Economic disparity will led to conflict, academic warns

"Thai society may head towards inevitable conflict," said Pasuk, speaking at a symposium on the future of Thailand marking the 77th anniversary of the end of absolute monarchy, organised at Thammasat University by the Faculty of Liberal Arts.

Pasuk said in Japan, the gap between the combined wealth of the top 20 per cent of population to that of the combined lowest 20 per cent of its population is 3.4 times. In Thailand it's 13 times.

Pasuk urged Thais not to support future military intervention in politics, saying it does more harm than good for Thai democracy. "This issue is something we must recognise. We must try to nurture the parliamentary system and solve problems through a parliamentary framework."

Former Democrat Party leader Banyat Bantattharn said future Thai democracy should be free of corruption and government must be effective.

Banyat criticised the control of business people over Thai politics, saying these groups now demand as much as 20 per cent in kickbacks from mega projects, while corruption once meant a mere 3 to 5 per cent. He also criticised past coup makers for using corruption eradication as a pretext to overthrow government, only to end up being corrupt themselves.

Former Thai Rak Thai deputy leader Chaturon Chaisaeng said numerous coups in the past meant Thai people do not trust constitutionalism. He said the Thai media had played a crucial role in undermining democracy over the past three years.

"Mainstream media energetically supported the process which makes the country undemocratic," he said, in reference to media endorsement of the September 19, 2006 coup and beyond.

Writer Kamsingh Srimork, aka Lao Kamhorm lamented the current situation where his friends now are deeply divided into yellow and red-shirt camps and will not join parties attended by rival shirt members.