Respect my vote' not as vital as 'Respect the law'
'One reads from a professor of political science about defending Thailand's democratic process and democracy. Yingluck Shinawatra says she wants to return justice and democracy to Thailand.
Neither states to which period of democracy they refer. One can only assume they mean the period immediately preceding the last coup d’etat. That was the time when rocket-propelled grenades, bombs and rifles were used to support the then incumbent government under the control of Ms Yingluck.
It was the time when government supporters paraded placards with the message, “Respect my vote”. Therein lies the root of Thailand’s continuing ills – the vote.
Since 1932, the vote in itself has been misconceived as constituting democracy. It was the only principle of democracy introduced.
Over the years the right to vote has produced 19 coup d’etat, totally undemocratic regimes and a partisan police force. The right to vote has caused disunity in the country, reducing it to a failed state and near civil war prior to the current state of martial law.
Democracy itself is an apolitical framework of principles within which political parties work and to which they are subject.
It imposes constraints such as accountability for all under the law. All major institutions must be institutionally apolitical, thereby preventing military coups, a rogue judiciary and a partisan police force. Had only these two principles been established, Thailand’s history would have been quite different. It would now be a relatively stable country, free from martial law.
When the placards read “Respect the law”, Thailand will be well on the way to real democracy.
JC Wilcox
Bangkok
