Speaking at an event to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the people's revolt against military-appointed premier Gen Suchinda Kraprayoon, Charnvit said that the Bloody May crackdown by the military, in which 44 people died and more than 30 went missing, was a "state crime". "The struggle for democracy is a destiny of the world that we cannot avoid. Thailand has been on the path toward democracy since 95 years ago, when a failed revolt took place to try to establish democratic rule. And the May uprising is in that context too," he said, referring to the 1912 failed attempt led by a group of young military officers during the reign of Rama VI.

"Fifteen years ago, I didn't expect that a commemoration of the May uprising would entail anti-coup activities," he said at the event, which was organised by a new alliance of 22 organisations opposed to the coup and the junta-sponsored constitution called "People's United Front Against Coup". "I believe that before the September 19 [2006] coup, many thought coup d'etats were a thing of the past and a topic for old scholars like myself to study. Fifteen years after the [May uprising], Thai academics thought that Thai democracy was foremost among their Southeast Asian neighbours. But we scholars were mistaken on several matters," he said.

Charnvit said many past political revolts had ended in some form of compromise and did not lead towards real change. The September 19 coup was driven by fear of Thaksin Shinawatra, "but they didn't know what to do afterwards", he said.

He said the current military junta faced a new technology that could challenge their grip on power which was more advanced than the mobile phones intrumental in the May uprising.

"Right now, I can't see any development as far-reaching as the existence of the Internet. The government can't close it down, even if they have the power to shut some sites and others elect to censor themselves," he said, as the Council for National Security launched a crackdown against three community radio broadcasters who received phone calls from Thaksin on Wednesday.

Thammasat economist Pichit Likhitjitsomboon said people involved in the May uprising but who directly or tacitly supported last year's coup were no longer a force for democracy.

"They are spiritually dead and democratically dead and are now merely following dictators. They're no longer a force for democracy," he told the audience of about 200 people gathered at Thammasat University for the event.

"For the past 14 to 15 years, these people have slowly become part of the right wing establishment…and they are now giving legitimacy to military dictatorship," said Pichit, who is a professed admirer of Thaksin.

The economist said NGOs were upset because, under Thaksin, their rural constituencies disappeared due to his populist polices. They were also very upset when Thaksin called them "poverty traders", he said.

Pichit said the dividing up of the cake of vested interests - with NGOs as one of the beneficiaries - was a natural consequence of the coup.

He named people like Chula-longkorn University sociologist Surichai Wangeaw and activist Gothom Arya, who were appointed by the junta to the National Legislative Assembly, as being "hypocrites" who benefited themselves while citing people's causes.

Subhatra Bhumiprabhas,

Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation