EDITORIAL
Time to pull the emergency brake
The Nation

Our economy is heading towards a cliff; both sides of the political divide must switch their focus from hate speech to the wellbeing of the whole country

BANGKOK: -- Former prime minister Anand Panyarachun is not the only one who is alarmed by the growing threat the political crisis poses to the Thai economy. But his concern adds another authoritative voice to the swelling anxiety. The nation needs to pull the emergency brake, he said, or the "runaway locomotive" would crash into the brick wall and everyone would "die". For Anand, the sooner the warring parties realise the magnitude of the danger faced by the economy, the better.

Anand was right in saying that the crisis has gone beyond an argument over what does and does not constitute democracy. The "runaway locomotive" scenario cannot accommodate a never-ending debate on what went wrong. The political rivals, he insisted, must focus on what should be done to prevent a final and catastrophic crash. Egos must get out of the way. Everyone must accept that vengeance is a sure-fire accelerator for collective doom.

Initially, it was thought the political crisis would dent Thailand's graceful entry into the Asean Economic Community, which is just around the corner. Now it seems certain that Thailand will limp into the AEC era as one of the most politically stormy nations in the region. Education, deemed the most important foundation for AEC success, is a major loser in the Thai crisis. Another is the fight against corruption, which has become badly politicised.

But the economy is probably where most blood is gushing out. Last year saw positive internal factors holding out against global uncertainties. This year, most domestic indicators are screaming for support or attention. State spending has been halted by fierce political protests. So far, tourism has not been hit hard but it won't be a white knight riding to the rescue, either. Exports under-performed last year, when we had a functional government for around 11 months, so it would be a grave mistake to pin our hopes there in 2014.

Two weeks have passed since the general election and nobody has a clue what the new government will look like. In fact, even if a post-election government can be miraculously formed, that won't erase economic worries. The new government will face all kinds of trouble and be too preoccupied with rearguard political battles to concentrate on helping any particular sector.

Anand stopped short of elaborating on his "emergency brake" idea. But his statement might have provided enough glimpses. He favours a true dialogue based on the need to stop "the bleeding", which he warned could be fatal. Thaksin Shinawatra should "think really hard" about the country's wellbeing, and so should his opponents. The rivals should stop exchanging hate speeches through the media, which are making things more difficult every passing day.

Nothing is legally impossible, according to Anand. He is right again. And, ironically, that is what the political rivals are implying, too. Neither side of the political conflict has shown utmost, unconditional respect for the laws or Constitution. If the political enemies can be selective about which legal aspects they adhere to, doesn't that mean nothing is written in stone? Isn't it time now to do what's best for Thailand first and make that legal later?

One side of the political divide might like the emergency brake proposal more than the other. In that respect, we are probably back to square one. For Anand, however, there is little time left to debate who will win and who will lose, as the locomotive continues its blind and relentless surge towards the brick wall.


-- The Nation 2014-02-15

"Thaksin Shinawatra should "think really hard" about the country's wellbeing......"

Concern for the host is not a normal function of parasites.

That is why we have protests on the streets.

The government needs to go before the train hits the wall, and they are the one's driving the train and the ones who built the wall.

It aint rocket science.

Cute. And then trying to make the missunderstood fugitive care about Thailand? As in show some empathy? Dream on.

That locomotive btw will probably derail first. Then the bad guy in Dubai can revive the talks about highspeed-train-2.2 trillion-loan-project again. All for the wellbeing of Thailand and Thai people of course.

IMO ... the forthcoming economic crisis ( its only a matter of time ) will see the real civil uprising will occur , Thais think day to day .... when the majority have no money , no jobs , then u will see a redistribution of wealth and perhaps an opening for a new govt, run by the people for the people .....once the liquidity stops the party will begin and very quickly i might add ...

This editorial and the quotes in it are suspect. This guy being quoted is a crackpot. He is rationalizing the circumvention of law for expedience. He is referencing that both sides have not adhered to the law and therefore why adhere to it now in order to fix the economy? Do it first, and make it legal later? Isn't that the cause of the fracture in Thailand? Thailand needs law and order and ramifications if it is not followed. How could he be recommending that the nation "circumvent" what is written in stone. He wants a free for all, but with him in charge of who is "all."

Into economic chaos is where the country was headed as soon as the peoples court convicted fugitive criminal and his Puppet sister won the previous election.

It is where Thailand needs to go before more people hurt enough to oust all the political criminals that are bleeding them dry. The current thieving lot the Shinawatra's are a disgrace to Thailand and democracy.

Yada Yada Yada. Who wanted to shutdown Bangkok, cause chaos and who tried to slip a stupid amnesty bill in that kicked it off and all that jazz ?

It's called cause and effect. Both sides have been happily digging the hole deeper and deeper without a care in the world as to the damage done by all of them, no one can claim innocence here,. Unlucky now the country will have to deal with it.

"Anand stopped short of elaborating on his "emergency brake" idea."

Wish they'd put that as the headline and stopped me wasting time reading yet another boring article with dramatic buzzwords and zero enlightenment.

So what is the Emergency Handbrake oh wise one? Firstly, the far majority of Thais except graft or corruption to a certain level, so let's start with the people shall we and show the politicians how its done. This is not really about Thaksin or Suthep. Real reform can never happen in Thailand until Thailand gets honest with itself collectively and as a united people striving for a common goal. This is what should be spruiting from someone's mouth nothing more and nothing less. What enables the system to be corrupt? You might not like the answer, but ultimately this rests with the people. They need to participate in reform as well, once you start with the people the politicians can't do sh.t as the people then hold the power and the government will only then answer to them. Oh and don't get me started on the education system, when you have thai teachers that cannot conduct just ONE entire class in English to students of course we are going to be dead last. I was asked to set an entry exam for Masters degree holders sitting for numerous positions at Rajamangala Uni, not one single teacher passed and I was quizzed on why there wasn't any multiple choice questions? The answer, after over 16 years of study you still cannot grasp simple English. So how you going to teach the masses? One can't.

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So glad I have never invested in the country.The locomotive is approaching the wall,time will come and Thailand will introduce exchange controls to stop foreign businesses and individuals deserting the sinking ship.

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Heading for a crash? No worries, drivers will flee the scene as usual.

Oh and don't get me started on the education system, when you have thai teachers that cannot conduct just ONE entire class in English to students of course we are going to be dead last. I was asked to set an entry exam for Masters degree holders sitting for numerous positions at Rajamangala Uni, not one single teacher passed and I was quizzed on why there wasn't any multiple choice questions? The answer, after over 16 years of study you still cannot grasp simple English. So how you going to teach the masses? One can't.

In a general sense, and increase in knowledge within a collective results in less power for a dictator, a manifest dictator or otherwise.

Oh and don't get me started on the education system, when you have thai teachers that cannot conduct just ONE entire class in English to students of course we are going to be dead last. I was asked to set an entry exam for Masters degree holders sitting for numerous positions at Rajamangala Uni, not one single teacher passed and I was quizzed on why there wasn't any multiple choice questions? The answer, after over 16 years of study you still cannot grasp simple English. So how you going to teach the masses? One can't.

In a general sense, and increase in knowledge within a collective results in less power for a dictator, a manifest dictator or otherwise.

Generally speaking this is true! BUT for one item and call me an optimist but if and when the people start practicing honesty and spurning corruption, the politicians being the people in time will follow suit to at least form a semblance of true democracy as can be seen in at least a few countries...

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In a general sense, and increase in knowledge within a collective results in less power for a dictator, a manifest dictator or otherwise.

Intelligence is a threat, and genius is a declaration of war, at least this is the perception in the paranoid and twitchy mindsets of ruling-classes around the world.

So what is the Emergency Handbrake oh wise one? Firstly, the far majority of Thais except graft or corruption to a certain level, so let's start with the people shall we and show the politicians how its done. This is not really about Thaksin or Suthep. Real reform can never happen in Thailand until Thailand gets honest with itself collectively and as a united people striving for a common goal. This is what should be spruiting from someone's mouth nothing more and nothing less. What enables the system to be corrupt? You might not like the answer, but ultimately this rests with the people. They need to participate in reform as well, once you start with the people the politicians can't do sh.t as the people then hold the power and the government will only then answer to them. Oh and don't get me started on the education system, when you have thai teachers that cannot conduct just ONE entire class in English to students of course we are going to be dead last. I was asked to set an entry exam for Masters degree holders sitting for numerous positions at Rajamangala Uni, not one single teacher passed and I was quizzed on why there wasn't any multiple choice questions? The answer, after over 16 years of study you still cannot grasp simple English. So how you going to teach the masses? One can't.

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I agree wholeheartedly with Cricketnut. A representative democracy always reflects the electorate. If the Thai government is self-serving, obstinate and corrupt then democracy is working well.

Political Star Rises on Vow to Upend Italy’s Thailand's Old Order

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/15/world/europe/political-star-rises-on-vow-to-upend-italys-old-order.html?_r=0

Make him an offer?

Anand couldn't keep his mouth closed for three seconds and is all over wiki leaks.

This editorial and the quotes in it are suspect. This guy being quoted is a crackpot. He is rationalizing the circumvention of law for expedience. He is referencing that both sides have not adhered to the law and therefore why adhere to it now in order to fix the economy? Do it first, and make it legal later? Isn't that the cause of the fracture in Thailand? Thailand needs law and order and ramifications if it is not followed. How could he be recommending that the nation "circumvent" what is written in stone. He wants a free for all, but with him in charge of who is "all."

I'm not sure that its fair to describe Anand as a 'crackpot' He is - to use current parlance - a 'core-leader' of the Ruling Elite. That said, he is hardly neutral, having come to power on the back of a military coup, supported the 2006 coup, and is virulently anti Thaksin. This of course makes him an ideal person for The Nation' to wheel out as a respected elder who should be listened to.

If Anand could get his friends in the RE to stop funding the PDRC and his friends in the judiciary to lay off the government, he'd probably have the gravitas to persuade Yingluck to have another election which the 'Democrats' could participate in, and which would help to get Thailand back on the economic straight and narrow.

After that, and only after that, there could be a commission of some sort to explore the unlikely scenario that Thais of all political hues are prepared to forego the proceeds of corruption in the interests of the country as a whole.

Anand couldn't keep his mouth closed for three seconds and is all over wiki leaks.

Yes, he did make some comments about the crown prince that Wikileaks picked up and which he probably wishes he's never made - these make him even more a stakeholder in ensuring that Thaksin never returns.

This thinking is exactly the problem of Thailand...."Lets do some compromises and put the carpet over it....."

The sure guarantee that in the 2 years there will be a new problem....

No the problem must be rooted out. No...OK the Shinwatras must be a bit less corrupt and the Democrats also get a piece of the cake and in exchange they keep silent....

An amazingly stupid editorial in my opinion.

The PDRC and their backers want an interim PM to be appointed. The PDRC have broken the law on many occasions and also committed a serious crime in obstructing elections.

And yet now this Editorial says lets reward the PDRC, lets stick the middle finger up at all those who voted, and all those who wanted to vote but were blocked by the PDRC - and lets appoint an interim PM to stop the problems.............

LOL

How about an Editorial saying "Enough is Enough - PDRC stop and respect the February 2nd election process"

All in my opinion of course

How about an Editorial saying "Enough is Enough - PDRC stop and respect the February 2nd election process"

Perfectly said Level Head

When will they lock up these PDRC people who are dragging down Thailand

In general a good editorial with some pertinent and relevant posts, the subsequent posts regarding the standards of education are spot on. A population who are (generally) educated to a base level will always be easier to coerce, manipulate and lie to. Their understanding of the workings of democracy will, to a great extent, be irrelevant as they will continue to see only the shallow vote buying tactics as "the norm" and how it has always been done, for too many it is the way the government is chosen with no desire for change.

There is one brief section of what is a fine editorial that does disturb me "Thaksin Shinawatra should "think really hard" about the country's wellbeing, and so should his opponents" That the article still refers to this individuals power and influence in such a way is disturbing, and goes part of the way in explaining part of the problem in Thailand. Yes the reality is that he still enjoys far too much remote control on the system and events, but while the mainstream media comment on this as normal, how can we expect the population as a whole to see that it is a flagrant abuse of the democratic system and as such is unacceptable? That it is openly confirmed by ministers that a convicted criminal still takes part in government policy meetings from abroad, ridicules the Thai democratic system throughout Asia. How can the rest of the world possibly see us as equals and worthy of inclusion, when it is routinely accepted by high ranking ministers that this kind of management is not only acceptable but preferred.

Like many I may be a guest in this beautiful country but my concern for it, and the native population, is very real. That "brick wall" is indeed hurtling towards us with no indication that the government is remotely concerned, the fairly imminent collision will affect us all, both Thai and foreigner...

A trolling post has been removed.

In general a good editorial with some pertinent and relevant posts, the subsequent posts regarding the standards of education are spot on. A population who are (generally) educated to a base level will always be easier to coerce, manipulate and lie to. Their understanding of the workings of democracy will, to a great extent, be irrelevant as they will continue to see only the shallow vote buying tactics as "the norm" and how it has always been done, for too many it is the way the government is chosen with no desire for change.

There is one brief section of what is a fine editorial that does disturb me "Thaksin Shinawatra should "think really hard" about the country's wellbeing, and so should his opponents" That the article still refers to this individuals power and influence in such a way is disturbing, and goes part of the way in explaining part of the problem in Thailand. Yes the reality is that he still enjoys far too much remote control on the system and events, but while the mainstream media comment on this as normal, how can we expect the population as a whole to see that it is a flagrant abuse of the democratic system and as such is unacceptable? That it is openly confirmed by ministers that a convicted criminal still takes part in government policy meetings from abroad, ridicules the Thai democratic system throughout Asia. How can the rest of the world possibly see us as equals and worthy of inclusion, when it is routinely accepted by high ranking ministers that this kind of management is not only acceptable but preferred.

Like many I may be a guest in this beautiful country but my concern for it, and the native population, is very real. That "brick wall" is indeed hurtling towards us with no indication that the government is remotely concerned, the fairly imminent collision will affect us all, both Thai and foreigner...

These countries in Asia and around the World where you say Thailand is being ridiculed.

Have you ever considered the following ?

Thaksin can freely visit any country in the world !!

Why is this ?

Because the world see's that the corruption charges against him and the one he has been convicted of are "fabricated lies" made after a Military Coup. it is the normal process the world over after a military coup to make up all sorts of accusations against the person who has been kicked out, to have a propaganda campaign against them, to find them guilty of many things, to disgrace and to discredit them - this is all part of the process of justifying a coup. Have a look at Morsi in Egypt for the latest example.

So simply, the world is telling you all that Thaksin is free to visit any country, as they see the charges against him as political and not worthy.

Given the world accepts this, how can it therefore be ridiculing as you suggest. The more ridiculous thing is that to this day people still believe the lies pushed out by the Military Coup propaganda machine of 2006.

The Editorial is nonsense in my opinion. It has to tell the PDRC to stop the protests and respect the Feb 2nd election. If it does not do that then it is nonsense.

All in my opinion of course.

"Thaksin Shinawatra should "think really hard" about the country's wellbeing......"

Concern for the host is not a normal function of parasites.

Why did you leave off the rest of that quote?

That states "and so should his opponents" the yellows are experts at misrepresenting facts as they exist, or in fact stated.

The truth the whole true and nothing but the truth!

Cheers

Heading for a crash? No worries, drivers will flee the scene as usual.

oh, in this case I think the drivers will have fled long before the crash actually happens.

IMO ... the forthcoming economic crisis ( its only a matter of time ) will see the real civil uprising will occur , Thais think day to day .... when the majority have no money , no jobs , then u will see a redistribution of wealth and perhaps an opening for a new govt, run by the people for the people .....once the liquidity stops the party will begin and very quickly i might add ...

Are by the people for the people, the same as Burma and Cambodia in resent times?

The original poster of the editorial needs to take a step back and look at the big picture.

For centuries, all of the other countries in SE Asia have benefited from a healthy cross-pollination of cultures and ideas due to colonisation.

The political, social and cultural awareness of these nations have expanded, absorbing the most beneficial elements of government, law, education and justice. These colonised countries instinctively have become aware of their position and relationship to their neighbouring countries and the world outside in general.

But not Thailand.

While the rest of the world was growing and expanding and actively seeking to benefit from cultural exchange and diversity, Thailand proudly locked itself away.

And, like a locked shed full of interbreeding puppies, proceeded to weaken and dilute its own pool of abilities and awareness, corruption practiced as a way of life by the rich and privileged who deliberately kept their workforce uninformed and uneducated.

Suddenly this weak, floundering and flawed nation is being forced to compare itself with other countries and to unwillingly become a part of a larger group.

The people of Thailand are confused, unsure of what they want and at odds with each other, and their leaders - also at odds with each other - continue to flap and flounder, each new posture and rant only seeming more petulant to the watching world outside, which is shaking its collective head with amusement and pity.

Finally and at last Thailand is being forced to join the other kids outside on the playground and, like a reclusive misfit, it doesn't like being stared at - it doesn't want to go!

R