Political crisis ‘is a clash of regimes, not colour groups’

[webfact]

Political crisis ‘is a clash of regimes, not colour groups’
By PIYAPORN WONGRUANG
THE NATION

 

Seksan Prasertkul

 

‘State elites’ feel threatened by ‘modern elites’ in tussle for power, intellectual says

 

BANGKOK: -- THAILAND’S political crisis is not the result of an ideological clash between colour-coded political groups, but a clash between the two regimes of “Modern elites” and “State elites”, Seksan Prasertkul, a noted political scientist and social thinker, has said.

 

The latter, he said, has been trying to re-establish its power via the writing of new rules and regulations, including the new charter.

 

Seksan, former dean of Thammasat University’s Faculty of Political Science, was speaking at Direk’s Talk, an annual event to commemorate the faculty’s founder, Direk Jayanama, one of the People’s Party members who led the revolution in 1932.

 

“The problem is more critical beyond the clash between individuals or groups. It’s a clash between different regimes that has reflected the imbalance of power in the |political and social structure of Thai society. It has led to a new round of |competition for political space and power, at the regime-based level,” |he said.

 

Modern elites, he said, have been empowered by modern-day democracy and backed by “the mass”. State elites, with bureaucracy and power under their control feel threatened as a result of the ‘Modern elites’.

 

New discourses such as “bad or corrupt politicians” have been applied to not only certain groups of politicians but to whole groups and the regime they are in, he said.

 

Since the coup, he said the junta had not just fixed immediate issues, but come up with strategies to drive the country into the future.

 

“Considering what they have been doing, this is not an interim government, but the rulers who have a clear mindset and wish to change the world as they think it should be,” said Seksan, who is also a former student leader who fought against dictatorship in the 1973 massacre.

 

Seksan said the “State elites” and their norms have been challenged or at some point eroded by globalisation and capitalism. With the writing of new rules and regulations, the new charter has become the tool they use to rearrange power relationships in the society.

 

With the new charter in place, the “State elites” not only wish to reclaim and re-establish their lead in society to cement their security, but also expand this through an increase of bureaucratic power as addressed in the charter. They have attempted to prolong their hold with long-term national strategies and plans, and drive their desire through “master plans”, with the two key policies of Thailand 4.0 to handle pressure from globalisation and capitalism, and the Pracha Rat policy to rearrange political relationships.

 

Seksan doubted that the two policies could work in harmony with capitalism as they are different and contradictory. This would create more gaps and woes in society.

 

However, the junta has attempted to challenge society, politicians in particular, whether they can come up with better offers in terms of |ideologies and plans to lead the country “as grand as” the junta’s.

 

Society under Thailand 4.0 and Pracha Rat – under which bureaucracy takes a leading and coordinating role between private entities and citizens – projects two scenerios: politics, under which politicians would become “State elite clans”, or new politics with creative policies to truly lead society. 

 

The junta has managed to re-establish its power, although nobody can say how sustainable it is. Politics, he said, was about competition of power and as the “State elites” come to play politics, there is a fear that conflict will remerge, as well as changes in politics once again, Seksan said.

 

“The attempt to rearrange power and relationships without considering an equilibrium by pushing hard conservatism is equivalent to creating a new social friction or a time-bomb from the beginning,” he concluded.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30318524

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-06-20

[lvr181]

So true about the "colours". I am thinking that the State Elites are not going to give up power without a 'fight'.

 

"Since the coup, he said the junta had not just fixed immediate issues, but come up with strategies to drive the country into the future." Into the Juntas future  

By the man who proclaimed to all and sundry in 2015: "Democracy will never die from Thailand because I am a democratic soldier but I stay in power because I want democracy to survive” - General Prayuth Chan-O-Cha.

 

Many must now be asking "What democracy"? Or "Whose version of democracy"?

[mtls2005]

I would expect this chap will be "invited" to an attitude adjustment (are they still calling it that?) session in short order.

 

[lvr181]

5 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

I would expect this chap will be "invited" to an attitude adjustment (are they still calling it that?) session in short order.

 

Hope not, but too late - he has gotten his message out. 

[Srikcir]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

the junta has attempted to challenge society, politicians in particular, whether they can come up with better offers in terms of |ideologies and plans to lead the country “as grand as” the junta’s.

That suggests the junta has some capacity to accept ideological change in governance that doesn't place the junta and its political alliances in control of the Thai society. They don't.

 

The so-called State Elites (what I'd call the Deep State) has no intention of relinquishing control to the uncontrollable and unpredictable politics of a majority democratic polity. Immediate evidence is the strictly authoritarian 2017 Constitution, resetting of so-called Constitutional Organizations, the political party election system, resetting Elite-stacked government bureaucracy and passing authoritarian organic laws that all serve to reinforce the State Elite.

 

The Prayut junta isn't a kinder and gentler military cabal. It is dead serious about never being challenged in its capacity to control the wealth and power of the Thai people and coups every almost four years proves their repeated determination. Thai society under Thailand 4.0 and Pracha Rat is not an evolution to a better (shall we say "democratic") society but a return to a more feudal state.

[yellowboat]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

People’s Party members who led the revolution in 1932.

Plaque ?

[stephen tracy]

4 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

I would expect this chap will be "invited" to an attitude adjustment (are they still calling it that?) session in short order.

 

I read something a few days ago where some guy was "summoned" by the army, but some army spokesman told people not to call it attitude adjustment as he was just summoned for a chat... It made me wonder if you can now get summoned for attitude adjustment for saying attitude adjustment. 

[Guest Jerry787]

there is no colors, red or green or what ever color.... but not only on the Kingdom, also in europe or USA, isis, white racist, muslim against western world, are simply brain washing propaganda for a much broader economic agenda.

there are strong economic powers fighting each other and using mass of population as mercenaries to clash, often great majority of such larges masses of people doesn't even guess they are used as pawns at the will and merci of who own such economic powers.

Edited June 20, 2017 by Jerry787

[Bluespunk]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

Political crisis ‘is a clash of regimes, not colour groups’

It's neither.

 

It's an ability to accept an opposing point view, caused by a realisation that there is no justice system to back you up if a group decides to rule in their favour rather than according to the constitution of the month.

[lvr181]

3 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

It's neither.

 

It's an ability to accept an opposing point view, caused by a realisation that there is no justice system to back you up if a group decides to rule in their favour rather than according to the constitution of the month.

Nice words but the military is not going to let go off its power anytime soon, despite all the streams of propaganda and procrastination (all for the happiness of Thai peoples) from them. As I have said before, Egypt had a military coup and within 12 months held free elections. Anyone wonder why it has not happened here? It is one of the golden rules - he who has the gold, rules. I rest my case.

[stephen tracy]

20 minutes ago, lvr181 said:

Nice words but the military is not going to let go off its power anytime soon, despite all the streams of propaganda and procrastination (all for the happiness of Thai peoples) from them. As I have said before, Egypt had a military coup and within 12 months held free elections. Anyone wonder why it has not happened here? It is one of the golden rules - he who has the gold, rules. I rest my case.

I wholeheartedly agree with having an election and getting rid of the maniac known as Prayuth, but Egypt was a bad example to use. Sure, they had an election after a year, and then they had another coup because elected president started behaving like a religious dictator. 

[fasteddie]

5 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

I will sum it up in one word what it is all about.

 

Money.

Not at all, it's power.

[lvr181]

12 hours ago, stephen tracy said:

I wholeheartedly agree with having an election and getting rid of the maniac known as Prayuth, but Egypt was a bad example to use. Sure, they had an election after a year, and then they had another coup because elected president started behaving like a religious dictator. 

At least they gave it a go and I don't see that happening here anytime soon.