Thais, stand up for yourselves
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Since Thailand switched to a constitutional monarchy in 1932, we have had 17 coups; not bad, compared to Comoros, a tiny island nation in the Indian Ocean, which has experienced 20 coups since 1975.
Why is a coup the norm in Thailand? I think it is because the majority of Thai people don’t stand up for their rights. For example, Thais don’t stand up to motorcyclists who run them off footpaths. Thais don’t stand up to bars playing ear-shattering music at three in the morning, or construction companies hammering piles late at night. Thais say nothing when someone cuts in front of them in a waiting line. (Try riding a motorcycle on footpath or jumping a queue in the US and see what happens.) Thais acquiesced when the military overthrew the government they voted for.
After the 2006 coup, coup supporters revelled in the streets, exuberantly bringing flowers to soldiers, while opponents, significantly outnumbering the supporters, buried their heads in the sand.
The problem with Thailand is that the majority don’t stand up for their rights; they are willing to be harassed by the minority. It’s no wonder a retired soldier thinks he can kick out the government at will.
Somsak Pola
Samut Prakan
