Democracy in decline

[rooster59]

Democracy in decline

By Kanjana Lao 
Nation Graphics 

 

Nation Graphics/Kanjana Lao

 

Thailand is among 50 countries ranked “not free” in terms of political rights and civil liberties.

 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30367219

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-04-06

[kotsak]

Way to go! Can do better, watch out Syria! ????

[steven100]

same .... same .... nation garbage .. ????????

[PatOngo]

What democracy would that be?

[malagateddy]

Surely the autocratic eu should be included!!

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Odysseus123]

What a joke.

 

Well..it's certainly in decline in this little knob of nations..

[ballpoint]

In order for something to decline, it must have been at a higher point in the first place.  Thai democracy has been firmly stuck in a crevasse ever since the ending of absolute monarchy.

[Eric Loh]

NCPO will be so proud of their achievement. Meechai will take a victory lap. 

[Artisi]

5 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

NCPO will be so proud of their achievement. Meechai will take a victory lap. 

And more watches from long dead friends will be offered in appreciation of a job well done.. and more corny songs will be composed in dedication, so overall a win win for everyone.... 

Edited April 6, 2019 by Artisi

[CMNightRider]

If Thai citizens don't feel like they live in a free country they should see what it is like being a foreigner in Thailand.  Thailand is the only country in the world who require foreigners to check in with their immigration every 90 days, and fill out TM forms for every ridicules reason these people could come up with.  

 

Parolees in most western countries have more freedoms than expats in Thailand.  According to Mr. Big Joke, foreigners can expect even more restrictions on them in next months announcement regarding tightening up requirements for one year visa extensions.  The new one year extension requirements are making living in Thailand not worth the effort.

 

     

[Fex Bluse]

21 minutes ago, CMNightRider said:

If Thai citizens don't feel like they live in a free country they should see what it is like being a foreigner in Thailand.  Thailand is the only country in the world who require foreigners to check in with their immigration every 90 days, and fill out TM forms for every ridicules reason these people could come up with.  

 

Parolees in most western countries have more freedoms than expats in Thailand.  According to Mr. Big Joke, foreigners can expect even more restrictions on them in next months announcement regarding tightening up requirements for one year visa extensions.  The new one year extension requirements are making living in Thailand not worth the effort.

 

     

And, the irony is that wherever in the world you find Thais outside Thailand, a significant percentage are living and working illegally.

 

I'm not sure if they are stupid or smart for exploiting other countries and then treating foreigners in their country like dirt. 

 

Maybe they are quite smart indeed. ????

[rkidlad]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

same .... same .... nation garbage .. ????????

Ah, so Thailand is a free society? People can talk freely and criticize whatever and whoever? 

[colinneil]

????Thailand is a free and fair country, Prayut said so, anybody who disagrees with ????him,???? will get a punch in the mouth.

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, CMNightRider said:

If Thai citizens don't feel like they live in a free country they should see what it is like being a foreigner in Thailand.  Thailand is the only country in the world who require foreigners to check in with their immigration every 90 days, and fill out TM forms for every ridicules reason these people could come up with.  

 

Parolees in most western countries have more freedoms than expats in Thailand.  According to Mr. Big Joke, foreigners can expect even more restrictions on them in next months announcement regarding tightening up requirements for one year visa extensions.  The new one year extension requirements are making living in Thailand not worth the effort.

 

     

It is all beyond inane. If only the biggest joke and his ilk, could see what they truly looked like to the world. Such fools. Such nonsense. Such fake puritanism. This administration is a scourge to the nation. They must go. Five more years of this? Can anyone even imagine what Thailand would look like in 2024, when Prayuth is finished with his ten year term of diminishing the nation, and utterly destroying the tourism industry and the Thai economy?

[tabarin]

Isn't democracy in decline anywhere in the world? Aside of the fact that absolute democracy is a failed system.

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, tabarin said:

Isn't democracy in decline anywhere in the world? Aside of the fact that absolute democracy is a failed system.

Democracy might well be a failed system, but what passes for democracy in most civilised country's beats many other systems - and at the end of the day, surely it's about the citizens being given a fair go without having to live in fear each time they step out of their door, having freedom to say and think for themselves (within reason) as is acceptable and practice in many countries. 

[geoffbezoz]

1 hour ago, JustAnotherHun said:

Thailand is worlds number one in poisonous air, among the leading countries in producing lethal road accidents but not yet really high ranking in world's most disgusting dictatorships.

Go on, uncle tu, there's still work to do.

But, But as you know Thailand claims to be the hub of so many things already so just let it add poisonous air, anti democratic values,  and numerous road accidents to the list ?

[trainman34014]

In Bangkok all the Fakes will dismiss this as Fake News !

[yellowboat]

Met a Thai man in Shanghai.  Asked him why he left Thailand.  He had a laundry list of things, but the two things that were at the top of the list: lack of freedom and lack of opportunity.  

[chainarong]

There never has been a Democracy in Thailand ,, not when you have Generals nominated as heads of departments , in the real world Thailand has never extracted itself from the clutches of the Junta era.

[from the home of CC]

you mean democracy like what brought about brexit? the free will for a country to commit mass economic suicide? lol

[Jane Dough]

With the Brexit debacle and the rise of Trump it is a surprise that anyone is promoting democracy these days.

 

Rooster

[malibukid]

7 minutes ago, Jane Dough said:

With the Brexit debacle and the rise of Trump it is a surprise that anyone is promoting democracy these days.

 

Rooster

i am hopeful that America will sort itself out and saner heads will prevail.  i think the 2018 elections show some hope for the future.  love to watch Trump squirm

[balo]

12 hours ago, rooster59 said:

By Kanjana Lao 
Nation

Very brave man, I guess he will not work for The Nation when Prayuth reads this. 

 

[Odysseus123]

9 hours ago, Jane Dough said:

With the Brexit debacle and the rise of Trump it is a surprise that anyone is promoting democracy these days.

 

Rooster

Looks pretty solid to me.

 

I'd promote it any day of the week over the alternatives.

[baboon]

5 hours ago, Odysseus123 said:

Looks pretty solid to me.

 

I'd promote it any day of the week over the alternatives.

Quite. Blame the players not the game itself.

[tlandtday]

22 hours ago, Fex Bluse said:

And, the irony is that wherever in the world you find Thais outside Thailand, a significant percentage are living and working illegally.

 

I'm not sure if they are stupid or smart for exploiting other countries and then treating foreigners in their country like dirt. 

 

Maybe they are quite smart indeed. ????

not smart when they are being colonized by China what are you smoking look around!

[JAG]

For those that claim that Democracy has never existed in Thailand (and therefore cannot be said to be in decline) could I point out that on five (?) occasions in the last twenty odd years the people of this country have voted, and selected

a government/party broadly consistent with the majority's wishes - I don't include this current ongoing exercise in blatant electoral deceit and manipulation!

 

Those governments have not necessarily been particularly good ones, there has been corruption, malpractice and abuse of power, but they have reflected the people's choice and have attempted to govern broadly in accordance with the policies for which the people chose them. That is democracy in action, flawed perhaps, messy undoubtedly, with results distasteful to some, (clearly failing high standards expected by some mainly foreign observers on this forum), and objected to by certain classes in society; but basically democracy nonetheless. It has been consistently overthrown by a military which is at the behest of those certain classes, by good old fashioned Coup d'Etats, political fixing (which led to the Abhisit government) and now by electoral manipulation, obvious if not transparent.

 

If you define democracy as a government chosen by it's people, and which offers itself to be reselected or rejected by it's people when appropriate, then Thailand has had democracy, and it has been taken away.

 

The Thai people certainly understand that, what we don't know is their likely reaction, short or long term. It is well understood internationally as well, although whether the international community is bothered or, in the face of other interests or problems is interested or prepared to do anything, even comment effectively, is in doubt.

 

Thailand has had democracy, it is in decline, perhaps removed in totality, but it had it.

 

And please, don't push the buttons with the supreme arrogance of "Thailand is not ready for democracy"!

Edited April 7, 2019 by JAG

[ThaiBunny]

Unfortunately many members here read the two main English-language newspapers and believe they are simply reporting facts rather than spinning facts and slanting stories so as to favour one set of political values over another.  Expect to hear the usual "but X paid for his votes".  Democracy takes practice and constant vigilance.  Thailand is still caught up in a "rotten boroughs" model of the 18th and early 19th century in the UK, combined with an almost total lack of the transparency and accountability on which successful democracies are built.

[Fex Bluse]

1 hour ago, tlandtday said:

not smart when they are being colonized by China what are you smoking look around!

I think I failed to make my point. What I was really feeling is that many of our western countries should consider reciprocal treatment of Asians. Throughout Asia, they treat Westerners as 3rd and 4th class citizens while exploiting our countries' resources and benefits. 

 

I would love to see Thais given specific treatment directly proportional to their common illegal activity and how poorly they treat foreigners in Thailand.