Police Box
Front of government offices.
Even this morning, nearly every person I spoke to were very unhappy with what the red shirts have done, they have gone too far most have said. It is sad to see such idiotic destruction.
I had some concerned people write giving me advice to be careful what I write. Yes, my thoughts are strong but they are my thoughts. I have written on the yellow shirts to red shirts and always said that I don’t support either.
I have always said that every person ahs a right to protest, to protest in a right way. What the red and yellow shirts have done is disgraceful. If the red or yellow shirts find my words harsh, then so be it.
I would stand and talk to the red or yellow shirts and ask them what they are doing all this for. For democracy most would say. But what is their idea of democracy.
I know most people are thinking what I wrote; the reds have gone too far. When any protest goes too far, when people get so out of control they need of drastic measures needs to be used to show these people that it won’t be tolerated.
Protest for a month, 6 months, a year or two but do it in the right way. Sit in the park and give your speeches, do street marches legally, don’t hold businesses to ransom and so forth.
I have also written before I understand why the reds are protesting, the current prime minister was elected by the members of parliament, so not by the people. Go ahead and protest but stop the burning and violence.
Brunty
12 comments:
thank you for the photos and commentary. BUT in a parliamentary system the pm is always chosen by parliament - just like in jolly old england. angryirishman
Thanks for this informative post, Jason. Not as brave as you (or is that foolhardy?), I didn't venture out last night but sat at home watching developments on Thai TV and the Web. The pictures that you've posted graphically illustrate the extent of the damage here in Ubon, something I couldn't get hold of in the Thai national press - so congratulations on a scoop there! I've also blogged on this issue over at Buddha Space, and broadly agree with your perspective on these events. Keep up the great reportage, mate!
I have come to the conclusion recently that democracy is not right for Thailand. This is because democracy is a fairly high level concept (for proof of that just see how few countries have it) and requires a mindset and a set of principles which the Thais just do not possess.
For example; fairness, transparency, equal rights, the desire to achieve compromise (not violence), respect for the rule of law, etc All you need to do is read the Facebook comments of pro-government supporters to see that democracy will never work.
I believe that Thai culture, as it stands now, with all it's pretense, avoidance of sensitive issues and lack of understanding, is not a good "match" for democracy. In my opinion, a single-party communist style system would be better.
Brunty, thank you for always staying cool and for your insight into the red/yellow political circus in my country. I've been a secret follower of your blog for a year now. Like you, I'm a Thai expat in the US, studying toward my doctorate in public administration.
It's sad to see things turn out this way in my country. But, I'm absolutely one-hundred-percent certain (as are you) that the courageous Thais will now unite to peacefully mitigate the conflict.
You rightly said those protesters regardless of their colors have no fundamental understanding of democracy, besides the money they receive in each general election. These people turn violent because their patrons can't bear their electoral losses. Well, this idiocy reflects the fundamental flaw in the Westminster and American styles of electoralism where there can only be winners and losers in the political arena. This is an adversarial system prone to violence. I guess the best institutional solution to the problem in Thailand is to follow the Scandinavian model that is based on consensus, not on contest!
Arson, looting, intimidation and anarchy - not to mention murder. This is the true face of these "protesters for democracy". They hold a minutes silence for a rogue Army General who disobeyed his sworn oath and tried to destroy Thailand. Then they murder ordinary soldiers who are acting legally and honourably.
They follow a man (Thaksin) who "raped" Thailand for his families gain. His is a billionaire thief on the run - too scared to return to Thailand for fear of going to jail yet happy to see his followers camp in the street. The irony of him shopping for expensive presents while this is going on has obviously been lost on his sheep!
As for the "angryirishman" - As I recall, your compatriots were murdering British soldiers, blowing civilians apart and kneecapping neighbours.. Dont you dare lecture us about "democracy".
I only hope many of the red shirt supporters now realize that this radicalization has gone way to far, and will do a better choice in the next elections and desist to follow the next such rally going out of control. With now reds and yellows discredited, maybe now finally the neutral on-extremists can work to clean up all the mess created by extremists of both colors.
Very well said. You said what I've been thinking, but said it much better and more concisely than I could have. I appreciate you speaking your mind.
Burning, looting, and killing will only get the wrong kind of attention for a short period of time, but the scarring lasts a lot longer.
Brunty, many thanks for the fantastic photos...you have some excellent (and unique) shots.
Thanks for your informative posts recently and for the dramatic photos. We are currently in UK so your reporting (and Andy's) have kept us up to date with how things are locally. I haven't always agreed with some of your rants but I think you have a very well-balanced take on what has been going on. (By well-balanced, I mean fair and accurate, and not prejuduced.) Thanks again, and keep the reports coming, please.
Angry, yes this is true, elected by the party. Here what I meant is this party was made of ministers who crossed the floor and joined Abhisit’s side (Democrats) so he got the numbers. It was sad but it happened and this is their main problem the reds keep saying. Before the 2nd dissolution of the holding government Abhisit didn’t get anywhere near enough votes to be PM.
G, yes foolhardy I am. I always write what I want to convey, why dance in circle if you can just go straight across, being direct is what I try to be.
Anon, it seems that this is true as since Thailand has tried to be a democratic society it continually fails. I mean politics in our countries are virtually grown up men acting like little kids. The call each other names and babble on for hours while making decent money and stupidly good perks. If we all started to protest like this in our countries when one political party wasn’t liked it would be anarchy. Party’s run their term and then elections hopefully sort them out.
Hi Top, staying cool as most say I am crazy for what I write at times. I don’t know why as they are just my views. I do hope Thailand can pull through this quickly and get this amazing and beautiful country heading the right way again.
Top, I have spoke to many people and they have no views on what a democracy should be but they want it.
Maybe a look at such a system like Scandinavia is something that needs to be implemented but it remains to see what happens in the coming months here in Thailand.
Thanks for dropping by all.
Brunty
Ugghh! All the political protests of the last couple of years are really giving Thailand a bad name here, I'm afraid. A lot of people I talk to who wanted to visit Thailand before are now shying away from the thought because they think it is just another 'banana republic' that is prone to violence. :o(
I would object to the commenter who says that the Thais aren't highminded enough to have a working democracy, though. "fairness, transparency, equal rights, the desire to achieve compromise (not violence), respect for the rule of law, etc", those qualities are in short supply everywhere else, too. A lot of us Americans have been getting anxious with the Tea Party antics here, with its members showing up at town hall meetings and trying to get close to Obama while packing loaded guns... and calling anyone who doesn't agree with their extreme politic a 'socialist' or a 'communist'. And with politicians getting busted left and right mismanaging campaign funds...
Also, Brunty's right about Abhisit not being really democratically elected. It's true that in the Thai system the PM is chosen by parliament (usually the leader of the majority party), but the parliament is supposed to be democratically elected in the first place. As much as I like the guy and think he is doing his best in a very difficult job in a very difficult climate, his ascent to power was decidedly irregular... And it is quite clear that he doesn't stand the chance to win a popular election (like it or not, the poor rural folks outnumber the urban middle-upper class by a lot in Thailand). The Thai system is similar to the English system, but it is not the same.
Thanks for reporting and sharing these photos (as usual), Brunty. :o) Hope things get settled there soon with no more violence!
Brunty,
Based on your opinions and responses to some cyber hooligans, you indeed deserve to be a teacher and I'm thankful that you're a teacher in Thailand. Keep up the good work, Brunty!
Some Americans that I've recently talked to truly believe that democracy and liberalism only belong to Western countries. But, when I asked them to define what they meant by democracy, their answers were just sad. Almost all of them mentioned "election" without even acknowledging the fact that the President of the United States is not elected directly by the people, but by electoral college consisting of delegates appointed by each state's governor.
Regarding Thailand's problems, I and many of my friends--the young generation of Thais and Thai-Chinese--share the same optimism that Thailand will definitely be better than before. As Winston Churchill said, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty; a pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity.
Anybody is entitled to his/her pessimism about my country. But, do not underestimate me and many of my friends. We are a whole bunch of young optimistic Thais who aspire to make our country a better place.
Thanks again for your confidence in my country, Brunty!
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