Critics can be pessimistic about Thailand’s political future. But shouldn’t they take comfort from all the signs that Thai politics is returning to “normal” again? After all, since when did we not have vote-buying, political horse-trading and betrayal? They have all been part and parcel of Thai politics.So at end the day, there shouldn’t be anything alarming about the post-election scenario. There shouldn’t even be anything unusual about it because this is essentially the “Thai politics” that we all should have become accustomed to by now.

– Extracted from Thepchai Yong, “Don’t panic: It’s business as usual in Thai politics“, The Nation, 23 October 2007.