'Democracy is more than polls'
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PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha has said he wished Thais could understand the real essence of democracy - not have a superficial grasp of what it means.
Prayut voiced his sentiment in his column “From the heart of the Prime Minister”, published in the second issue of the government’s newsletter. Over 60,000 copies were released around the country on Friday by the Department of Public Relations.
“Over the past one year, the government and myself often hear likewise questions: When Thailand will be democratic and when the general election will be held? This question is based on the belief that the two things are cause and effect of one another. As if when there is an election, then that is democracy,” he said.
True democracy, he said, was actually based on four principles: justice, equality, freedom and representation. “If a government cannot rule under these four principles, it can’t be regarded as ruling with democracy. If there is only an election and lack other three principles, we are still far from democracy.
“I want people to realise that is a core which is just skin deep, and I do not wish people to think that this government does not want elections,” he said.
