This is the second of a three-part series on Thailand's slide toward authoritarian rule. The first article discussed the domestic effects of Thailand's faltering democracy. This second article discusses the regional effects. A third article, to appear next week, will discuss the broader implications for the U.S.-China rivalry in Southeast Asia.
The ripple effects of Thailand's withering democracy are being felt across Southeast Asia, a highly dynamic region that has never fully embraced democracy.
On one level, Thailand's slide towards authoritarianism has deprived the key regional organization, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of its most-progressive leader.