Government can’t ignore shift in public sentiment

[webfact]

EDITORIAL

Government can’t ignore shift in public sentiment

By The Nation

 

Four years on, the military has worn out its welcome

 

Judging from his words on Tuesday, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha seems aware that the longer a government is in power, the more challenges it faces, particularly from dissatisfied citizens. 

 

Speaking to Government House reporters, General Prayut admitted his post-coup government’s popularity was in decline, but he added that this was common for governments by the time they reached their fourth year. So he appears to be well aware of negative public sentiment towards long-ruling administrations, whose popularity does indeed tend to dip as time goes by and dissatisfaction builds amid repeated policy blunders and failures to deliver on promises.

 

After years of mistakes and shortcomings, even elected civilian governments can feel the heat of citizen anger and calls for them to be replaced as soon as possible. The current one is certainly not elected, but it is the longest-lived junta regime in the recent Thai political history, having been in power since the coup of May 2014.

 

The premier once said that, without public support, his government would not have lasted so long. That was true enough at the time. But now, for many people, his government is overstaying its welcome. As Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda warned recently, this government was running low on support. Prayut should mind this fact and heed Prem’s warning – and without making any attempt to interpret what the elder statesman said in a way that makes his regime look good.

 

The government and the junta, which Prayut also heads, may be confident about their hold on power. They seem convinced that 

opposition to their continued rule has come only from a small minority of the populace. The latest comments by key junta figures like Prayut and his deputy, General Prawit Wongsuwan, indicate they believe only a small group is causing trouble – their “usual suspects”.

 

Those in power appear unaware that many citizen who welcomed the coup and supported the military government – with its promise of extensive national reforms – have become disillusioned because of the junta’s repeated failures to deliver. Some of those disillusioned former supporters are contributing to the mounting pressure against the junta.

 

For an elected government, the fourth year is its final year in office, and then an election must be held to decide if voters want to grant it the mandate to continue in power. But, for a post-coup administration like Prayut’s, that is not the case. More and more people have become suspicious that the recent developments within the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), which is an organ of the junta, are meant to allow this government more time in power. 

 

With a delay in the election law’s enforcement endorsed by the NLA, the prime minister’s promise to hold a general election in November now seems unrealistic.

 

Do not underestimate public sentiment, particularly dissatisfaction over government failures to keep promises. Many governments in the past, elected and non-elected alike, came to an early end due to widespread civic outrage stemming from actions that were viewed as unfair or unjust.

 

Public tolerance is wearing thin, and this is not good news for the military government.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/opinion/30337665

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-02-01

[sebastion]

It all comes down to the economy. Its failing.
Exporters are struggling badly with the minipulated strong baht.
If it was good nobody would be complaining about the junta.
When the standards of the once wealthy starts dropping, you see dissent.




Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

[Somtamnication]

Yes, they can ignore it. They have bigger guns.

[Emster23]

No problem so big it can't be ignored here

[champers]

4 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

Yes, they can ignore it. They have bigger guns.

Would all armed forces be happy turning their guns on the people? Putting people in prison for dissent is one thing; shooting them en mass is quite another.

[GarryP]

3 hours ago, sebastion said:

It all comes down to the economy. Its failing.
Exporters are struggling badly with the minipulated strong baht.
If it was good nobody would be complaining about the junta.
When the standards of the once wealthy starts dropping, you see dissent.




Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
 

I don't believe the economy is failing. It is just doing nowhere near as good as it could be. Exports are up too, despite the strong Baht. Again this could be better. And the wealthy are probably wealthier under this junta. 

 

However, the Junta has outstayed its welcome and it is time that freedom of movement and speech be returned to the people.

 

I was happy when this lot took over and stopped the protests which were getting out of hand, however, now I despise the lot of them, with few exceptions. Their lackeys are filing ridiculous trumped up charges against anyone who dares speak out against them or protest against the government in one way or another. Also there is their double standards in taking action against the corrupt. They are no better than the average bottom feeding Thai "politicians for life", who seek election not because they sincerely want to see the country advance,  but to milk as much as they can for personal gain.  Rant over.

 

   

[Eric Loh]

So the coup was to stop the protests and now will be the cause to ignite one. What an irony. 

[lvr181]

13 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

So the coup was to stop the protests and now will be the cause to ignite one. What an irony. 

Yup - critical thinking still seems to be in short supply in the Kingdom. 

[Cadbury]

What group of people would ever want to take on the job of governing a country that generally speaking has a civil service that is incompetent, immoral and corrupt?

Answer: A self-centred and power hungry bunch of bozos who have the same qualities as the above and who seek self enrichment.

[RichardColeman]

1 hour ago, champers said:

Would all armed forces be happy turning their guns on the people? Putting people in prison for dissent is one thing; shooting them en mass is quite another.

I'm guessing that it rather depends on the money offered.

[klauskunkel]

Ignorance is bliss

[Eric Loh]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Government can’t ignore shift in public sentiment

Yes they can hunker down, close rank, go full throttle on public dissent and mass arrests claiming conspiracy. Will he do that? Personally I don't think so. His demeanor is only a facade and doubt he has much fortitude to take risk. If the public sentiment gets louder and more intense and most importantly lose the support from the establishment, they will find a face saving exit for him. He is just a puppet.  

[billd766]

1 hour ago, Cadbury said:

What group of people would ever want to take on the job of governing a country that generally speaking has a civil service that is incompetent, immoral and corrupt?

Answer: A self-centred and power hungry bunch of bozos who have the same qualities as the above and who seek self enrichment.

 

Many elected governments have done and it seems to me that there has been little progress whichever government has been in charge. That would of course include the Democrats and also all of the three political parties that Thaksin has run.

 

[Jonmarleesco]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Prayut and his deputy, General Prawit Wongsuwan ... believe only a small group is causing trouble

I'm sure they would like to believe that; but I'm equally sure that even Prawit isn't quite that dense.

[mick220675]

Hundreds of years of tradition can not be changed with a new PM. Everyone in a position of power expects to be rewarded financially by those they hold power over.

 

The current government is no different to any elected, totally corrupt. The people of Thailand understand and accept corruption as long they receive some thing in return.

 

The government has not been able to help the farmers in the north and north east. Those in the south who supported the coup and expected to be rewarded, have not been. If the Bangkok middle class have benefited from the government, they are outnumbered by those who feel the government is offering no help.

 

The only way the government can prevent the inevitable is to postpone elections and suppress any dissent. But in doing so they are becoming more disliked by the day. 

[Krataiboy]

 

•  

EDITORIAL

Government can’t ignore shift in public sentiment

By The Nation

 

Wanna bet?

[billd766]

5 hours ago, Krataiboy said:

 

•  

EDITORIAL

Government can’t ignore shift in public sentiment

By The Nation

 

Wanna bet?

 

But only for so long and the pressure will build too much and pop up all over the place.

[bkkcanuck8]

Quote

General Prayut admitted his post-coup government’s popularity was in decline, but he added that this was common for governments by the time they reached their fourth year

Common -- only because governments can get lazy, arrogant and stop listening (or just never listen to in this case) to the people.  In the province of Ontario/Canada when I was younger -- we had 42 years of consecutive Progressive Conservative governments... because the party at that time because the party back in those days listened to the people when they started becoming dissatisfied.  They would take some good ideas from the competition, were pragmatic in governing... and they regularly refreshed their leadership.  Simply put, if a government does a reasonably good job and is reactive and listens to the people -- it can survive democratically for much longer than 4 years.   The issue is that the government does not listen to the people, those with ideas other than their own they threaten, they bully, and eventually they will alienate everyone but a small cadre of ardent supporters.