ABSTRACT
Thailand's politics can no longer be seen in terms of a straightforward conflict between military officers and bureaucrats on the one hand, and emerging civilian forces on the other. Major changes in the political order began with the fall of the Thanom-Prapat-Narong regime in 1973, having important implications for the electoral process. These changes have seen both fragmentations and realignments of political elites. Elections have gained increasing importance as mechanisms for managing political change, but power remains the preserve of the few. The mass of the population continues to be excluded from a significant say in the way the country is governed. Before discussing the nature of the changes in electoral politics, the relevant social, economic, political and historical contexts will first be examined.
