MangoKorat

6 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

Depends.  Are the Red Shirts happy?  If they are, how much does that take away from the groups who are actually likely to protest?

To be fair, I really expected serious mass demonstrations when Move Forward were denied the right to form a government with Pita at the top. However, talking to Thai people it seems they have simply given up - most just say nothing will ever change.  Acceptance is in the culture - if only this had happened in France!

A general strike might produce some results but so soon after covid where ordinary Thai people suffered serious financial hardship, I don't think they have either the will or the cash to tide them through the additional hardship a strike would create.  It would certainly shake the generals up a bit though.

I really wish they would protest en mass and refuse to accept this sham of a 'democracy' but on reflection, I can't see it happening - not in a way that would bring any results.  If just a few thousand protest, they will be treated in the same way as the students were a couple of years back and they will achieve nothing.

A very, very sad state of affairs - the worst I've seen it when what's gone on is examined. This gives momentum to the generals though - after getting away with this, they are probably more convinced than ever that they can do whatever they like.

44 minutes ago, Joe Farang said:

The people need to accept the Democratic process. Two parties have put aside their differences for the good of the country when Pita's minority party was unable to form a strong coalition. Maybe if he had stepped aside earlier with all the accusations about him, then this impasse wouldn't have dragged on so long. The new coalition needs to be commended for their efforts.

You're a long way off the mark.  The people understand that in any normal democratic process, Pita would have been Prime Minister.  There's been accusations about just about anyone who's looked like threatening the status quo for years.

And that's what's really going on here - the piggies don't want to move away from the trough.  The new constitution made sure they didn't have to - how many democracies do you know where the winning party has to seek permission to form a government? That's how the generals could promise 'no more coups' - they don't need a coup when they have a senate that only allows their friends to hold power. If the constitution is changed and either gets rid of the senate or dliutes their power - coups will return.

Yes, the Thai people voted for the new constitution (supposedly) but there was virtual martial law at that time - the opposition weren't allowed to campaign - either publicly or on TV. Nobody really knew what they were voting for - if they did actually vote that way, which is highly questionable in itself.

The fact is that the generals/elite families are not going to let go of power/wealth and they will continue to control the people that make them that wealth in any and all ways possible. Democracy? Just a sham, there has never been and will never be democracy in Thailand without a civil war.

Anyone who does or says anything against the generals or tries to change the grossly unfair laws that keep the people down - finds themselves either accused of some crime or other and/or is locked up. People have also simply disappeared! It never fails to amaze me just how many Thai politicians have accusations levied agaist them as soon as they become a threat.

The Thai version of democracy closely resembles that of another country who the government have been cosying up to - lock up/silence your rivals. Give you a clue, that country is currently at war.

My girlfriend spoke volumes in just one sentence when she said, 'after the election result we had hope, real hope, now we have nothing again'. That's the general feeling amongst the population.

Pita/Move Forward had the guts to stand up to 'the system' and they also showed real resolve recently when they refused to drop the policies that the people voted for in order to form a government with Pheu Thai.  Hat's off to them, what they did was a real change in Thailand - its just a shame that the whole rotten system is set up in such a way that change is highly unlikely to be achieved.