1992 Negotiated Authoritarianism

found footage collage - video 0,36 min - February 2026 - Bangkok

An appropriated clip from tv footage from 1992 when Thai military coup leader Suchinda Krapayoon and protest leader Chamlong Srimuang appeared after they were told by the then King of Thailand to settle their differences and work out a political compromise. At the time I had been reporting on the developments as a foreign correspondent, covering the coup's fallout, the mass protest and its violent crackdown which came to be known as Black May.

Negotiated Authoritarianism is a term often used in relation to Thai politics, which is widely characterized by a complex, ongoing struggle for power among competing elites—specifically the monarchy, the military, and a rotating cast of political parties and business dynasties. While there are instances of, or attempts at, compromise to maintain stability, the system is equally defined by frequent military coups, rapid constitutional changes, and deep-seated, often violent polarization.