How not to solve a crisis

HAVING launched more than a dozen coups in the past 80 years, Thailand’s generals have not been friends of democracy. So it has been jarring to watch the country’s ruling junta praise Thais for approving an army-backed constitution in a heavily-controlled “referendum”, which took place on August 7th. Prayuth Chan-ocha, an irascible former army chief who became prime minister after a military takeover in 2014, insists the new charter will end a decade of political instability and allow for fresh elections next year. In fact it will not heal Thailand’s deep divisions but make them worse.