The institute’s academic Satithorn Thananithichote said up to 42 per cent of the members of the House of Representatives elected on  July 3, 2011 came from major political dynasties. The number even surpassed Mexico (40%), the Philippines (37%), Japan (33%), Argentina (10%),  and the United States (6%).

He cited Shinawatra family as an example of a  political dynasty which still clings to power since 1997.

He said it was almost three decades after Lert Shinawatra, the late father of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra,  became a member of Parliament (MP) in 1969, and started building a political base for the other family members.

He said Lert has passed on his political power to his younger brother Suraphan Shinawatra, who served as a Chiang Mai MP for four consecutive terms from 1979-1988.  Thaksin later became Suraphan’s political successor while his brother-in-law Somchai Wongsawat became prime minister and passed on political power that has now been inherited by Ms Yingluck Shinawatra.

The academics went on saying that the ruling Pheu Thai party has 19 families that has inherited family members  with political power, the highest party in Parliament. The Democrat has 17 such families, Bhumjaithai, 4,  Chart Thaipattana, 3,  and Phalang Chon and Rak Thailand  one each.