<p>Siripan Nogsuan Sawasdee, Chulalongkorn&nbsp;University&#39;s professor of political science, portrays an insightful outlook of how Thailand responded to Covid-19 from day one in parallel with many various pretexts and dimensions across the globe.</p>

<p>Chadchart Sittipunt&rsquo;s landslide victory in the gubernatorial election captured the media&#39;s attention, but the battle for the City Councilor seats may turn out to have even greater implications for national politics, observers say.&nbsp;</p>

<div><img alt="" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/821/26174246717_26d4826242_b.jpg" /></div> <div> </div> <div>Overall analysis of the coming elections by Siripan Nogsuan Sawasdee: Three hurdles that new parties face in the coming elections, together with the single-ballot system, opportunities for pro-military parties and campaign strategy when policies aren't the main focus suggest that little immediate change will be achieved. </div>

<div> <div>A Thai political expert has speculated that the junta’s charter draft will be enacted for only five years before being torn down again by another coup d’etat. Another expert said voters made their decision based on political purpose, instead of the draft’s content.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>At a seminar on Thursday, 11 August 2016, lecturers from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Political Science discussed the 7 August referendum results and the future direction of Thailand under the junta-backed constitution. </div></div>

<p><em>Election? Another coup? People’s uprising? Where is Thailand heading? Academics have said that if the military decides to prolong its regime, a people’s uprising is inevitable.&nbsp;</em></p> <p></p>

<div>The draft charter is intended to bonsai Thailand’s democracy by weakening the majority voice in the House, academic said, adding that it is unlikely to pass in the referendum.&nbsp;</div> <p></p>