• 
• 

Published on January 12, 2008

 The Governor General, in her Letter, recalled Her Royal Highness' tireless commitment and dedicated service to the welfare of the Thai people and expressed her sincere condolences and deepest sympathy on behalf of the people of Canada.

Canadian Embassy

Bangkok

....................................

Role of the Army serves a useful social function

Re: "Have the soldiers really gone back to barracks?" Opinion, January 10.

Sutichai Yoon suggests that the way to keep in check corrupt politicians and misguided generals is through strengthened public scrutiny and increased respect for the law.

That is all very well as far as it goes. But it has always seemed to me that, unlike France or Britain or America, where there have been political settlements broadly accepted by everyone, sometimes following civil wars, in Thailand the power blocks continue to jockey for supremacy as if there has been no broad agreement about how society should be run or how power should be shared.

The modern democratic settlement is supposed to be the coup against King Prajadhipok in 1932, after which Thailand became a constitutional monarchy; end of story. But the 75 chaotic years since then, including a 20-year period without elections of any sort, two or three world-class dictators, and a few street revolutions surely tell us that the original settlement has actually been thoroughly contested. The historian Wyatt said that Thailand had constitutional government, with the proviso that the government was always more important than the constitution.

For its part, the Thai Army is unlikely to remain in its barracks with appeals to professionalism. From one perspective the Army can be seen as a progressive institution - for much of the last century, in a period when universities were closed to almost everyone, and business was monopolised by Chinese families, the Army offered ordinary boys an education and a career path that could lead to public distinction, business participation, even political office. This was surely an important social role and over many years has created a special culture that needs to be understood. The Thai Army is not identical with the Thai State, unlike in Burma, where the Tatmadaw's role has been absolutely pivotal in the last 60 years - but it has been too central an institution to be told it is not longer needed and should please return to its room.

Finally, developed democracies are not entirely immune to coups if the level of social unrest is high enough - France came quite near one in the 1968 student riots, and there have long been rumours about coup planning during the 1984-1985 miners' strike in Britain.

Richard Sproat

Bangkok

....................................

Democrat leader must not throw in the towel

I read with dismay your report that Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva has urged a member of his party, Chaiwat Sinsuwong, to withdraw complaints filed with the Supreme Court to consider some irregularities that might have occurred in the December 23 general election. But Chaiwat, also according to your report, has refused to obey the "plea" and has instead gone ahead with his complaint, scheduled to be heard on Tuesday.

Abhisit reportedly gave his reason for the request because Chaiwat did not have the party's consent. Furthermore, he was reported as saying the Democrat Party did not want to be the one that sought to nullify the result of the election. Instead, according to other sources, the Democrat Party would like to see the opening of a new Parliament as soon as possible.

Abhisit's magnanimity in this regard will of course not go unnoticed, and is likely to be exploited by the other side, which stands to lose everything if the Supreme Court should decide that massive fraud was indeed committed during the December election. After all, some 40 cases of suspected irregularities are still before the Election Commission to date. The sheer number of these cases (previously 85) alone suggests that there is no smoke without fire, and all of us who voted in the last election have - and must demand - the right to find out.

After all, even if Chaiwat backed down, the Democrat Party cannot force other entities such as the Election Commission to withdraw their parallel complaints, which, if proved true, could nullify the election results in whole or in part. While noble in intention, or so it seems, Abhisit and the Democrat Party have yet to concede the election, or the right to form a government if the People Power Party fails to do so. If Parliament is to be in session too hastily, not only would the clouds not be lifted but Abhisit would have known that the only option available for him and his party is to be the main opposition.

I voted for the Democrats and I do not mind the PPP assuming power if it can be proved beyond doubt that they earned it. If Abhisit and the Democrat Party want to throw in the towel, so be it. But the people should not - and will not.

Prachyadavi Tavedikul

Bangkok

....................................

Take away their toys; start psycho testing

The disconcerting number of violent incidents involving police officers, not necessarily acting in the strict line of duty, prompts two simple questions. First, are officers required to hand in their firearms at the end of each turn of duty? Second, is any psychological screening or testing carried out to determine an individual's ongoing suitability to be issued with lethal weapons?

Chris Jeffery

Bangkok

....................................

Dissolve the PPP; annul the election - now

If the People Power Party, which won the December 23 general election, is the reincarnation of the Thai Rak Thai Party, which was dissolved by the Constitution Tribunal on May 30 last year, and its leader Samak Sundaravej is the nominee of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, as he has repeatedly claimed, then surely this party should also be dissolved and the election results annulled.

Edward Duhigg

Bangkok

Send us your views in an instant

E-mail your opinion, with 'Letters to

the Editor' in the subject box, to:

letters@nationgroup.com

The Nation