FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
nationthailand

The reasons why Shinawatras couldn’t be left to rule

The reasons why Shinawatras couldn’t be left to rule

Re: “If Shinawatras had been left to rule”, Burning Issue, May 25.

I read Kasamakorn Chanwanpen’s column with interest and have the following comments to make.
First, the junta did not overthrow an elected government. There was no government at the time, since Yingluck had dissolved Parliament. You talk of political violence prior to the coup and yet the violence was in fact orchestrated by those in power at the time and resulted in the killing of 24 innocent people and injuries to more than 1,000. Where were the champions of human rights at the time? Not a word of condemnation. On the other side of the spectrum, neither the Democrats nor Suthep Thaugsuban and his people were involved in any such activity. 
In order to be fair, one has to study the reasons underlying General Prayut’s decision to intervene to bring normalcy to a situation that had become anarchic. 
Massive corruption on a scale unprecedented in Thai history was behind the rice-scheme fiasco, whereby those in power looted the country. Coupled with government nepotism and blatant disregard for the opposition in Parliament, these were surely compelling reasons to get rid of the oppressive regime. And yet none of this was mentioned in the column. The media have to offer objective views by presenting both sides of picture. In my opinion, which is shared by millions in this country, the armed forces had no choice but to intervene and were right to do so.
Democracy does not begin and end with casting a ballot. There has to be accountability. 
Sathit Sehgal
 
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