OPINION: Thailand’s people have spoken. Will its military listen?

[webfact]

 

In last month’s parliamentary elections, voters in Thailand made their desire to be rid of military rule and to restore democracy unmistakably clear. They turned out in record numbers and gave overwhelming support to two pro-democracy parties. Out front in the results was the progressive upstart Move Forward party. Its young leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, should rightly have the claim on the position of prime minister.

 

But the generals and their conservative royalist allies don’t seem to have gotten the message. Or, more likely, they got it loud and clear but are once again choosing to put their own desire to cling to power over the will of the majority of Thais. In the six weeks since the election, the ruling elite has done everything possible to block Mr. Pita from forming a government. More ominously for Thailand’s future, they now appear to be maneuvering to keep him from entering parliament altogether by having him disqualified on highly technical, clearly spurious legal grounds.

 

Mr. Pita’s first big hurdle to the top post is an unfairly skewed system for choosing a prime minister. The new constitution, drafted by the junta and adopted in 2017, was written specifically to preserve the military’s sway over any future elected government and prevent any real reformer such as Mr. Pita from coming to power. 

 

By the Editorial Board, Washington Post

File photo by National News Bureau of Thailand

 

#news

Full story: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/06/28/thailand-election-democracy-pita-limjaroenrat/

 

-- © Copyright The Washington Post 2023-06-30

 

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[pomchop]

Pretty well sums up what happens when coups roll the tanks or storm the capital and go after their political enemies as a pretense to overturn the will of the voters.  Sadly many seem to think it will be temporary but it rarely turns out that way.

[bamnutsak]

This op-ed will be paraded about here by the ultra-nationalists, in the coming days, as "proof" of America interfering in Thai politics.

 

But it's nothing that hasn't been said here, and in some Thai outlets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

28 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

This op-ed will be paraded about here by the ultra-nationalists, in the coming days, as "proof" of America interfering in Thai politics.

 

But it's nothing that hasn't been said here, and in some Thai outlets.

"America" does try to interfere in Thai politics, and almost any other politics around the globe. That shouldn't be a surprise to anybody. 

[ikke1959]

The General would surely not accept a civil government. That is why they are trying to do everything to prevent a military free Government. However the choice of the people is very clear and in one or another way it is the end of military based Governments

[novacova]

22 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

"America" does try to interfere in Thai politics, and almost any other politics around the globe. That shouldn't be a surprise to anybody. 

And the same goes for China and Russia. Consider it endemic normal activity that’s been happening for decades 

[Eric Loh]

1 hour ago, pomchop said:

Pretty well sums up what happens when coups roll the tanks or storm the capital and go after their political enemies as a pretense to overturn the will of the voters.  Sadly many seem to think it will be temporary but it rarely turns out that way.

Absolutely spot on. Don't be fooled by the millitary handling back elections after each coup. There are more post coup governments than elected governments. Thailand has never had a prolonged elected government that lasted 1 term with the exception of Thaksin since 1932. The military staged 18 coups and re-writtened the constitution each time to embed themselves as political master. 

[OneMoreFarang]

27 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

The General would surely not accept a civil government. That is why they are trying to do everything to prevent a military free Government. However the choice of the people is very clear and in one or another way it is the end of military based Governments

Look at the last decades. The military often "accepted" a civil government. They interfered when the corrupt leader of those governments behaved like he is above the law.

Thaksin could still be the beloved PM if he wouldn't have been so greedy and corrupt. 

[spidermike007]

These irresponsible goons had better listen. Everything has changed, the moral authority is gone, 9 years of army rule has the nation tired, frustrated, and very, very disappointed. All bets are off, if they start playing games now. This is not Burma, and the soldiers will not fight a war against the people. It could take awhile, and it could get ugly, though it will never get to the hellish level of Burma, as the Thai parents would never, ever permit that kind of genocidal behavior from their sons. You take out one more Thai, and you are forever disowned by this family. That is all it would take to bring about mass defections from the army ranks.

 

That would sure be fun to witness. Are the pompous generals going to put themselves into harms way? Never. They do not have it in them, they are cowards. 

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

But the generals and their conservative royalist allies don’t seem to have gotten the message. Or, more likely, they got it loud and clear but are once again choosing to put their own desire to cling to power over the will of the majority of Thais

They got the message all right, but it's not in their playbook or best interests.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The new constitution, drafted by the junta and adopted in 2017, was written specifically to preserve the military’s sway over any future elected government and prevent any real reformer such as Mr. Pita from coming to power. 

Forced in 2017

[hotchilli]

4 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

That would sure be fun to witness. Are the pompous generals going to put themselves into harms way? Never. They do not have it in them, they are cowards. 

Never

[Purdey]

I beg to differ with one point that the Washington Post wrote.

 

"(They) are once again choosing to put their own desire to cling to power over the will of the majority of Thais."

 

I believe they will make way for an elected government but want that government to be right wing not liberal.

 

Depends how you interpret "cling to power". I think they realize they are out. More likely they want a government that sticks to the accepted manner of government: big budget for the military, no touching the highest institution, a disciplined society obeying the whims of the elite and so on.

 

If history is anything to go by, political parties will once again squabble and the military will once again take over. It takes a smarter party than Move Forward to manage Thailand. But one hopes for the best. 

[Srikcir]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Forced in 2017

Flawed referendum with a low turnout of about 54% of which 58% approved the junta-written constitution. That's only about 31% of the total turnout but a majority in terms of the "whole" vote. There were "repressive" conditions.

• No campaigning allowed for no vote
• Criticizing the draft results in detention and charges
• Few saw a copy
• Few read through the legalized 279 articles

From what I recall, there was no public media that was allowed to go through relevant portions of the draft and how Thais might be affected, ie., an unelected PM by the junta-appointed Senate. 

ref. www. BBC.com/news/world-asia , August 2016 

[tomacht8]

This Senate construction in the constitution has, beside others, the nasty disadvantage that it has been made almost impossible for changes to be made to this construction at all, without a majority approval of the Senate. The fox has been made the guardian of the chicken coop and that cannot be changed in the future.

Edited June 30, 2023 by tomacht8

[ukrules]

They need to reign in the power of the military.

 

There's already talk of ending conscription which would be a good start.

 

The only reason they need an army is to suppress the will of the people.

[madmitch]

Good article that sums up the situation very succinctly for those that aren't aware of what's going on  in the world of Thai politics.

 

Old new for AseanNow readers of course, but that's not who this article is aimed at.

[Mavideol]

Thailand’s people have spoken. Will its military listen?

 

that would be a first in Thai history..... will see, it appears the barricades are being prepared

[mark131v]

From the Washington Post article and pretty much sums up the state of play:

 

'Mr. Pita’s first big hurdle to the top post is an unfairly skewed system for choosing a prime minister. The new constitution, drafted by the junta and adopted in 2017, was written specifically to preserve the military’s sway over any future elected government and prevent any real reformer such as Mr. Pita from coming to power. It stipulates that the prime minister be chosen not by the 500 members of parliament elected in May, but instead be jointly named by parliament and the 250-member appointed senate. All the senators owe their jobs to the ruling junta, and presumably remain beholden to the military'

 

and this....

 

'This is a crucial time for Thailand. The country’s military rulers need to know that the world, including the United States, is watching. The only democratic way forward is for the generals to step aside and let the clear winner of the May election form the next government'

Edited June 30, 2023 by mark131v

[Screaming]

The world is watching and nobody really cares because nothing changes in Thailand no matter who is in power. It's all about money folks, nothing else matters to the Thais.