Yingluck praises reds for 'protecting democracy"

Thailand has experienced many coups against the will of the people, so when a government is created using democratic means, it needs to be made sustainable, she said.
The best way to preserve democracy would be to empower the people to value and participate in the process of democracy, which has made it possible for an election to take place.
“When people participate, they feel that they own democracy and can cherish the values. And when this democracy is overthrown or abused, people will rise up to defend it. This is what happened in Thailand in 2010,” she said in a prepared speech at the forum.
“But this came with a cost. Families lost their loved ones, and there was suffering for the injured. I was just in a session with mothers and daughters of the people who participated in the 2010 protests and lost their lives. I was saddened and I am determined to make sure that this will not happen again.”
Initiated by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2008, this annual forum is meant to promote cooperation and exchange views and experiences on politics and democracy among countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
The forum was attended by several heavyweights among world leaders, including Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Yingluck told the forum that though her party held the majority in Parliament, she would listen to all stakeholders.
“I understand fully that for a democracy to be resilient, freedom of speech and respect for diversity of opinions must exist,” she said, adding that her government was committed to promoting equal opportunities for all people.
“Creating opportunities for people on an equal basis ensures that we all can take part in the country’s economic progress and development,” she said.