Since the 1930s, there’s been a military coup in Thailand on average every seven years. The army will sometimes allow elected leaders to govern — even for yearslong stretches — but eventually, the military intervenes, claiming that elected leaders are unfit to rule. The current prime minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, took power in a 2014 coup. There’s an upcoming election this Sunday, and Thai voters will get to choose new leadership on paper. Though, as The World’s Patrick Winn reports, there are widespread fears among the popular opposition that the military won’t actually give up power.
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