Thai editorial: Invoking Article 44 THROWS DOUBT on junta's competence

[billd766]

The point is that it took the UK over 1,000 years to get democracy yet Thailand has only tried since 1932. Democracy in the UK took a long time so it won't be quick in Thailand either but certainly it will be less than 1,000 years.

Yes true but to counter that, the Republic of India is hailed as the world's largest democracy in terms of voter numbers. This since it became independent in 1947 and I can't recall any serious coup attempts during this period. It has been a parliamentary democracy for a much shorter time than Thailand.

Being the World's largest democracy in terms of voter numbers says more about the size of the population than the state of the democracy. The Netherlands probably has less than one percent of the numbers, but may be a wee bit more democratic in implementation.

Of course compared with Thailand India had the (dubious?) advantage of having the Raj teach them a trick or two on democracy.

They have lost a PM or two to assassins on the way though.

[Thai at Heart]

As if any more doubt was needed