The election’s inherent danger

There is a great deal of truth in the idea that political change needs to come from an election. Unfortunately, Thailand has already experienced what happens when political change isn’t allowed to occur naturally (1992, 2006, 2009-2010, 2014 etc) and it inevitably means the loss of life, injured citizens and damage to the social fabric.
However, as the article correctly points out, there is great danger in participating in an election if it means that the junta receives an undeserved “mandate” that was achieved through cheating. In many ways, that would be worse than no election at all.
Currently, I see the junta cheating to such an extent that I believe the parties need to consider whether or not to participate in the promised election. No one, myself included, ever believed this would be a “free and fair” election, but there is a calculus to be made. Is it “free and fair” enough to take part and have a chance to win? Or is it rigged to a point where participation is, for all intents and purposes, merely an endorsement of continued junta rule?
The parties need to begin speaking out in a louder voice questioning whether or not they are going to participate in the process and put the junta on notice that their participation is not guaranteed. Failure to do so in advance of a process means they can’t complain later.
Samui Bodah

While the content of the article is solid, the choice of wording is poor. The election is the only choice, as the article promotes, but an “only” choice is no choice at all. It is at once the best and worst “choice”. You should have said “inevitable” and left “choice” to the eternal optimists.
Yet Another

If the result of an election is to legitimise the generals’ power over the country, then don’t have it.
Oziex1

I fail to see what a farce election would achieve other than emboldening the very regime that orchestrated said election rigging. I see huge public demonstrations before anything resembling a real election is held.
Z42

The junta is underestimating its unpopularity. I predict a landslide victory for non-junta related parties. Just like Malaysia’s Umno lost so badly it couldn’t manufacture a win.
Dave67
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