Etymology

From กะลา ‎(gà-laa, “coconut shell”) +‎ อธิปไตย ‎(à-tí-bpà-tai, “supremacy; sovereignty; etc.”); literally "coconut shell sovereignty".

The term is intended to mock the term ประชาธิปไตย ‎(bprà-chaa-tí-bpà-tai, “democracy”).

"Coconut shell" is based on the idiom กบในกะลา ‎(gòp-nai-gà-laa, “someone who cannot or refuses to see the big picture because of being sheltered or close-minded”, literally “a frog under a coconut shell”).

Pronunciation