Sending Thai troops abroad affords a chance to learn

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EDITORIAL
Sending Thai troops abroad affords a chance to learn
The Nation

If the military can help civilians overseas, what of the citizens dealing with repression at home?

BANGKOK: -- We welcome the announcement that units of the Thai military will be joining United Nations peacekeeping forces for assignments overseas. Dispatching officers and troops from engineering and development units signals Thailand's readiness to assume broader responsibility in international affairs and should also help improve professionalism among the armed forces.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha pledged Thai help during his visit to New York for the UN General Assembly session this week.

As UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon pointed out, "The demand for peacekeeping has never been greater." More than 120 countries currently have military and other personnel stationed in hot spots around the globe, disarming, demobilising and reintegrating combatants, strengthening the rule of law, enhancing security and promoting human rights.

This is not the first time Thailand has participated in UN peacekeeping operations, Prayut told the General Assembly. Since 1946, when it joined the newly formed United Nations, Thailand has sent more than 20,000 police and military personnel to assist in peacekeeping under the UN flag - on the Korean Peninsula, in Timor Leste and South Sudan, and in other troubled areas.

"Conflict prevention, peacekeeping, peace-building and development are connected together as fundamentals of lasting peace," said Prayut. He also urged the international community to comprehensively review such operations, as the nature of conflict has evolved since the UN first set out working parameters for its delegations. Prayut warrants further praise for encouraging women to take more active roles in maintaining peace.

Thailand is making this fresh commitment at a time when peace-building missions have reached new heights in terms of scale and scope. At present there are 125,000 troops, police officers and civilian officials engaged in 16 UN operations spanning four continents. In the US, President Barack Obama has ordered the first extension of American support for UN peace operations in more than 20 years. The work is crucial in protecting civilians and must be reformed and modernised to better suit that purpose, he said.

Having lauded the Thai government for vowing to help safeguard people in conflict areas abroad, we must also recall the adage that "foreign policy begins at home". We need to look within and ask whether Thailand practises what it preaches.

Regrettably, our military has never embraced the notion of civilian self-rule. Time and again it has become entangled in politics rather than allowing the democratic system to work out its own problems. The glaring flaws of democracy and the freedoms it embodies must be left to run their course, no matter how slowly or temporarily painful. The military must learn to respect the "people's mandate".

As an essential institution, our military has to alter its mindset and become what it's supposed to be, the protector of national interests against foreign enemies. It cannot on its own identify and act against domestic threats. That's the job of elected representatives and the reason for civilian oversight in military affairs.

If our elected representatives are not up to the task, voters have only themselves to blame. A seat in Parliament shouldn't constitute a carte blanche to venture beyond national interest and ignore the rule of law. Violating the ground rules brings disastrous consequences in the form of insurrections and coups.

So, as we commit ourselves to international obligations, some serious soul-searching is in order at home: What kind of country do we want to be, and what role should our armed forces play?

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Sending-Thai-troops-abroad-affords-a-chance-to-lea-30269994.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-02

[thesetat2013]

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! Geez!!!

[stoneyboy]

This has to be a wind up.

Peace keeping oh my days.

[benalibina]

This has to be a wind up.

Peace keeping oh my days.

This is serious....you no understand Thainess !

[waldroj]

I think this is a good editorial!

Whilst I am usually critical of The Nation, and especially some of its editorials, this time I like the article.

Firstly, no one should dispute that Thailand has supported UN peacekeeping efforts.

Secondly, the article makes some brave observations about the countries ongoing struggle to find a suitable long-term democratic model.

Well done!

[Somtamnication]

As crooks cooks?

[Hawk]

Regrettably, our military has never embraced the notion of civilian self-rule. Time and again it has become entangled in politics rather than allowing the democratic system to work out its own problems. The glaring flaws of democracy and the freedoms it embodies must be left to run their course, no matter how slowly or temporarily painful. The military must learn to respect the "people's mandate".

***Unfortunately the military never learn. Blockheads!

[taony]

Thai. Learn. 55555555.

Poor countries send peacekeepers bc its free money.

[gandalf12]

I think this is a good editorial!

Whilst I am usually critical of The Nation, and especially some of its editorials, this time I like the article.

Firstly, no one should dispute that Thailand has supported UN peacekeeping efforts.

Secondly, the article makes some brave observations about the countries ongoing struggle to find a suitable long-term democratic model.

Well done!

To have a Democratic model you need the people to realise other peoples views and respect their opinion, not necessarily agree with it. Thailand has 60 million forms of Democracy. Pity they are all different

[jaywalker]

As a former US defense contractor, I've seen Thai troops in Kosovo & East Timor, and was involved with the RTA's "preparations" for deployment to Sudan, which consisted of me inspecting 20 Humvee's & telling them that half were potentially lethal to drive (leaking brake systems, steering linkage about to fall apart etc). They ignored me.

Back to the point of the article though, the military will NEVER learn a flipping THING about democracy in the places where I saw them, such as Kosovo & E. Timor.

At best those jaunts give them practice on how to implement Martial Law, as that's pretty much how UN Peace-Keeping missions work. They declare a convoluted form of martial law is the way they keep the peace.

[slapout]

I thought a large group of the UN peacekeeping forces were being trained on the job to direct vehicle and refugee traffic. Not always in the right direction but to a different location vis their present position.

''toothless hound'' comes to mind when the UN is involved /mentioned

[fred Kubasa]

There is no clear evidence that UN "Peacekeeping " forces have helped at all, anywhere, and their policy of "do not fire unless fired upon first " is

just costing peacekeepers lives. Thai military have never seen this type of service, and I am sure they rue the PM's volunteering them !

[FangFerang]

The Thais will learn important skills and methods overseas, like the American methodology:

"Join the Armed Forces! Travel to exotic, beautiful places! Experience fascinating and different cultures! And kill them."

[heybruce]

I know the Thai military has a lot of experience at managing illegal smuggling across borders and taxing the profits. I'm not sure what other abilities they can bring to these peace keeping operations.

[wabothai]

the upside is that they at least get to experience that there is another world out there.

[IAMHERE]

UN Peacekeepers get a pretty good salary compared to Thai Army rates. I wonder if the troops get to see any of the extra pay ? It's not like these kinds of troops can't find work to do in Thailand.

[espinoza]

The dear leader speaks about his veiws of Thailand after he pulls out. What he says here sound like a western style developed country. But the dear leader vcannot acieve tihs by supression of freedom.

[NOC]

Why don't they put these 'peacekeepers' on the beach in Pattaya and Phuket, and clean up the jet ski scams? If they can successfully differentiate right from wrong there, then send them into the world.

[ratcatcher]

Perhaps they can bring and try and keep some peace in the troubled southern provinces?

[jaywalker]

the upside is that they at least get to experience that there is another world out there.

You should have seen them (and this poor miserable Florida boy) in Kosovo!

We were FREEZING!!! The snow was about 2 feet deep everywhere in February.

I think the most miserable guys there though was the contingent from the UAE.

The Thai folks really got to learn absolutely nothing about a foreign culture, much less democracy.

Each country had its own section on the main US base and rarely interacted with each other.

In E. Timor, where the Aussie's were the main force on the ground, each country had its own separate base.

I worked with a clown in Kuwait that had JUST retired from the US Army. He had been to 20 or so countries and knew absolutely nothing about any of their cultures, except the Germans.

[jaywalker]

Perhaps they can bring and try and keep some peace in the troubled southern provinces?

I've met a few RTMC guys that have been to both Sudan and down south, so they're doing it already, & it doesn't seem to have done much to help.