Referee needed to lessen conflict, bring reconciliation

Political problems haven't changed. We have problems of confrontation and basic problems that haven't been solved.

Basic problems are the same, including democracy, people's freedom, rights and equality. These are worrying as people would think a constitution is a magic ball that can solve all problems.

Confrontation needs to be solved first. Now we have four important confrontation problems, including national reconciliation and conflicts in the South. Poverty is a problem that if we leave it like this, it will turn to starvation and cause social problems. Another problem is international confidence in Thailand as well as disputes with our neighbours.

These four problems need immediate resolution. People have talked a lot about them but did not explain how to solve them.

For 75 years of our democracy, what we could do is create 17 or 18 constitutions, but we are still in the cycle. When a constitution was drafted, we looked ahead to an election. After that, the constitution was ripped up again, then the constitution drafting, then election, then military coup again and again, like this for 75 years. This is very important.

The process to solve the country's problems is not just gathering people, registering for a political party, finding good things to write as policies then going for an election before forming a government. We can't do that any more.

The process must start with knowing the problems and making them clear. Then we start setting a direction to solve problems, including strategies, policies, working plans, projects that are coherent with the problems.

We have to look at what we need, what organisations we need. These lead to political reform and government system reform.

We have to start at the confrontation problems. They are the most important problems - we can't solve others if we can't solve these problems. The first two, national unity and conflicts in the South, should be solved overnight.

We have to see what reconciliation is. Some people don't know how to create reconciliation. It is an opposite to conflict. Sometimes when we look at the reconciliation angle, it looks hard, but if we look at it from an angle of conflicts, we can see it easier to solve.

In conclusion, we should solve conflicts or conflicting opinions or differences among organisations or groups in this country. Today if we still have lots of the poor, few middle-class people and a group of the rich, it's the most important conflict in society.

For example, Thaksin [Shinawatra, ousted prime minister]. He was questioned why a politician like him had lots of money. He might have earned it honestly but people would have thought why he was so different from those who are poor. This is conflict.

So, to solve conflict, we have to create a society that people dominate. How can we prevent injustice? How to make people equal in terms of freedom and dignity?

If we can't solve this problem, it will turn into a war of classes, which is terrifying.

We can scope in the problems, stressing problems that interest people. The poor said they can hold on for some more time as they have long been poor. But they want to ask leaders to stop quarrelling and turn to help people.

Now we have two groups of people: first, those agreeing with the military and second, those who say the first group used a wrong means. This group has been fighting for correctness.

I don't think this group would want to kill or destroy anybody, although the first is a little violent as it announced four policies clearly. It might just announce it, but Thais can't destroy other Thais when they see each other.

The foundation for reconciliation for the two groups is the majority of the 10 million and 14 million people. How to make them turn their faces to each other. I think we've got a chance to solve the problem. If we have only one side trying to clap, it wouldn't succeed. Clapping with one hand can't make a sound. The conflicts will disappear. The highest leader should start this. Forgive and understand each other. I think that's the beauty in our society, as we are administrators.

But if they can't, for any reasons, the other might be able to do that for the sake of the country. Those who were unhappy with the incorrect political system change might sacrifice and be the hero. Great politicians stop clapping hands.

But if nobody is willing to do that and want to fight for another round, that might be possible, but we can't just let the country be like this. For those responsible for the country, the best way is to find a referee. But the referee must have authority. When two countries have conflicts, the referee is the United Nations. It's big. So one idea to solve the conflict is to create a "joint" or a third party, but it must be a strong one as it must be pushed and pulled.

I can't tell right now. But I try to propose ideas to people. We have to help one another. Creating a third party is not easy today. The point is whether they have seen the importance of this or not. If they have and want to join, it's OK. But saying they want to join and the other doesn't or they lack this and that, that's not the way. They must want to join because they see the importance of reconciliation and agree the country needs a solution. In that case, success is not far away.

We haven't really talked seriously. If I'm not wrong, such talk will happen soon. Everybody is quite ready to set a direction. Somebody might stand up and do something to manage this. It might be me or anybody called an expired medicine.

It depends on who they do that for - for themselves or for the country. If it's for the country, they would be willing to die for it to save the country, their families, Thai society.

It might sound ridiculous but people who do this might have to pray all night before making a step. But they must do it for the country as it's a duty, nobility.

We can't compare doing for oneself and for one's party with that. It's sacrificing, saving the country first and quarrelling later. We'll see.