What the elections taught us is that the transition to democracy isn't achieved easily. It is difficult enough to convince Thais to vote, and under the new constitution they must do so by law. Don't even begin to think about turnout in the other rounds. A low voter turnout may be common in mature democracies. For Thailand, though, declining voter interest is a nightmare for the reform process.
Political reform is impossible without popular participation.
Indeed, the serial nature of the Senate elections, coupled with the Constitutional Court's ruling that those already elected do not constitute a legal body because all 200 members must sit for the Senate to convene, has legal experts worried. Today, Thailand does not have a complete legislature, composed of an upper and lower house. Worse, the precedent set by the Senate elections could have far-reaching implications for the coming general elections. Under the new constitution, the lower house must approve the appointment of the prime minister within 30 days of the house convening. Nominations must be endorsed by no less than one-fifth of the house and the final choice must be approved by more than half the house members.