UNITING FOR THE FUTURE
"Democracy in Thailand has different definition,": former FM
Nuntida Puangthong
The Nation


File photo : Surin

BANGKOK: -- Former Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan said Monday that the governmentsponsored forum; "Uniting for The Future" to find solutions for reconciliation in Thailand reflected the fact that democracy in this country was differently defined.

The most important thing is how to build trust and open the discussions for participation by everyone in the country, he said.

Currently, the opposition could not work effectively in the parliament, independent organisations are not truly independent and the mass media cannot access information freely, he noted.

The problem is not a conflict between the government and the opposition as it is in many other countries but also comes from outsiders who have fuelled misunderstanding and mistrust, he said.

Surin attended as an audience member the forum where former British prime minister Tony Blair and Finland's former leader Martti Ahtisaari were key speakers.

Many other Democrats such as former Senator Kraisak Choonhavan also attended.

Outside the meeting room, a group of some 20 Thai patriots staged a brief protest in front of Plaza Athenee hotel to protest the invitation of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to the forum.

The group understood that the money for Blair's expenses came from their tax money and said it was a major waste of funds to hire foreign speakers to talk about internal conflict. As long as the government listens to the Thai people, it's useless to have foreigners speak about Thailand, they said.


-- The Nation 2013-09-02

The problem is not a conflict between the government and the opposition as it is in many other countries but also comes from outsiders who have fuelled misunderstanding and mistrust, he said.

Aha! Those dastardly farangs again!

"Democracy in Thailand has different definition,": former FM

...as has everything else, compared with the outside world!

Democracy in Thailand not same same ...

What utter tripe:angry:

Democracy is'nt what it means to the rest of the world; we're just going to take your word and define it as we like. Oh and by the way, our problems are not our fault; they are YOUR fault....

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Democracy is a good and beautiful thing, but it's not the ultimate goal

That's why its not democracy here. Not looking at other models that work well and do so with an open mind is why this place is lagging behind.

"Democracy in Thailand has different definition,": Corruption, cheating, brainwashing the nation beyond brain damage repair, suppression of free speech, rewarding of murder for the rich and powerful, freedom of screwing the poor

Edited September 2, 201312 yr by MaxLee

It just gets better and better . . . Democracy is not Democracy in Thailand cos they say it means something different . . . so what the hell is it?

And why oh why do those pesky foreigners get the blame for everything? Can no one here take responsibility for anything? Mai pen lai needs to be thrown out the window.

Its an oligarchy for PTP...when will they come out and admit it?

Edited September 2, 201312 yr by gemini81

I hear Yingluck wants to spread the idea of "Thainess" (Thainotcracy? ) globally via Thai students abroad ...

Edited September 2, 201312 yr by Jingthing

The last thirty years never happened.

Tony is there for 2 things, 1: to advise how to be corrupt and stay off the radar 2: a night out down nana plaza

Missing the point here.

Re-inventing the wheel is necessary to make all of the mistakes everyone else in the democratic world has already made to get the real experience of democracy.

Given 200 years or so, they will work it out on their own and that generation will reap the rewards!

Shame those protestors will not.

"Democracy is a good and beautiful thing, but it's not the ultimate goal"

Thaksin

Thaksin's view on democracy was made pretty clear by this statement he made. I am pretty sure he felt it would

interfere with his looting of the country, so it has no place here. Also am pretty sure his clones are

following the same program.....

"Currently, the opposition could not work effectively in the parliament, independent organisations are not truly independent and the mass media cannot access information freely, he noted.

The problem is not a conflict between the government and the opposition as it is in many other countries but also comes from outsiders who have fuelled misunderstanding and mistrust, he said."

There you are. The old tired thai elite and it's someone else's fault.

The trouble is the opposition doesn't work effectively in parliament or elsewhere.

Independent organisations are run by the Dem's placemen and women. Note the the Human rights group "gathering evidence from the rubber farmers in the south as/because of the drunkards shootings at 3 in the morning.

The mass media cannot disseminate information freely.

Whilst Surin Pitsuwan dissembles his party are doing their best down in the south to stir up anti government support and for sure they won't comment on this meeting.

They can't as they boycotted it.

Whilst Surin Pitsuwan dissembles his party are doing their best down in the south to stir up anti government support and for sure they won't comment on this meeting.

Stirring up anti government support, gosh, I wonder how they thought of that? Well, at least he isn't offering 500 Baht per day, or telling the crowds to bring gasoline and burn government buildings.

Actually Khun Surin is right.

For example in Thailand we have the Democratic Party and the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship neither of which follow democratic principles any ancient Greek would recognise.

Tony is there for 2 things, 1: to advise how to be corrupt and stay off the radar 2: a night out down nana plaza

Maybe he just had lunch with Yingluck?

Outsiders?? Thailand is doing just

fine screwing up things on their

own they certainly do not need any

outside help to do that!

Doesn't seem to have occurred to some here that the outsiders he is referring to are not necessarily non-Thais.

One outsider formally living in Dubai would fit his description nicely. There's another, who is not a criminal, living in Singapore who doesn't help the country either.

What many miss here thai democracy is very young, It was only established in what 1939 or there abouts. In the time line they are like 10 year olds wanting, wanting but unable to figure out how to get. It will take many years before they can grow up. The US is whatt about 250 years old and still acts like a kid now and again. The Europeans and English have had a few more years at the game and are a bit more mature in there dealings

Tony is there for 2 things, 1: to advise how to be corrupt and stay off the radar 2: a night out down nana plaza

No chance of Nana, Tony will get a guided tour of the Thailand cultural centers and all they have to offer, along Ratchadapisek Avenue, providing, of course, he left the Cherie at home.

I hear Yingluck wants to spread the idea of "Thainess" (Thainotcracy? ) globally via Thai students abroad ...

When asked to comment on reports that other countries had rejected shipments of Thai Democracy, due to "foul smells, toxins, rats, weevils and general corruption", the PM replied that it was a nice day, three times. Upon being handed a note in an icecream cone she went on to say that the allegations were baseless, as Thailand has the best democracy money can buy, and there were many people in foreign countries, particularly citizens of Montengro, Uganda, and Nicaragua, as well as residents of Dubai and Hong Kong, who were willing to pay well over the global rate to get their hands on it. She ended by mentioning her new scheme to sell paper bags filled with Thai democracy, priced at 500 baht, to tourists at Bangkok airport, thus continuing the long tradition of double pricing in the country, as Thais not only get their bags of democracy for free, they actually get given 500 baht to take them.

The problem is not a conflict between the government and the opposition as it is in many other countries but also comes from outsiders who have fuelled misunderstanding and mistrust, he said.

What complete and utter piffle. Which outsiders are these? Does chiangmai count as outside because it is ban nork?

The problem is not a conflict between the government and the opposition as it is in many other countries but also comes from outsiders who have fuelled misunderstanding and mistrust, he said.

What complete and utter piffle. Which outsiders are these? Does chiangmai count as outside because it is ban nork?

Be fair though, this guy actually makes our Tone look almost sensible and credible. And, that's hard to do.

Another embarrasing politician spouting nonsense.

The problem is not a conflict between the government and the opposition as it is in many other countries but also comes from outsiders who have fuelled misunderstanding and mistrust, he said.

What complete and utter piffle. Which outsiders are these? Does chiangmai count as outside because it is ban nork?

Be fair though, this guy actually makes our Tone look almost sensible and credible. And, that's hard to do.

Another embarrasing politician spouting nonsense.

Well Tony Blair is Tony Blair. This bloke is potentially the next bright spark in the democrats.

Falang no understand Thai democlacy. Teyelan no same same, falang make beeg ploblem.

I mean honestly. Outsiders have caused problems in Thai democracy? Maybe he's pissed of that the Greeks invented it at all. They may as well stop calling it democracy in Thailand full stop if idiots like this are responsible for protecting or implementing it.

It's not Thai democracy has a different meaning in Thailand it's that Thais are apparently so dumb they can't understand democracy.

Edited September 2, 201312 yr by Thai at Heart

The Thai politicians understand democracy very well. They use the facets of it they want and utterly corrupt them. Cast your ballots and may the majority win because we have paid them! This is the bastardized democracy Thais understand. It has been learnt over the years by their close neighbors the Cambodians and Thaksin has been there brushing up his skills over the last few years.

Yes Thai democracy has a different meaning in Thailand - that meaning is corruption and despotism.

I cry for this country.

Thai Golden Rule - Never, EVER accept responsibility for anything bad, and ALWAYS find someone else to blame things on, ESPECIALLY foreigners.

Now I understand why our head teacher's always saying: " Democrazy." With Tony Blair indeed a "Democrazier."-

Edited September 3, 201312 yr by sirchai