Democracy is Great, Don't You Think?

This past week, the Thai government has been engaging in serious press relations. Prime Minister Abhisit is traveling, speaking, and interviewing; hoping to get a spot on some international special showing everyone that Thailand is a safe travel destination.

Just last week, he survived a 'no confidence' vote in the Parliament, and then went on to press conferences and an Asian tour to assure us (foreigners) that Thailand is indeed kind and welcoming. Kind and welcoming, that is, for the people that agree with the government :-P.

Over the past month, police and military have been making arrests and detaining suspected 'terrorists.' These people are usually those who have voiced opposition to the current government's legitimacy. Activists, professors, and foreigners (an Australian and a Brit) have been rounded up by government security officials and charged with 'terrorism,' 'violating the emergency decree,' or 'inciting violence.'

I'm not sure how some Chulalangkorn professors or others were committing the above acts, but it seems many are held for questioning in a small city (Saraburi) about an hour outside of Bangkok. The government doesn't seem to have many answers for the reasoning behind the detentions, but it does seem that everyone being held was -- in some way, shape, or form --critical of the current regime.

Again, I am not Thai, and thus cannot fully understand the ways of government here. I can tell you though that it's not a good time to dissent right now. If you disagree, jail might be coming.

Just yesterday, the government seemed to invoke the emergency decree against a group of disabled people lobbying for an allotment of lottery tickets (why they need to sell lottery tickets, I don't know). Looks like the dissenters were charged with violating the emergency decree, and chased in to a canal prior to getting away. :-P I'm not making it up: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/38397/police-break-up-lottery-protest

For his part, the Prime Minister continues to extol the virtues of democracy. I caught one interview he did with Al Jazeera. "Everyone," he said "must abide by the law," and "follow the mandates of the legal process." In his opinion, that is the only way forward in this country.

Of course, I can get it, but I'm wondering what the law really is these days?

It gets kind of difficult to figure out what really is inciting violence, a violation of the emergency decree, or the definition of a "terrorist" (a catch-all statute?). I can tell you this, if you were somehow linked to red-shirt leadership, you are probably guilty of one, if not all of them.

Yeah it is great for everyone to follow the law, especially when you're the one making it. Lol, that's why I'm a teacher :-P!

Thinking back to the interviews, I am always interested to hear the Prime Minister's spin of events leading to the deadly clashes in April and May. He is quite talented, skillfully explaining a carefully scripted story that reflects positively on his government in calm and cool terms. Everything sounds so righteous and tolerant to me, the outsider.

He even agreed to take responsibility for any fault found in the government's handling of the protestors these past two months. An independent panel will be created, says the democratic leader, and that panel will be able to examine all events during, and leading up to, the deadly clashes in April and May. The Prime Minister says that he and his ministry are fully prepared to 'take responsibility' for any missteps the panel uncovers. It will begin work, he said, once the government chooses the timing, direction, and leadership of this investigative committee :-P.

Democracy really is cool :-P.

This might be an inflammatory analogy, but what if we were to charge George W. Bush with a war crime and then allowed him to appoint his own committee to investigate? If I were charged with a crime, I would also like to appoint my own judge and jury. I wonder if the Prime Minister will permit those charged with acts against the State to appoint their own committees to see if they were in fact guilty of the crime....

A couple days ago, Mr. Abhisit took the initiative and appointed his own panel's chief: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/180616/khanit-burdens :-). It will be interesting to see what the panel finds.