Beware of 'democracy trap': Prayut

[catweazle]

So the alternative is militant fascism then? Great!!!

[sawadee1947]

Democracy is very over rated and not for everyone, he's absolutely correct.

....you are absolutely right....even PUTIN calls himself a DEMOCRAT.........

[smedly]

as I have already stated on previous threads, this non elected PM thing is being blown out of all proportion, it is a clause for emergencies only - nobody is going to install a PM by force after an election, the PM will be selected just exactly the way it has been in the past - with a vote in the lower house once a government is formed.

If anything it is a clause that will avoid the never ending cycle of coups that have plagued this country for years, lets not forget that there are powerful laws and bodies being introduced to combat corruption and it may be that a future PM or a government could be completely removed from office for gross misconduct corruption and/or power abuse a good example being the last PTP government ! which additionally was also (as we all know) headed by a criminal on the run living abroad - how Ludacris was that - no democratic civilised country in the world would have put up with that

[trogers]

Democracy is very over rated and not for everyone, he's absolutely correct.

Fills my head with images of councilmen having business lunches with corporate men in very posh private clubs - Democracy!

[yellowboat]

"Do not worry as to how the charter will turn out. Instead, worry about who will become candidates for the next government." What lunacy ! The written holds meaning now and the future and not just the next election.. If the general does not hold the written word in high regard, he should step down immediately. He will cause even more harm .

Still amazed by all the westerners who agree with deposing a popularly elected government. It is just shameful.

[2fishin2]

"Do not worry as to how the charter will turn out. Instead, worry about who will become candidates for the next government." What lunacy ! The written holds meaning now and the future and not just the next election.. If the general does not hold the written word in high regard, he should step down immediately. He will cause even more harm .

Still amazed by all the westerners who agree with deposing a popularly elected government. It is just shameful.

Yes, yes, yes. If those people were back in their own countries, they would be the first to protest if the military took over their country. It is comical and the pinnacle of hypocrisy that so many western people defend the coup action. And even funnier if you read some of their posts, on other threads they criticize militaries in other countries fighting terrorism.

Its a strange world some of these people live in....

[ratcatcher]

Unless based on a "Truly Original Idea," the Thai Constitution will be modeled after either the written or unwritten constitutions of:

A. Democratic/Republic nations of Australia, Canada, EU, Japan, UK and USA, etc...

or

B. Socialist Republics of Cambodia, China, Russia, Vietnam, etc...

P.S. Many Socialist Republics call themselves, "Democratic, Democratic Republic, Democratic Peoples, People's Republic," etc... so titles or labels are less important than how they function.

Also good to remember a countries political systems are different than their economic systems.

"Democratic/Republic nations of Australia, Canada, EU, Japan, UK and USA, etc..."

Australia, Canada, Japan and the United Kingdom are constitutional monarchies. The U.S.A. is a republic.

The EU (European Union) is not a country.

Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy, China, Russia and Vietnam are republics with a single political movement.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_system_of_government

[ExPratt]

"An unelected PM "cannot just be appointed. Under normal circumstances the person will come through the selection process in the House of Representatives"

Well its only fitting that an unelected Prime Minister can be installed by an unelected House of Representatives

[lucky11]

Democracy is very over rated and not for everyone, he's absolutely correct.

Democracy is very over rated by whom - the same people who decide it is not for everyone?

Actually, what you write is perfectly correct.

Democracy, of which Prayut points out is never 100%, is not for everyone or every nation.

I believe that it is right for the UK, Germany, USA and a majority of countries in the world - but not for Thailand at this present moment of time. The reason that Thailand has had 19 coups and very few parliaments lasting the full term is because (flawed) democracy has failed here for decades.

Isn't it wonderful just how peaceful and uneventful life is here in Thailand!!! Now compare the situation just prior to the 'bloodless coup d'etat' when people were being murdered every day and people were rioting in the streets, all under a supposedly democratic system - this is better, is it???.

[joesanunu]

as I have already stated on previous threads, this non elected PM thing is being blown out of all proportion, it is a clause for emergencies only - nobody is going to install a PM by force after an election, the PM will be selected just exactly the way it has been in the past - with a vote in the lower house once a government is formed.

If anything it is a clause that will avoid the never ending cycle of coups that have plagued this country for years, lets not forget that there are powerful laws and bodies being introduced to combat corruption and it may be that a future PM or a government could be completely removed from office for gross misconduct corruption and/or power abuse a good example being the last PTP government ! which additionally was also (as we all know) headed by a criminal on the run living abroad - how Ludacris was that - no democratic civilised country in the world would have put up with that

Until there is freedom is speech, we wil have uninformed posts like the one above.

I can guarantee you the poster above has not read the hidden material.

Why do they hide that material is what the poster needs to be asking.

Not repeating stuff he read in The Nation.

Edited March 4, 2015 by joesanunu

[emilymat]

I worry about this guy's utterances.

Having said that, the UK actually had an un-elected Prime Minister in 1963, the Earl of Home. After he 'emerged' as PM he renounced his peerage and then later stood for election - in a safe seat in Scotland I think. It would have been interesting if he had been rejected by the voters, but that was unlikely in our 'first past the post' system.

Mind you, I think this scenario is miles away from what the General is thinking.

[arrowsdawdle]

People cannot co-exist? With who, the army?

[Thai at Heart]

I think somewhere in most constitutions it is illegal to forcibly excommunicate a citizen of a country.

So people won't just leave to keep him happy.

And people called the previous bunch despotic.

[lucky11]

I think somewhere in most constitutions it is illegal to forcibly excommunicate a citizen of a country.

So people won't just leave to keep him happy.

And people called the previous bunch despotic.

He is not saying that at all.

He IS saying that if someone is unhappy with their lot then they needn't stay in Thailand and can up roots and move to somewhere where they can live their lives more contented.

Where did he say that they will be forced out?

[Eric Loh]

Democracy is very over rated and not for everyone, he's absolutely correct.

Democracy is very over rated by whom - the same people who decide it is not for everyone?

Actually, what you write is perfectly correct.

Democracy, of which Prayut points out is never 100%, is not for everyone or every nation.

I believe that it is right for the UK, Germany, USA and a majority of countries in the world - but not for Thailand at this present moment of time. The reason that Thailand has had 19 coups and very few parliaments lasting the full term is because (flawed) democracy has failed here for decades.

Isn't it wonderful just how peaceful and uneventful life is here in Thailand!!! Now compare the situation just prior to the 'bloodless coup d'etat' when people were being murdered every day and people were rioting in the streets, all under a supposedly democratic system - this is better, is it???.

It seem you are struggling with the simple concept of democracy and inventing a whole lot of rubbish to fit into your defination. Allow me to explain that democracy is this simple "form of government in which people choose their leaders by voting and everyone is treated equally and has equal rights". Nothing complicated or can it be rated.

Anything, no one gather or riot when there is martial law. So really nothing to compare. If only the military and court enforced the rightful law, there may be no riots or Bangkok shutdown.

[Thai at Heart]

I think somewhere in most constitutions it is illegal to forcibly excommunicate a citizen of a country.

So people won't just leave to keep him happy.

And people called the previous bunch despotic.

He is not saying that at all.

He IS saying that if someone is unhappy with their lot then they needn't stay in Thailand and can up roots and move to somewhere where they can live their lives more contented.

Where did he say that they will be forced out?

He is saying that if people cannot accept the constitution as he writes it, people cannot coexist and so must choose if they want to leave.

So what happens if they choose not to leave and maintain being angry at the new constitution? They have a choice of reeducation or leaving.

Either you are forced to accept his constitution or leave.nice democratic choice.

[metisdead]

Inflammatory baiting posts have been removed as well as the replies.

[angsta]

"If it's not accepted, then people cannot co-exist. It's up to them if they don't want to stay in their country," he said,

this guy is becoming off-the-chart-crazy....

The correct term "bat-shit crazy"

So glad we don't those damm elections anymore. We don't need your stinkin democracy we've got crazy, old military dude with zero grasp on reality.

Now where's my motorbike and cap? Hmmm judo??

[Enoon]

Unless based on a "Truly Original Idea," the Thai Constitution will be modeled after either the written or unwritten constitutions of:

A. Democratic/Republic nations of Australia, Canada, EU, Japan, UK and USA, etc...

or

B. Socialist Republics of Cambodia, China, Russia, Vietnam, etc...

P.S. Many Socialist Republics call themselves, "Democratic, Democratic Republic, Democratic Peoples, People's Republic," etc... so titles or labels are less important than how they function.

Also good to remember a countries political systems are different than their economic systems.

"Democratic/Republic nations of Australia, Canada, EU, Japan, UK and USA, etc..."

Australia, Canada, Japan and the United Kingdom are constitutional monarchies. The U.S.A. is a republic.

The EU (European Union) is not a country.

Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy, China, Russia and Vietnam are republics with a single political movement.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_system_of_government

It is true that the Uk is a Constitutional Monarchy, not an Absolute Monarchy. The difference is the amount of Democracy that is integrated into the UK system.

The same is true of other systems e.g Republics. There is obviously a huge difference between the amount of Democracy present in Switzerland (Federal multi-party directorial republic with elements of direct democracy) and and the amount present in North Korea which, laughably, describes itself as a "Democratic" Republic.

The essential characteristic of The Generals outlook (and his backers) is that he, like his military predecessors, quite obviously, wants to remove any vestige of Democracy that has wormed it's way into what was intended to be, ever since the first coup in 1932, a Plutocracy.

This is the reality of Thailands experience. Debating other nations political realities will not change it.

[iReason]

Here we go again,,,,

"the democracy trap"

"if it's unacceptable then people can not co-exist. it's up to them if they don't want to stay in their country"

So costas, djjamie, Halloween, and the others that can't see the woods from the trees, HOW YA GONNA SPIN THIS? or will you do as you guy's normally do when faced with the irretrievable stay in the back ground and wait till the dust settles then come back crying Thaksin this Yingluck that PTP and RED'S whatever,,,,,

Bet they wont be here claiming all is just fine and dandy for quite a while.

It appears, the wind (hot air) has left their sails.

Or, perhaps even they tire of their Spam-like, one-dimensional, boot licking, repetitive rhetoric.

Especially when this autocrat general continues to exhibit and embrace, the dark side.

[KarenBravo]

A totally self-serving statement.

[Strangebrew]

Wow and all the time I thought democracy meant that the government was elected to the posts they run for. I stand erected.

[Strangebrew]

Oop's pardon me meant corrected

[Stradavarius37]

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Show me a real democracy in the world today, and i will hold up a mirror and show you a liar...

Just because there are no pure technically democratic governments in the world is not an excuse to label anything you want to be democracy. Most governments that are considered democracies are called that because people can vote to change the government, are free to express their discontent and leaders are subject to the same laws as the populace. This is the modern form of democracy, and to argue over semantics is facile.

Its not about semantics - its about money and corruption that take away people's free expression - you think you have it - here is your mirror....

[KarenBravo]

You don't think the Army is corrupt? Gems and teak from Myanmar. A very lucrative business. Should the army engage in business? That's a subject for a different thread.

[trogers]

I think somewhere in most constitutions it is illegal to forcibly excommunicate a citizen of a country.

So people won't just leave to keep him happy.

And people called the previous bunch despotic.

He is not saying that at all.

He IS saying that if someone is unhappy with their lot then they needn't stay in Thailand and can up roots and move to somewhere where they can live their lives more contented.

Where did he say that they will be forced out?

Go to the US, Land of the Free. And they would stick you a bill of over USD50k per head, your share of the nation's debts.

[KarenBravo]

Freedom of speech is one of the core values of Western civilization and a free press.

Think of life without it.

To give in because of the fear of offending? Just hand your freedom to the extremists why don't you?

Edited March 4, 2015 by KarenBravo

[yellowboat]

I think somewhere in most constitutions it is illegal to forcibly excommunicate a citizen of a country.

So people won't just leave to keep him happy.

And people called the previous bunch despotic.

He is not saying that at all.

He IS saying that if someone is unhappy with their lot then they needn't stay in Thailand and can up roots and move to somewhere where they can live their lives more contented.

Where did he say that they will be forced out?

So the good general gets to decide things all by himself and then everyone else gets a choice as to staying or leaving ? It is a country and not a tea party. What you are saying is that it is his country and if you do not like it get out ?

What fascinating insights for a westerner to have

[Alwyn]

Democracy is very over rated and not for everyone, he's absolutely correct.

Democracy isn't perfect, but it's miles better than any alternative.

[Alwyn]

Wow and all the time I thought democracy meant that the government was elected to the posts they run for. I stand erected.

erections make the World go around!