France not a good example of democracy, says Kraisak
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FORMER senator Kraisak Choonhavan yesterday criticised Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam for his remark that Article 44 was inspired by France, saying France was not a good example of democracy.
“France used this kind of law to crack down on countries during its colonial rule before World War II. The country is not a good example of democracy,’’ he said.
Kraisak, who is an adviser to the National Human Rights Commission panel on civil rights and political rights, said the Prayut government has given itself too much power by replacing martial law with Article 44, which still violates human rights.
“The Criminal Code and security laws are enough to ensure peace and order in the country,’’ he said.
He disapproved of the move to try civilians in military courts, which are meant to try soldiers who commit crimes and disciplinary offences.
“Sending offenders of the lese majeste law to military courts is not right. They are writers and political activists and not insurgents who use war weapons,’’ he said.
The Prayut government has faced criticism from international organisations, especially the European Union and the Unites States after it replaced martial law with Article 44.
Kraisak said that criticism of Article 44 by foreign countries was based on fears that the government may cancel agreements on trade and investment. “Foreign countries look at business and investment. They scrutinise the laws that we enforce in terms of how much they can reap benefit from our country,’’ he said.
Kraisak said Prayut would not be able to escape criticism abroad as he believed that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra had hired influential lobbyists in the US to pressure the Thai government.
He denied that he has proposed the Thai government to hire lobbyists to counter Thaksin’s move.
Only if the Prayut government enforces Article 44 in the interest of the public such as cracking down on officials who intimidate general public will negative comments be reduced, he said.
“I do not believe this group of junta has this ideology, unlike the military in the era of Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, which extended an apology to people in the South to achieve national reconciliation,’’ he said.
