One law for the Army.
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I used to think that the rule of law, Thai-style, meant one set of laws for the military and another for lowly civilians. I stand corrected, for I see that there's one for generals, a second for privates, and a third for us lowly civilians.
How so? Two army privates have been charged with the rape of a 16-year-old Muslim girl and circulating a video of their act via mobile phone. Army commander General Prayuth Chan-ocha said the Army has already disciplined the two suspects, working so quickly that protestors didn’t even know when the defendants’ courts-martial were – or were the suspects subjected to extra-judicial punishment, without benefit of an open court- martial? Compare that speed to the cases from Krue Se (32 bodies) and Tak Bai (73 bodies), where charges haven’t even been laid against the generals in charge despite almost eight years having passed. Compare that to the case of General Surayud squatting on a national preserve, yet getting away with merely removing his house, without any courtmartial, fine or jail. If civilians had done the killing, or squatting, do you think that they’d have gotten away so lightly?
PM Yingluck, “You shall do no injustice in judgement; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbour” (Moses). Or, as His Majesty wisely noted: “If the country does not follow the rule of law, it will not survive.”
One standard for all, please. Whether military or civilian, general or private, under orders or not, all must be held equally accountable for their actions.
Burin Kantabutra
Bangkok
