We never demand accountability from our leaders

If she resigns, it should be because she failed to prepare for and control the waters, for example, by using a water management plan from Thaksin’s or Abhisit’s tenures, rather than being taken completely by surprise. She says that she will not resign because the people elected her. If that logic held true, no elected official in the world should resign, including, say, US President Nixon, Japanese PM Kan, Greek PM Papandreous or Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi. What does she know about democracy that these leaders don’t?

But do we really want her to resign? 

First, who from the Pheu Thai would replace her? Do you, dear reader, really want DPM Chalerm Yoobamrung or MP Jatuporn Promphan as prime minister? Or is PM Yingluck the humble best of the lot?

Second, if you, dear reader, voted for her, did she deceive you in any way while seeking your vote? Surely you knew from the start that she had no experience in running anything larger than the company owned by her brother. Even her own party advertised, “Thaksin thinks – Pheu Thai acts” – not “Yingluck thinks….” If she was straightforward with you, aren’t you getting what you voted for?

Third, Thai voters don’t demand accountability from their leaders. Look at then-Deputy PM Suthep Thaugsuban after the 2009 Asean Summit fiasco at Pattaya, then-PM Thaksin after the alleged 2,500 bodies from his anti-drugs war, Thaksin and his generals after Krue Se (32 bodies) and Tak Bai (85 bodies), Abhisit for not vigorously uncovering the truth behind the 92 deaths during the 2010 political unrest, etc. Why should PM Yingluck take the high road, when you, dear reader, are satisfied with the low road?

Before we demand that she resign, you, dear reader, and I should examine ourselves and ask why we demand so little of our leaders, and fix ourselves first. We should also ensure that we won’t be jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok