BURNING ISSUE
It's time to learn now, before we destroy our society
Pravit Rojanaphruk

Dear fellow Thai citizens, Are you fed up with and hopeless about politics yet?

I wouldn't be surprised if you feel despair and smell political hatred in the air.

On Monday the group of six independent organisations gave both caretaker PM Yingluck Shinawatra and anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) leader Suthep Thaugsuban seven days to nominate 10 possible mediators to facilitate negotiations to end the prolonged political impasse. Sadly, it took less than a day for both sides to turn the proposal down.

This breakdown of trust is for all to see, and not just among leaders on both sides.

Some hospitals are now better known for their ubiquitous anti-government banners than health advice. At Wat Suthat, a well-known Bangkok temple, there's a banner urging people to leave politics behind before entering the temple compound.

Leaders on both sides definitely have 'good' incentives to do everything it takes to ensure victory, but what about us common folks? Do we really have to obey and believe in everything Yingluck or Suthep say and fully support them - no matter what?

Leaders on both sides have held the Kingdom hostage for months now, but more disappointing is the fact many ordinary folks have become fanatical, politically speaking, and equally responsible for holding Thailand hostage.

What Thailand lacks is a substantial number of active citizens who are sane enough to not buy into the propaganda from both sides in toto. Politics is not like rooting for your favourite football club and adoring it no matter what.

It's a waste of time to just blame Suthep or Yingluck and her older brother, the ousted and fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, or the red shirt leaders. Let us blame ourselves for having allowed Thailand to be dragged down by them and ourselves for so long.

What's happening is nothing short of a collective failure of Thai society in dealing with political differences in a mature and democratic manner and to create a better common future.

By this I mean accepting and talking out political differences as a natural part of the democratic process and not treating them like some virus that needs to be literally eliminated.

How many friends and family ties will we sever due to our political differences before we realise how immature this is?

In a dictatorial society people are expected or forced to think alike, while those who think differently are regarded as evil and persecuted. Now, is this what we want for Thailand?

In a way Thailand has progressed. We no longer pretend to agree and maintain a false facade of consensus behind Siamese smiles. But many of us have yet to learn how to disagree without hating. A mark of democracy is not just how people can freely air their views, but how differing views are tolerated or even embraced. In this regard Thailand has yet to succeed and we're paying the price.

We can learn after we destroy our society - or we can learn now and avoid sinking our country deeper into the abyss. We can learn now and pay less or pay more and learn later.

I always insist Thailand has never gone through a proper civil war. I should also like to insist that we don't need to go through a civil war before we can learn some important lessons about how to coexist peacefully and democratically.

Yours humbly,
Pravit Rojanaphruk


-- The Nation 2014-03-19

Yes, and there's none so blind as those who will not see.

Another meaningless editorial stating the obvious which does not concern those who could effect change but have no intention of doing so as it doesn't suit their agenda.

Bravo, now let's hope Thailand will act like this !!

Welcome to the political party of any within the Western Hemisphere

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

"It's time to learn now, before we destroy our society"

Another article despairing about political armageddon in Thailand....Exactly an impression anti-democrats want to create.

Trying to place an intellectual facade of anarchy over Thai Politics favoring the Elitists, their coup-mongering friends and user-friendly agencies/judicary agenda's doesn't go any further than their own kind.

Just adhere and succumb to electoral and Parliamentary Democracy baby. Just solve Thailand's problems in a representational Parliament baby.

To be serious however, I understand why they want to avoid Parliament, by seeking to nullify elections, and exercising their Oppositional role via their user-friendly agencies/judiciary.

They are frustrated by their minority role in parliament....my point is...Fix it....It is to everyone's advantage to have some balance of power in Parliament and to have competitive elections nation wide.

Fixate yourself on engaging in competitive elections.......and the rest will follow.

If they are non-plussed about this, just ask me......There is every way till Sunday, to develop a winning electoral strategy...even for the PAD-Dem's.

So they should get after it, and quit playing the "Poor us, bad voters, destroying society," idiocy.

In the meantime, they need to get off this holier-than-thou and self-righteous indignation about the need for reform, and trying to ram through solutions via non-parliamentary means....What makes them think an electoral majority will accept changes in Governance suggested by small, elitist BKK rooted groups....That is why there is a Parliament, representing all of the electorate....only via that imperfect venue can reform - whatever that means - be actualized.

"It's time to learn now, before we destroy our society"

Another article despairing about political armageddon in Thailand....Exactly an impression anti-democrats want to create.

Trying to place an intellectual facade of anarchy over Thai Politics favoring the Elitists, their coup-mongering friends and user-friendly agencies/judicary agenda's doesn't go any further than their own kind.

Just adhere and succumb to electoral and Parliamentary Democracy baby. Just solve Thailand's problems in a representational Parliament baby.

To be serious however, I understand why they want to avoid Parliament, by seeking to nullify elections, and exercising their Oppositional role via their user-friendly agencies/judiciary.

They are frustrated by their minority role in parliament....my point is...Fix it....It is to everyone's advantage to have some balance of power in Parliament and to have competitive elections nation wide.

Fixate yourself on engaging in competitive elections.......and the rest will follow.

If you are non-plussed about this, just ask me......There is every way till Sunday, to develop a winning electoral strategy...even for the PAD-Dem's.

So get after it, and quit playing the "Poor us, bad voters, destroying society," idiocy.

Anti-Democrats .... check

Elitists ... check

coup-mongering ... check

electoral majority ... ch ... oops ... FAIL

Helloooooooooooo..........what have you been doing for the last 2556 years then ?????

Thailand (Thai's) + change are not two words that naturally go together . . .

Have to say the majority of Thai's i have met so far (six and a half years ) are childish,selfish and immature in many respects. There are many reasons for this, not least the family set up here. It's all very well saying that close family ties where several generations live together is a wonderful thing but very few ever learn to become strong minded and independent. Many of the 'Men' are spoiled, selfish and unreliable, and whilst many of the Girls and Women work hard they can be very immature up until their early 40's. The average Thai Woman of 25-30 seems to act the way 14-17 year old's do in the West..

"It's time to learn now, before we destroy our society"

Another article despairing about political armageddon in Thailand....Exactly an impression anti-democrats want to create.

Trying to place an intellectual facade of anarchy over Thai Politics favoring the Elitists, their coup-mongering friends and user-friendly agencies/judicary agenda's doesn't go any further than their own kind.

Just adhere and succumb to electoral and Parliamentary Democracy baby. Just solve Thailand's problems in a representational Parliament baby.

To be serious however, I understand why they want to avoid Parliament, by seeking to nullify elections, and exercising their Oppositional role via their user-friendly agencies/judiciary.

They are frustrated by their minority role in parliament....my point is...Fix it....It is to everyone's advantage to have some balance of power in Parliament and to have competitive elections nation wide.

Fixate yourself on engaging in competitive elections.......and the rest will follow.

If they are non-plussed about this, just ask me......There is every way till Sunday, to develop a winning electoral strategy...even for the PAD-Dem's.

So they should get after it, and quit playing the "Poor us, bad voters, destroying society," idiocy.

In the meantime, they need to get off this holier-than-thou and self-righteous indignation about the need for reform, and trying to ram through solutions via non-parliamentary means....What makes them think an electoral majority will accept changes in Governance suggested by small, elitist BKK rooted groups....That is why there is a Parliament, representing all of the electorate....only via that imperfect venue can reform - whatever that means - be actualized.

Wow, Thaksin's PR team (Fryslan boppe and others) are really getting good at this pseudo-intellectual writing and working overtime at spinning everything.

You babble on however about "Democracy" and I have just one sentence to show it's complete and utter crap, something everyone else can see but the "reds" seem to be completely blind to:

The ruling Pheu Thai Party said Tuesday it would defy the Constitutional Court's ruling on the election, even before it knows what its decision is.

"It's time to learn now, before we destroy our society"

Another article despairing about political armageddon in Thailand....Exactly an impression anti-democrats want to create.

Trying to place an intellectual facade of anarchy over Thai Politics favoring the Elitists, their coup-mongering friends and user-friendly agencies/judicary agenda's doesn't go any further than their own kind.

Just adhere and succumb to electoral and Parliamentary Democracy baby. Just solve Thailand's problems in a representational Parliament baby.

To be serious however, I understand why they want to avoid Parliament, by seeking to nullify elections, and exercising their Oppositional role via their user-friendly agencies/judiciary.

They are frustrated by their minority role in parliament....my point is...Fix it....It is to everyone's advantage to have some balance of power in Parliament and to have competitive elections nation wide.

Fixate yourself on engaging in competitive elections.......and the rest will follow.

If you are non-plussed about this, just ask me......There is every way till Sunday, to develop a winning electoral strategy...even for the PAD-Dem's.

So get after it, and quit playing the "Poor us, bad voters, destroying society," idiocy.

Anti-Democrats .... check

Elitists ... check

coup-mongering ... check

electoral majority ... ch ... oops ... FAIL

Just speaking the truth to power baby.

Yeah, only a mere 60 years of the same reoccurring problems again and again; nice it dawned on the author to now think outside the box on ways to not destroy society, and instead unite it. Quick thinker there.

"We no longer pretend to agree and maintain a false facade of consensus"

More like,

" We are no longer oppressed and are now able to speak the truth and, through the ballot box, deny or oppressors the power to destroy society".

"It's time to learn now, before we destroy our society"

Another article despairing about political armageddon in Thailand....Exactly an impression anti-democrats want to create.

Trying to place an intellectual facade of anarchy over Thai Politics favoring the Elitists, their coup-mongering friends and user-friendly agencies/judicary agenda's doesn't go any further than their own kind.

Just adhere and succumb to electoral and Parliamentary Democracy baby. Just solve Thailand's problems in a representational Parliament baby.

To be serious however, I understand why they want to avoid Parliament, by seeking to nullify elections, and exercising their Oppositional role via their user-friendly agencies/judiciary.

They are frustrated by their minority role in parliament....my point is...Fix it....It is to everyone's advantage to have some balance of power in Parliament and to have competitive elections nation wide.

Fixate yourself on engaging in competitive elections.......and the rest will follow.

If they are non-plussed about this, just ask me......There is every way till Sunday, to develop a winning electoral strategy...even for the PAD-Dem's.

So they should get after it, and quit playing the "Poor us, bad voters, destroying society," idiocy.

In the meantime, they need to get off this holier-than-thou and self-righteous indignation about the need for reform, and trying to ram through solutions via non-parliamentary means....What makes them think an electoral majority will accept changes in Governance suggested by small, elitist BKK rooted groups....That is why there is a Parliament, representing all of the electorate....only via that imperfect venue can reform - whatever that means - be actualized.

Wow, Thaksin's PR team (Fryslan boppe and others) are really getting good at this pseudo-intellectual writing and working overtime at spinning everything.

You babble on however about "Democracy" and I have just one sentence to show it's complete and utter crap, something everyone else can see but the "reds" seem to be completely blind to:

The ruling Pheu Thai Party said Tuesday it would defy the Constitutional Court's ruling on the election, even before it knows what its decision is.

Reading the very first sentence gave me that sinking nauseous feeling of yet another Nation opinion piece. However, I ventured on and found much to agree with.

I have often said so myself, that Thailand has never had a civil war and that the false homogeneity of Thainess is cracking under the strain of historical sleights, both real and perceived. Thailand as it is now defined is a relatively recent nation - with many lands lost, some regained, some gifted, it is a patchwork of regions with different cultures and histories. Unless people - all people - feel free enough to talk openly, then they may well feel that their only voice is violence.

The author, Pravit Rojanaphruk, writes for both the Nation and Prachatai, and has written extensively on the lese-majeste laws and their effects on honest political discussions. Perhaps he should have stressed more that if people are expected to talk their way out of this mess they cannot do so while being gagged.

The deep problem of being legally restrained from discussing all the real issues is that people are then forced to express themselves through extreme postures that avoid those real issues... just as we are witnessing.

"It's time to learn now, before we destroy our society"

Another article despairing about political armageddon in Thailand....Exactly an impression anti-democrats want to create.

Trying to place an intellectual facade of anarchy over Thai Politics favoring the Elitists, their coup-mongering friends and user-friendly agencies/judicary agenda's doesn't go any further than their own kind.

Just adhere and succumb to electoral and Parliamentary Democracy baby. Just solve Thailand's problems in a representational Parliament baby.

To be serious however, I understand why they want to avoid Parliament, by seeking to nullify elections, and exercising their Oppositional role via their user-friendly agencies/judiciary.

They are frustrated by their minority role in parliament....my point is...Fix it....It is to everyone's advantage to have some balance of power in Parliament and to have competitive elections nation wide.

Fixate yourself on engaging in competitive elections.......and the rest will follow.

If you are non-plussed about this, just ask me......There is every way till Sunday, to develop a winning electoral strategy...even for the PAD-Dem's.

So get after it, and quit playing the "Poor us, bad voters, destroying society," idiocy.

Anti-Democrats .... check

Elitists ... check

coup-mongering ... check

electoral majority ... ch ... oops ... FAIL

Just speaking the truth to power baby.

Right on baby! Is "baby" the new red catchphrase or is it the same person writing? lol

Thailand should adopt the Belgian solution -- no functioning government means no expensive and stupid ideas, less corruption and silly point-scoring.

Let the Army protect the borders, the rangers protect the forests, the police run the massage parlours and traffic shakedowns, and leave business to get on with its job without interference.

With Yingluck operating the country from a wheelchair in a Chiang Mai classroom, Thailand has almost achieved this, and the result is a still-expanding economy which would be even better if tourists weren't put off by all the whistles, traffic blockades and M-79s in Bangkok.

It's time to learn now, before we destroy our society

If you haven't figured it out by now and I know that you haven't... then you deserve what's coming to ya. You can call me a pessimist and worse but I don't see a lot in Thai society that's really worth saving. The gorilla was and has been sitting wherever he liked long before you were born Khun Pravit. Let it all go to hell and start over is my best advice.

Yes, and there's none so blind as those who will not see.

Another meaningless editorial stating the obvious which does not concern those who could effect change but have no intention of doing so as it doesn't suit their agenda.

Sadly, you are right.

And now there is another naive group laying down ultimatums. As soon as they did that, they set themselves up to fail. Their original intentions might have been good, but their obvious lack of diplomatic skills would have undone them in any case.

It is really very simple. What do you want? A dictatroship or democracy?

suthep = dicatorship

yingluck = democracy

Where are you going to find anyone to run this country? The thai people have to stand up to what they believe in. Living 40 years ago or go to the future. It is very simple.

Thailand should adopt the Belgian solution -- no functioning government means no expensive and stupid ideas, less corruption and silly point-scoring.

Let the Army protect the borders, the rangers protect the forests, the police run the massage parlours and traffic shakedowns, and leave business to get on with its job without interference.

With Yingluck operating the country from a wheelchair in a Chiang Mai classroom, Thailand has almost achieved this, and the result is a still-expanding economy which would be even better if tourists weren't put off by all the whistles, traffic blockades and M-79s in Bangkok.

Isn't that what is going on now? Or ayleast most of what you say

Have to say the majority of Thai's i have met so far (six and a half years ) are childish,selfish and immature in many respects. There are many reasons for this, not least the family set up here. It's all very well saying that close family ties where several generations live together is a wonderful thing but very few ever learn to become strong minded and independent. Many of the 'Men' are spoiled, selfish and unreliable, and whilst many of the Girls and Women work hard they can be very immature up until their early 40's. The average Thai Woman of 25-30 seems to act the way 14-17 year old's do in the West..

No i think you are wrong on most of this.

Without being alarmist I think quiet a lot of the true old Thai society has gone , the basic function and hope disappeared long ago after 1992, when the agenda was high-jacked by the wealthy, going from Junta control to elitist control, long term expats would have seen some of the soul missing from Thai society for sometime and unfortunately never to return , however the people will revolt before anyone destroys their society, at least one hopes so.

Thailand does not have to go through a civil war and frankly I doubt it will ever happenas long as the military is strong and not swayed by provocoteurs like the US of A.

The bottom line in this enstranged country is that if the printed media got of their fat butts and did a hell of a lot more investigative reporting and printed not just the facts but the true facts, a lot of the bulldshite corruption and illegalities would subside. The very least you primma donna editors could do is start uncovering and exposing those politicians who have amassed massive wealth in such short time. Where is your duty of care to your reader? Why make it so blatant obvious that you must be in the trough with the other swine because you are happy to protect them.

It is really very simple. What do you want? A dictatroship or democracy?

suthep = dicatorship

yingluck = democracy

Where are you going to find anyone to run this country? The thai people have to stand up to what they believe in. Living 40 years ago or go to the future. It is very simple.

Only a simpleton would consider this a simple problem. When your government disregards the laws of the country, what can the average person do. I would suggest that the choices are A: protest, B: refuse to pay taxes, which support the government. When your country is run by a fugitive from justice via various proxies, and those people, who pay far less than the average amount of taxes,gain the most from those who do pay, have nothing to lose, are the backbone of the "democracy", there is a problem. I'm sure we have all heard of taxation without representation, here there is representation without taxation, and the people that are paying are p-ssed off.

It is really very simple. What do you want? A dictatroship or democracy?

suthep = dicatorship

yingluck = democracy

Where are you going to find anyone to run this country? The thai people have to stand up to what they believe in. Living 40 years ago or go to the future. It is very simple.

Only a simpleton would consider this a simple problem. When your government disregards the laws of the country, what can the average person do. I would suggest that the choices are A: protest, B: refuse to pay taxes, which support the government. When your country is run by a fugitive from justice via various proxies, and those people, who pay far less than the average amount of taxes,gain the most from those who do pay, have nothing to lose, are the backbone of the "democracy", there is a problem. I'm sure we have all heard of taxation without representation, here there is representation without taxation, and the people that are paying are p-ssed off.

Only those without a leg to stand on need to complicate the simple.

suthep = dicatorship

yingluck = democracy

It really is that simple.

"Let us blame ourselves for having allowed Thailand to be dragged down by them and ourselves for so long."

Hear! Hear! Hear what this wise and eloquent speaker has to say!

It is really very simple. What do you want? A dictatroship or democracy?

suthep = dicatorship

yingluck = democracy

Where are you going to find anyone to run this country? The thai people have to stand up to what they believe in. Living 40 years ago or go to the future. It is very simple.

Only a simpleton would consider this a simple problem. When your government disregards the laws of the country, what can the average person do. I would suggest that the choices are A: protest, B: refuse to pay taxes, which support the government. When your country is run by a fugitive from justice via various proxies, and those people, who pay far less than the average amount of taxes,gain the most from those who do pay, have nothing to lose, are the backbone of the "democracy", there is a problem. I'm sure we have all heard of taxation without representation, here there is representation without taxation, and the people that are paying are p-ssed off.

In such a case, the proper democratic solution is to publicise the corruption, and then push for an election so that the people can vote out the government (if they feel it to be dishonest). This happens all the time in the West.

The answer is not to boycott elections and use force to disrupt elections and push for an unelected People's Council on the grounds that "most Thai people are too stupid to vote for the right people" (when in fact they know which side their bread is buttered on and are voting for what they see as the lesser of two evils).

The yellow "cure" of dictatorship is worse than the disease.

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The OP... a rare, lone, self-reflexive Thai voice. If only it could be bottled, mass produced and poured into the khlongs and rice paddies Thailand might just get beyond a 9 year old's mental age.