THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Junta rule is just a transition on the way to democracy

Junta rule is just a transition on the way to democracy

Re: “This junta is no friend of democracy”, Have Your Say, February 6.

Isn’t it strange and out of logic to criticise a military-staged government for lack of democracy, as Michael Weldon and others do over and over again, wasting their energy? Thailand is in a pre-democratic stage – it is not currently democratic. Do you really think the founding fathers of the US and the Western democracies were acting democratically and on a democratic platform before first election were held? Prayut is not a dictator like Franco, who stayed in power for 36 years, until he died, without any thought about democracy. Thailand should be glad it has a soft “dictator” whose proclaimed aim is to make Thailand democratic after previous democracy attempts failed by vote-buying corrupt politicians. I was in Las Palmas in 1974 during the Franco dictatorship and was almost hit by Guardia Civil rubber bullets when they chased Polisario protesters/activists in the streets. 
Stick your finger in the soil and try to grasp some reality and calm down. Prayut’s regime is Sunday School compared with Franco’s and better judged as a transitional government than a dictatorship, just what you will find in all democracies in difficult times.  If nothing happens by early next year, there will be reasons to rise your voices. In the meantime, you seem quite free to criticise. Only honest people can establish true democracy, not self-enriching, vote-buying, corrupt tax “evaders and avoiders”.
A calm democracy supporter

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