A COURT WITHOUT LIMITS: RECENT CASES OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT OF THAILAND
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Abstract
The Constitutional Court of Thailand was established as part of national reforms enacted in the 1990’s. The Court was established as an independent body from the State to perform juridical matters free from political interference and to provide a powerful check on Executive and Legislative power. For the previous 17 years Thailand has been caught in cycles of political violence and contestation that have produced two military coups and at least two judicial coups. Within this context of fierce political contestation the Constitutional Court has become an important node of power for power elites against their enemies and rivals. This paper will consider two recent cases which the Constitutional Court ruled in August of 2024 and argue that the Court has established itself as an arbiter of true, ethics and a bulwark against elected politicians.
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