Juridification, Legitimacy, and Authoritarian Survival in Thai Politics from the 2014 Military Coup

Authors

Apipol Sae-Tung

Publication Date

2025

Abstract

This article explores the conditions under which authoritarian regimes resort to juridification as a strategy for political survival. It examines why authoritarian governments rely on legal mechanisms despite possessing coercive power. Through an analysis of Thailand’s 2014 military coup and its aftermath, the study argues that juridification—defined here as the expansion of legal control into political domains—is triggered when regimes suffer from low political legitimacy. Drawing on the concepts of legality, legitimacy, and authoritarian adaptation, the article demonstrates how the military-led government in Thailand institutionalised its power through the 2017 Constitution and the National Strategy, both designed to entrench the regime’s status quo under a legal framework. Rather than reinforcing democratic norms, juridification in this context functioned to consolidate authoritarian rule under the guise of legality. The findings contribute to understanding how authoritarian regimes strategically employ legal instruments to enhance durability and claim legitimacy.

DOI

10.14456/arv.2025.2

First Page

38

Last Page

59

Recommended Citation

Sae-Tung, Apipol (2025) "Juridification, Legitimacy, and Authoritarian Survival in Thai Politics from the 2014 Military Coup," Asian Review: Vol. 38: No. 1, Article 3.
DOI: 10.14456/arv.2025.2
Available at: https://digital.car.chula.ac.th/arv/vol38/iss1/3