Thailand Must Engage Asean In Post-conflict Investigation

[webfact]

OPINION - REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Thailand must engage Asean in post-conflict investigation

By Kavi Chongkittavorn

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- In the aftershock and reconciliation period, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Thailand was facing "serious challenges". Restoring its democratic credentials and rededicating itself to human rights are challenges no less critical than any other if the country wants to remain respected by the international community. Indeed, Thailand was just elected to the UN Human Rights Council in the midst of the crisis.

Abhisit's leadership and crisis management will now be the key to reclaiming his government's legitimacy and the country's credibility. Unfortunately at the moment, editorials and columnists in the vernacular media are vitriolic against the young leader. Some use vulgar language, as never before seen, to describe him and his actions. Throughout the crisis, Abhisit did not court the media or ask for special treatment - something that previous prime ministers loved to do.

Apart from addressing political, economic and social problems as part of the five-point national reconciliation roadmap, winning back regional credibility, especially within Asean, must be a priority. The long-standing political crisis and instability in Thailand have shocked Asean leaders. They fear it will affect community building in Asean. While they are familiar with the Burmese crisis, they have been perplexed by the scale of political violence in Thailand - the country once touted as a model for emerging democracies.

In the weeks and months to come, Abhisit must be bold and creative in engaging Asean as well as the international community, including inviting representatives to become part of fact-finding or investigation teams looking into numerous incidents and allegations of violations of human rights and breaches of international norms and standards. Anything less than this benchmark would be unacceptable.

In response to the crisis, Asean Secretary-General Dr Surin Pitsuwan consulted with Indonesian President Susilo Bamyang Yudhyono, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and the Sultan of Brunei, via his second minister for foreign affairs and trade, on the sidelines of the World Islam Economic Forum on May 19 in Kuala Lumpur. All three leaders welcomed a united Asean stance and a joint statement issued by the Asean chair, Vietnam, on Friday.

It expressed concern over the violence in Thailand, adding that Asean member states support the Thai people and government "in finding a peaceful resolution to the ongoing challenge in the country through dialogue and in full respect of democratic principles and rule of law". All called for dialogue to resolve the crisis, saying stability in the Kingdom is conducive to regional stability. Yudhyono, who earlier called for an Asean summit on Thailand's situation, however, did not pursue the idea.

Given serious allegations from groups such as as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other regional organisations, it is incumbent on Abhisit to be proactive in dealing with the charges as soon as possible. The violence resulted in 85 deaths (11 soldiers and police, and 74 civilians) and more than 1,400 injuries.

During the week, an average of 6,000 Thai-related stories appeared daily online. Civilian casualties from the shootings were mentioned in almost all. Sad but true, very few articles mentioned the presence of red-shirt "men in black" who targeted civilians, nor the property destruction by red-shirt terrorists. Unless the government reigns in this misinformation, it will be used again and again to discredit Thailand and Abhisit's government.

To counter this, Thailand should immediately invite representatives of the Asean Inter-governmental Commission for Human Rights (AICHR) to be part of fact-finding teams. Under the terms of reference, AICHR does not have "investigative power", but this will be reviewed in 2013 to give it more "teeth". In a single stroke, Thailand will lift the AICHR template to a new height and a higher degree of accountability and transparency.

Certainly, this would be an unprecedented diplomatic move within the context of Asean. The Asean Charter, the AICHR terms of reference and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation have emphasised the non-interference principle, but the Charter goes further in stating that members have a collective responsibility to ensure peace and stability in the region. This is exactly the point that Thailand needs to address with its Asean friends. Thailand's neighbours have important roles to play in creating a stable regional environment.

Now that normalcy has been restored and some confidence has returned, the government should discuss with Asean the lessons learned from the political quagmire. Abhisit's briefing of Asean representatives in the capital, apart form the annual meeting of foreign ministers and leaders, would be a new confidence building measure including promotion of the principle of the responsibility to protect.

There is no guarantee, however, that Thailand's overture to AICHR, if it comes, would be accepted unanimously by Asean. In 1999 during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Wellington, when Thailand under former prime minister Chuan Leekpai was the Asean chair, a dramatic decision was taken at the Asean caucus meeting to "help restore law and order in East Timor as requested by Indonesia, based on our individual readiness and willingness". Only individual Asean members Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia responded without delay to the call. Although the comfort level among Asean leaders has increased over the years, they might still consider Thailand's situation too sensitive and with far-reaching repercussions on the overall norms and standards of Asean ways.

Obviously, some senior Thai officials are recalcitrant as well. Allowing Asean representatives, they argue, in post-conflict activities could hold Thailand hostage by ill-intent members. They reiterate that this would play into the hands of the protester's strategists, who desperately want the involvement of regional and international organisations in Thai political matters to further tarnish the Abhisit government.

The crisis Thailand faces is of unprecedented proportion, so it requires an unusual strategy. With such an initiative, Thailand could set a framework and rules of procedure for specific activities inside the country. Sanctions from Asean carry minimal risk in comparison to a full-blown international enquiry. The outcomes of many investigations into atrocities committed by officials in the past few years have been slipshod and far from satisfactory. Because the May violence saw several foreigners wounded or killed, concerned countries want to see a thorough and transparent investigation.

This prolonged and costly crisis re-emphasises the importance of a genuine and workable democracy in Thailand. Let no one argue otherwise.

-- The Nation 2010-05-25

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[geovalin]

So hopeless, The Pravda oups The Nation.

[MCos]

So hopeless, The Pravda oups The Nation.

I don't know what your talking about Mr geovalin.

Perhaps if you were to point out the flaws in the article and suggest logical alternatives I might be able to understand what your gripe is. It's pretty easy to stand on the sidelines and utter snide remarks.

On the other hand are you suggesting that the article is so bad that it doesn't need analysis?

[chainarong]

There is nothing wrong with P.M.Abhisits (Freds) leadership, having said this , this can't be said about a lot more of the leaders of Thailand, there will need to be far reaching reforms, especially with heads of departments (Generals), making it everone's right to be able to become a member of Parliment, not just one's with a degree, the future is there ,for all the people of Thailand, but they must first understand the word , DEMOCRACY, events over the past month have been far from it, a word that comes to mind, education.Thankyou.

[cpofc]

Thailand must engage Asean in post-conflict investigation.

Why?

Perhaps those social utopia's such as Burma, Vietnam, Laos, Singapore, Malaysia and Cambodia could offer some valuable advice on crowd control.

[chadintheusa]

If anyone thinks that the police operated outside international norms for this kind of conflict you can read

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/05/24/j...-gunmen024.html

Seems like Jamaica has it's own problems with armed gangs.

[gl9999]

Thailand must engage Asean in post-conflict investigation.

Why?

Perhaps those social utopia's such as Burma, Vietnam, Laos, Singapore, Malaysia and Cambodia could offer some valuable advice on crowd control.

Precisely. ASEAN's okay as a trade organisation but everything else about it is bullshit and hypocritical.

[dom samui]

Yes

[way2muchcoffee]

There is nothing wrong with P.M.Abhisits (Freds) leadership, having said this , this can't be said about a lot more of the leaders of Thailand, there will need to be far reaching reforms, especially with heads of departments (Generals), making it everone's right to be able to become a member of Parliment, not just one's with a degree, the future is there ,for all the people of Thailand, but they must first understand the word , DEMOCRACY, events over the past month have been far from it, a word that comes to mind, education.Thankyou.

You don't need a degree to be an MP. Read the constitution of Thailand.

[SeanMoran]

There is nothing wrong with P.M.Abhisits (Freds) leadership, having said this , this can't be said about a lot more of the leaders of Thailand, there will need to be far reaching reforms, especially with heads of departments (Generals), making it everone's right to be able to become a member of Parliment, not just one's with a degree, the future is there ,for all the people of Thailand, but they must first understand the word , DEMOCRACY, events over the past month have been far from it, a word that comes to mind, education.Thankyou.

You don't need a degree to be an MP. Read the constitution of Thailand.

Thailand will overcome her problems in Thai ways.

The more that we and ASEAN interfere, the longer it will take.

[A_Traveller]

There is nothing wrong with P.M.Abhisits (Freds) leadership, having said this , this can't be said about a lot more of the leaders of Thailand, there will need to be far reaching reforms, especially with heads of departments (Generals), making it everone's right to be able to become a member of Parliment, not just one's with a degree, the future is there ,for all the people of Thailand, but they must first understand the word , DEMOCRACY, events over the past month have been far from it, a word that comes to mind, education.Thankyou.

You don't need a degree to be an MP. Read the constitution of Thailand.

Oddly that was the case with the '97 self proclaimed 'People's Constitution', but not the present one. However, to be a minister the individual must hold a tertiary degree.

Regards

Edited May 25, 2010 by A_Traveller

[way2muchcoffee]

There is nothing wrong with P.M.Abhisits (Freds) leadership, having said this , this can't be said about a lot more of the leaders of Thailand, there will need to be far reaching reforms, especially with heads of departments (Generals), making it everone's right to be able to become a member of Parliment, not just one's with a degree, the future is there ,for all the people of Thailand, but they must first understand the word , DEMOCRACY, events over the past month have been far from it, a word that comes to mind, education.Thankyou.

You don't need a degree to be an MP. Read the constitution of Thailand.

Oddly that was the case with the '97 self proclaimed 'People's Constitution', but not the present one. However, to be a minister the individual must hold a tertiary degree.

Regards

That is correct. You cannot be in the cabinet without a degree but you can be an MP. This doesn't seem to elitist to me personally. MPs represent their constituents in parliament. The cabinet sets government policy and runs the nation. Somehow I would prefer someone with both experience and education in this role.

Edited May 25, 2010 by way2muchcoffee

[scotbeve]

There is nothing wrong with P.M.Abhisits (Freds) leadership, having said this , this can't be said about a lot more of the leaders of Thailand, there will need to be far reaching reforms, especially with heads of departments (Generals), making it everone's right to be able to become a member of Parliment, not just one's with a degree, the future is there ,for all the people of Thailand, but they must first understand the word , DEMOCRACY, events over the past month have been far from it, a word that comes to mind, education.Thankyou.

You don't need a degree to be an MP. Read the constitution of Thailand.

Perhaps waytoomuchcoffee meant a REAL sheepskin... not a "gimee-one-of-those-cuz-I-wannbe-in-Parliament-degrees". Does our "esteemed" Suthep possess one of these?

[rubl]

Thailand must engage Asean in post-conflict investigation.

Why?

Perhaps those social utopia's such as Burma, Vietnam, Laos, Singapore, Malaysia and Cambodia could offer some valuable advice on crowd control.

Precisely. ASEAN's okay as a trade organisation but everything else about it is bullshit and hypocritical.

ASEAN has a (fairly) strict rule about non-interference in internal matters. Probably the first thing they agreed about