A matter of justice and faith

TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015
A matter of justice and faith

Yingluck Shinawatra arrived at the Supreme Court yesterday to be formally indicted on a criminal charge of gross negligence in the performance of her duty as prime minister.

As I watched her arrival on television, a sense of profound sadness descended on me. Here is a woman who once commanded the highest seat of government but is now reduced to being treated as a crime suspect with one foot already in the prison cell. Less than three years ago she was triumphantly riding into office on the back of a landslide election win. To be cast so quickly into the abyss from such a height is a rare thing in Thai political history.

The sorry fact is that it wasn’t totally her fault. Had her brother Thaksin been able to resist meddling in Thai affairs and using his sister as a surrogate, Yingluck would probably still be in office today. Be that as it may, I pray that Yingluck gets a fair trial, that history is kind to her, and that all Thais can once again have faith in authority.
Prachyadavi Tavedikul