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Published on November 10, 2007

"They're old, outdated and not suited to democracy," said Surachai Sirikrai of Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Political Science.

Surachai, speaking at a conference organised by the King Prajadhipok Institute, said many cultural traits needed to be developed to nurture democracy in Thailand, including tolerance for differing views, the development of self-expression, respect for the majority view and action opposing dictatorial rule.

"Seventy five years of Thai democracy has been a total failure. We've had more than 20 coups and on average a regime change through a coup d'état every three or four years. We've had 17 charters, and the most expensive charter so far cost Bt3 billion to Bt4 billion, and it will be gone soon. It's a waste of money."

Surachai said the fact

that 70 per cent of people

told a poll they could ac-

cept a corrupt regime as long as they benefited from it was a troubling sign for Thai democracy.

Another poll revealed that 90 per cent of Thais were more interested in making money than democracy.

Thammasat University political scientist Kasien Techapira told the conference yesterday that Thailand was caught between old and new values, which led to a limited moral life, making morality a personal and not a political issue.

He added that both generals and politicians often cited the institution of the monarchy to justify their power.

However, Kasien said the "royal hegemony" over Thai public morality made whole what was fragmentary about the issue, made coherent what was otherwise incoherent and re-established moral order where there had been moral disorientation, confusion and chaos.

Pravit Rojanaphruk

 The Nation