New cork, same Thai wine

Srettha Thavisin of the Pheu Thai party has replaced 2014 coup leader and former junta chief Prayuth Chan-o-cha as Thailand’s new prime minister.

But to clinch power, Srettha and his party had to secure the backing of pro-military parties that are now in his ruling coalition, including the Bhumjathai party, whose leader is nicknamed “the mouse.”

And to get to the top again, Pheu Thai, whose incumbent prime ministers were toppled by military coups in 2006 and 2014, dumped the pro-democracy Move Forward Party, which had won the most parliamentary seats in the May general election, from allying with it in a new ruling bloc.     

Editor’s note: The Thai editorial cartoonist formerly known as Kuad has changed his pseudonym to Kuard.