Let us not waste this opportunity for lasting change: Thai comment

[webfact]

COMMENT
Let us not waste this opportunity for lasting change

BANGKOK: -- Whatever it is called, yesterday's "power seizure" - as termed by Army commander-in-chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha - was not right under democratic principles. This seizure should not be allowed to continue for too long and power should be returned to the people as soon as possible.

In effect it was a coup d'etat staged by commanders-in-chief of the three Armed Forces and the national police chief under the name of a National Peace and Order Maintaining Council.

What is required is to make this power seizure lead to a sustainable solution for the country, which has been gripped by a political crisis for the past six months. This opportunity should not be allowed to be wasted again. This time, it should lead to real sweeping reform - something agreed upon by the conflicting parties.

Dialogue, the only way

The National Peace and Order Maintaining Council should encourage further dialogue between the conflicting sides. The process of talks has started already, with the help of the military after the imposition of martial law on Tuesday.

However, the military should explain clearly to the public why the talks between the conflicting sides, brokered by the Armed Forces at the Army Club, ended in this power seizure. What was the problem or obstacle that prevented an accord?

A general expectation is for this power seizure to lead to a way out of the dangerous political conflict and also to a general election that is acceptable to all sides.

We have come to this point because our politicians are unable to resolve their conflicts through normal means. And their repeated failure has been used by the military as an excuse to take action, from imposing martial law to eventually staging a coup.

All the different groups involved with the chronic political conflict should also be held responsible for the consequences of their stubbornness. They should sacrifice their personal benefits in the national interest.


-- The Nation 2014-05-23

[NongKhaiKid]

Op Eds like this are ten a penny. They say all the right things but that's as far as anything goes.

How is going to be better this time ? The leaders of pro and anti movements are entrenched in their views plus the ever present self - interest and of course face so reason and compromise takes a back seat.

Naturally we all want this to turn out well and be lasting but ... !

[ezzra]

Let's just say that Thailand never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity... to get this

great and wonderful place on the right path of good governess without the power struggles

and rampant and blatant, in your face corruption.....

[LuckyLew]

As long as there are two side with differing opinions and a quest for money and power the conflict will continue

Seems Thailand and its people are unable or unwilling to learn from the past

Another coup is just another day in Thailand

[The stuttering parrot]

Victory after victory for the PTP in landslide wins actually the biggest in thai history on once again to see

The thai peoples democratic vote taken away yet again.

There was no need for the coup and it is not justified and has been condemned around the world.

If the yellow elite think this is a victory of some sort then I'm afraid you are sadly mistaken!

The current circumstances might put a smile on a few faces for awhile but the coup will only galvanise the red shirt movement and they will show it at the next election.

There is certainly as everyone knows no easy way out and the cycle is just going to continue as the divide between the elites and the north has grown so much now that any dialogue seems impossible.

For my 2 cents worth the shin clan are not going anywhere and by that I mean their popularity and the people who feel disinfranchised which is the majority of the electorate will continue hand down landslide victories to the PTP .

So one way of moving forward is to include thaksin and yingluck in any dialogue about any reforms and the future of Thailand and at least that might appease the red shirts and avoid violence.

Give thaksin his amnesty under conditions and let him have a seat on the table get the country out of this cycle of coups and violence and then retire to private life.

I know that suggestion is going to get the condemnation of the yellow brigade but at this low point in thai history I think anything is worth a try!

[Siripon]

A stuttering parrot! Do they? I thought they just repeated themselves, whatever.

I look at it this way, Thaksin united the poor and dispossessed with his wholesale purchase of NAP MPs, plus other factions into a single party that he controlled alone.

Good points- the disadvantaged in Thai society could now elect a party into power.

Bad points- the party is controlled by a fantastically rich ego/power maniac.

At the time Thaksin first came to power in 2001 he had the backing of many civic groups, academics etc who saw he had a genuine chance to develop and help Thailand progress.

But sadly disillusion soon set in when policy corruption and nepotism became the norm in Thaksin's governments.

Pheua Thai must look within their ranks and members to be a force again.

[Payboy]

Opportunity? Change of snouts at the trough.

[The stuttering parrot]

I by no means think they are a spent force I actually believe that the Thais have tasted democracy and they like the flavour and they are being robbed of their vote time after time.

The name Thaksin is here to stay whether he is in the country or not so all I suggested instead of turning their backs on him an olive branch being offered in some form to try and stabilise the country.

It might seem radical by if it's a way forward and calms the people down then it's worth a try!

[Maroon Watcher]

If People want change they have to vote with their feet - not pay people to sit on their backsides and demand.

They should convince the majority of people to vote for a "better future"

Thailand is modernising - politics has to reform and more importantly conform too.

(A bad system that "works", is better than no system at all)

Send these pavement (sidewalk)t sitters to deliver the "New" message -

by any fair means: Media, door- to door (canvasing), leaflets, parties, parades, sponsorship...

And convince people in business that this will work,

Convince the new middle class and the poor that they will be better off - Not worse off.

Not with bribery, but with quality of life and Freedom of choice - AND the RIGHT to choose.

Only then will you get a "Free" vote for Democracy

(As far as is possible in Thailand)

[rickirs]

In conjunction with the miitary coup, the constitution was suspended. Does this mean that all those ogranizations and people whose authority is empowered by the constitution (ie., the NACC, the EC, the Courts, the Senate, the electorate, police, and HRH the King as Head of State) no longer hold any authority?

I'd assume the military would answer that the constitution will be applied on a case-by-case circumstance as a "guide" to the extent it finds the constitution useful for control.

[wealth]

the plan probably was ...

political unrest

followed by social unrest (very close to it already) to a final

... civil war ...

It's time to wake up to reality ... the army knows that and acted accordingly.

Yes, there's hope now to avert the worst to happen ...

[Scamper]

The army recently released a communique that affirmed that the Senate, the independent agencies, and the courts were fully functioning. That is a very good thing, and the first step towards normalization. Once the dust has settled, doubtless the remaining provision of Prayuth's three step proposal will be implemented - the formation of an interim government ( the other two points - the resignation of the cabinet and the disbanding of the UDD and PDRC rallies has already taken effect ). Lasting change will come about by the parties getting together and talking. That process will likely continue. In the meantime, the country needs a functioning government, and it will likely be more bureaucratic in nature. Interim means, of course interim - temporary. A general election that brings with it a reform package reached through consensus among the parties will likely be the goal. The Thaksin strings have been cut. What remains is a desire to heal, and to go forward, not back.

[Mrgk]

The army recently released a communique that affirmed that the Senate, the independent agencies, and the courts were fully functioning.

Well, they were already engaged in a coup, so that makes sense. The actions of the army just make it harder for the pathetic junta supporters to deny what is going on.

As for achieving lasting change, the best thing that could happen post coup is the removal and trial on treason charges of the entire military leadership for their various crimes. Perhaps then this coup will be the last.

[belg]

reset thailand

well, let them start to put all corrupt politicians in jail and seize their abnormal wealth during their stay in power, that would be a great signal for a new start

yes i know, just dreaming, just have to see how many generals thailand has and how rich they became (don't think you get such a high governemental salary)