More than one peaceful means open to end crisis

Burin Kantabutra is unhappy with the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) demand for Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's resignation because they did not offer any alternative. Actually there are many possible scenarios that may arise from this confrontation. In random order, the first escape valve is for Prime Minister Samak to resign. Second, he could dissolve Parliament and call for general elections. Third, coalition partners could leave the People Power Party to join the Democrat Party before parliamentary dissolution. Fourth, the military could step in to restore order and ensure open, full and fair judicial proceedings against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Which outcome would be most desirable depends on one's perspective.

Burin must admit that the PAD has staying power because they have popular support. They have shown that the Samak administration only wants to whitewash Thaksin. Ithas tried to subvert legal and judicial proceedings, from efforts to amend the Constitution to key transfers of officials to install people friendly to the tycoon. Burin may understand what Thaksin meant when he said, "Democracy is only a means".

Netirat Intira

Bangkok

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PAD protests a vital part of participatory democracy

Burin Kantabutra is wrong when he says that the PAD protest is undemocratic. In a healthy participatory democracy opposition parties in Parliament and out - including public demonstrations and the voices of a free press - are all part of the workings of government. That is why they are supported by the Constitution. It is a mistake to say that the government consists solely of the party elected to power in the legislative branch.

While the party in power is responsible for planning and enacting policies for how the country will be administered, the opposition is responsible for checking them and ensuring that they are competent to carry on that work. For a protest group to call for anyone to stand down is simply part of the normal strategy of opposition. To call legal public demonstrations in opposition to legislative policies "undemocratic" only inflames an important constituency in Thailand's emerging participatory democracy and doesn't advance the argument at all.

The crisis cannot be resolved by talks and compromise. It must have confrontation. But confrontation must be managed within the legal processes of government.

Leaving aside the variance in views for now, in a healthy participatory democracy such confrontation is usually resolved through an independent judiciary (the judicial branch of government) which provides a set of rules and transparent processes for determining which claims are right or wrong. However Thailand has not yet progressed to the point where the country's justice system is respected by all parties. Strong efforts are being made to compromise the court's supreme authority to interpret and enforce the law as the third branch of government. The current crisis will only be resolved once an unfettered and independent judicial process is seen through to its final conclusion.

How I wish that, like the Watergate hearings in the US during the 1970s, our judicial process, the arguments and counter-arguments in the court room, were on show for all the public. Then the Thai people would finally have the opportunity to see their Constitution in action.

Jonathan Peter

Pathum Thani

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British security officials not the only forgetful ones

Recently, I have been amazed at how someone could leave top secret documents on a train in England. That was until yesterday when I managed to leave my valise in a cafe area at the Pratunam EGV cinema. Inside the valise was every original and official document I have earned and collected for the past 50 years: my passport, certificates, diplomas, transcripts, letters of recommendations - everything!

I spent two hours watching a movie only to discover that it was gone when the lights came up. I was frantic, but luckily the EGV cleaner conscientiously had picked it up and turned it in to the lost-and-found.

I found the maid and gave her a small tip. I am chagrined at my absentmindedness and thankful for the honest people at the EGV cinema. Thank you.

Forrest Greenwood

Nakhon Sawan