10 Reasons to be Thankful to the 19 September, 2006 Coup Makers in Thailand.
It’s 19 September, 2009. Three years after the coup - how time flies. Might some want to revel in nostalgic idealization of the past, of the complimentary-flower coup d’etat which ousted Thaksin Shinawatra? Some may at least want to look at things on a bright side and at least thank these generals for their invaluable service to ‘Thai democracy’.
1) Thanks dear generals for waking people up to the reality of coup d’etat and patronage politics.
2) Thanks dear generals for helping us recognize how many self-styled democracy lovers (in the academia, NGOs, mainstream media, politics) really love you.
3) Thanks dear generals for reminding us that staging military coup is still a vibrant part of ‘Thai-democratic’ exercise.
4) Thanks dear generals for making Thai elites a laughing stock of the whole world – at times when coup is becoming a relic of the past or bad political joke elsewhere.
5) Thanks dear generals for reminding us how important having a coup-sponsored constitution is.
6) Thanks dear generals for reminding us what is missing in Thai democracy.
7) Thanks dear generals for enabling us to see the true colour of not just Thaksin Shinawatra but his political opponents as well and how far some people are willing to go to defend their interests.
8) Thanks dear generals for sincerely telling us from day one as to whom you work for.
9) Thanks dear generals for opening up the Pandora’s box of class struggle.
10) And thanks again dear generals for helping us recognize that not all means can justify certain ends and that some ends justify all lies.
Pravit Rojanaphruk is currently a Katherine Fanning Fellow at Kettering Foundation in Dayton, Ohio.
Comments
I sent this today to New
I sent this today to New Mandala - you are free to reprint.
19 September 2009 (Reference optimism in Thailand)
I’d also like to remain upbeat, but from observing global political and social degradation for over four decades, it seems as if Thailand – lock, stock and barrel – is headed south in terms of democracy and opening up of civil and human rights protections where they matter: before the abuses occur.
Having recourse in the courts to violations is not sufficient. Protection has to involve prevention, and that is a process that Thais are not overly fond of adopting. Almost anything suffices both state and citizen as long as it involves talking it out and not getting too set on actually punishing someone for something they may have done – up to and including mass murder – but who then pretend to be sorry for it. Chalerm’s son, Chavalit and Muu Ham are only three obvious instances in this regard.
My pessimism originates from a growing readiness by Thais to accept ludicrous illusion after ludicrous illusion. When they don’t voluntarily accept it they are forced or brainwashed to. Is this any cause for optimism?
Gen Sondhi in his recent
Gen Sondhi in his recent interview, confessed that the only goal of the coup was to rid Thaksin. All the four allegations made against him, were improvised just shortly after successfully staging the coup. Alas, the attitude of these coup makers, alas, those who believe in them!
"..from observing global
"..from observing global political and social degradation for over four decades, it seems as if Thailand ... headed south in terms of democracy.."
Do you mean to say that forty years ago, in 1969, Thailand was more democratic than now?
How so?