Thai politics: Student arrests - a starting point for reconciliation?

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE
Student arrests - a starting point for reconciliation?
JINTANA PANYAARVUDH

BANGKOK: -- THE ARREST, detention and release of the 14 anti-coup students have taught some lessons to both the students and the junta.

On the surface, the pressure was on Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha and the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) from the beginning when police arrested and detained the students at Bangkok Remand Prison on June 26. They were released by the court's order last Wednesday after spending 12 days behind bars.

But the charges against the students under the New Democracy Movement (NDM) still remain.

They have each been charged with violating national security or sedition, an offence under Article 116 of the criminal code that carries up to seven years in jail.

The students were also charged with breaching NCPO's ban on political gatherings of five or more people.

Despite vowing to continue fighting, the students must be more cautious in their further movements. Society is still divided on their challenge to the junta.

While this group of students was showing its opposition against the junta and the government, other groups of students and civic groups were submitting a letter declaring their support for Prayut at Government House.

Although the NDM students gained more support from academics, activists and international organisations during their detention, some political observers said this support came mainly from those who already opposed the junta.

In other words, only a few supporters were from new faces or groups.

Others saw the incident as a provocation by the students to rouse the junta to arrest them and thought there were ill-intentioned people or groups behind the move.

As a result, any further move by the students could backfire.

The public may think the court has already granted mercy to them so they should not make any further moves to violate the laws or orders. Otherwise they would be seen as trouble- makers.

Prayut stressed on the day they were released that the students should learn a lesson and never commit wrongdoing again - otherwise they would be put back in detention.

The NDM students also needed to show the public that their move against the coup was pure and free from the meddling of politicians or international agencies as the government or security agencies believed.

As for Prayut and the junta, the release of the students helped ease the tension between the junta and the community. But it should remind the junta that they must allow the people, especially those who have different views from the junta, some room to express their ideas on speech, movement, freedom and rights.

Apparently, the premier and the junta had also learned a lesson from their mishandling of the situation. A positive sign was seen after the release of the students.

The NCPO, through the Centre for Reconciliation and Reform, is inviting political parties and groups, prominent political figures, including students, to participate in a weekly "Moving Reform Forward" programme on NBT and Channel 5.

Main guests to be invited to the programme include two ex-premiers, Abhisit Vejjajiva and Yingluck Shinawatra.

Prayut himself also showed he was ready to give everyone room for different views to be spoken and heard.

During his TV programme "Return Happiness to the People" last Friday, Prayut said the government would provide forums for all parties, including students and academics and those who were pro- and anti-government groups, to partake in discussions about reform.

He said the forum was aimed at providing everyone with an opportunity to take part in national reforms.

However, to show their sincerity and intention to help the country move forward, when the space or forums are open the government should allow all sides - pro and anti-coup parties - to talk, discuss and opine freely.

As well as the students, academics and politicians, no matter which side they're on, they should engage the forums constructively, give useful suggestions - but not fight against each other.

More importantly, the government and the NCPO also need to have an open mind, welcoming all proposals and implementing them if they benefit the country.

And now, we may have to hold our breath and hope whether the lessons learned from this conflict could be the starting points of reconciliation.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Student-arrests--a-starting-point-for-reconciliati-30264386.html


-- The Nation 2015-07-14

[LannaGuy]

[mikemac]

^ The not so funny thing is that in some minds reconciliation means one thing, forgiving criminals for past sins and starting over.

................."Main guests to be invited to the programme include two ex-premiers, Abhisit Vejjajiva and Yingluck Shinawatra."...................

Yingluck won't turn up, she will send her legal team.

[Srikcir]

What needs to be reconciled by all political parties, the royalists and the military (if one doesn't believe the latter two to be political groups) is that the conflict of opinion is the norm for democracy. This maxim is not negotiable by force but only through shared benefit and is often transitory as self-interests invariably shift.

Free Citizens are not soldiers who cannot deviate from a chain of command nor conduct. Democracy is the governance by human nature with all its frailities, inconsistencies, bias and misconceptions. Without conflict of opinion, a society is dulled into robotic intellectualism paralyzed by a lack of free will.

These 14 students give some hope that Thailand will not remain a prison of the mind that is is now but become a botanical monument to freedom.

[sawadee1947]

let them free and give them freedom of speech......as starting point for reconciliation

[dominique355]

Does that mean the executive power intervened and ordered the judicial power to release the students? I sure hope not.

But then again there is no real separation of power right now. So who cares who does what. It's all from one source.

[scorecard]

^ The not so funny thing is that in some minds reconciliation means one thing, forgiving criminals for past sins and starting over.

................."Main guests to be invited to the programme include two ex-premiers, Abhisit Vejjajiva and Yingluck Shinawatra."...................

Yingluck won't turn up, she will send her legal team.

... who will just keep saying 'but she really is a nice lady' ...

[scorecard]

let them free and give them freedom of speech......as starting point for reconciliation

Well that's a nice thought.

But, there can be no doubt that given any even small opportunity the unethical elements will jump on the bandwagon with full force and their intent will be to derail the reforms and try to take the situation backwards to 1 or 2 years ago.

No thanks.

Edited July 14, 2015 by scorecard

[scorecard]

What needs to be reconciled by all political parties, the royalists and the military (if one doesn't believe the latter two to be political groups) is that the conflict of opinion is the norm for democracy. This maxim is not negotiable by force but only through shared benefit and is often transitory as self-interests invariably shift.

Free Citizens are not soldiers who cannot deviate from a chain of command nor conduct. Democracy is the governance by human nature with all its frailities, inconsistencies, bias and misconceptions. Without conflict of opinion, a society is dulled into robotic intellectualism paralyzed by a lack of free will.

These 14 students give some hope that Thailand will not remain a prison of the mind that is is now but become a botanical monument to freedom.

Well that all depends on whether the students have generated their own thoughts and comments or whether they are being led by clever talkers who have other intentions and aims.

[rametindallas]

What needs to be reconciled by all political parties, the royalists and the military (if one doesn't believe the latter two to be political groups) is that the conflict of opinion is the norm for democracy. This maxim is not negotiable by force but only through shared benefit and is often transitory as self-interests invariably shift.

Free Citizens are not soldiers who cannot deviate from a chain of command nor conduct. Democracy is the governance by human nature with all its frailities, inconsistencies, bias and misconceptions. Without conflict of opinion, a society is dulled into robotic intellectualism paralyzed by a lack of free will.

These 14 students give some hope that Thailand will not remain a prison of the mind that is is now but become a botanical monument to freedom.

Well that all depends on whether the students have generated their own thoughts and comments or whether they are being led by clever talkers who have other intentions and aims.

You mean like Yingluck?

.

[rametindallas]

Main guests to be invited to the programme include two ex-premiers, Abhisit Vejjajiva and Yingluck Shinawatra.

Yingluck was a hand-puppet for a ventriloquist. No way will she show because she is the most incompetent joke of a Prime Minister in Thailand's history.

.

[scorecard]

What needs to be reconciled by all political parties, the royalists and the military (if one doesn't believe the latter two to be political groups) is that the conflict of opinion is the norm for democracy. This maxim is not negotiable by force but only through shared benefit and is often transitory as self-interests invariably shift.

Free Citizens are not soldiers who cannot deviate from a chain of command nor conduct. Democracy is the governance by human nature with all its frailities, inconsistencies, bias and misconceptions. Without conflict of opinion, a society is dulled into robotic intellectualism paralyzed by a lack of free will.

These 14 students give some hope that Thailand will not remain a prison of the mind that is is now but become a botanical monument to freedom.

Well that all depends on whether the students have generated their own thoughts and comments or whether they are being led by clever talkers who have other intentions and aims.

You mean like Yingluck?

.

Sure, she's a real clever talker and motivational speaker. In fact I compare her clever talk abilities to a clever barrister who can convince most folks that black is white.

I say again, she's a real clever talker, she could convince anybody that her burbeery boots are the real thing and convince those flooded out of their houses with no resources that burberry is great.

[scorecard]

Main guests to be invited to the programme include two ex-premiers, Abhisit Vejjajiva and Yingluck Shinawatra.

Yingluck was a hand-puppet for a ventriloquist. No way will she show because she is the most incompetent joke of a Prime Minister in Thailand's history.

.

Sure... joke,,, fake... puppet,,, clone,,, you choose...

[PaPiPuPePo]

This article is skewed towards the junta, in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. Overall pretty transparent, it's sad that this is what passes for journalism in Thailand.

A few sentences without comment that stand out:

"Society is still divided on their challenge to the junta."

"..some political observers said this support came mainly from those who already opposed the junta.

In other words, only a few supporters were from new faces or groups."

"Others saw the incident as a provocation by the students to rouse the junta to arrest them and thought there were ill-intentioned people or groups behind the move.

As a result, any further move by the students could backfire."

"The public may think the court has already granted mercy to them so they should not make any further moves to violate the laws or orders. Otherwise they would be seen as trouble- makers."

OK, have to comment on these last two. This is such blatantly bad journalism, professing to be the mouthpiece of "the public."

"Prayut himself also showed he was ready to give everyone room for different views to be spoken and heard."

How, by releasing people from jail as long as they don't repeat the mistake of expressing those different views again?

This and the constant use of "Democratic" this and that by a military junta is Orwellian, but it works. Even falang who should know better, judging by some comments on this forum, have been successfully convinced that a completely non-democratic government alone can create the conditions for a democracy.

[heybruce]

What needs to be reconciled by all political parties, the royalists and the military (if one doesn't believe the latter two to be political groups) is that the conflict of opinion is the norm for democracy. This maxim is not negotiable by force but only through shared benefit and is often transitory as self-interests invariably shift.

Free Citizens are not soldiers who cannot deviate from a chain of command nor conduct. Democracy is the governance by human nature with all its frailities, inconsistencies, bias and misconceptions. Without conflict of opinion, a society is dulled into robotic intellectualism paralyzed by a lack of free will.

These 14 students give some hope that Thailand will not remain a prison of the mind that is is now but become a botanical monument to freedom.

Well that all depends on whether the students have generated their own thoughts and comments or whether they are being led by clever talkers who have other intentions and aims.

Remember this recent news story:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Govt-dared-to-show-proof-of-international-role-30264134.html

Have you or anyone else speculating on outside influence come up with a shred of evidence to support this speculation?

[heybruce]

I'm amazed that a military that staged a coup and suspended the military's constitution, written at the military's direction after their previous coup, is now lecturing others on the importance of obeying the law.

I am discouraged by the number of people who should know better who think this is acceptable.