will break from this cycle. Yet, it has also proven surprisingly effective in embedding emergency powers and institutional safeguards that preserve conservative interests, while demonstrating remarkable resilience—sustained by a broad, committed coalition determined to keep it in place and reinforced by the formidable barriers to reform enshrined in Section 256.

Is Thailand still trapped in a cycle of constitutional crises, or has the nature of constitutionalism itself changed? This webinar will explore why Thailand’s current constitutional framework has persisted despite pressures for reform. It will examine how the 2017 Constitution has undergone a “half-life,” transitioning from a direct instrument of military rule to a more complex power-sharing arrangement, and what this means for Thai democracy.