Prayut can learn from his own actions in freeing Saudi teen
Re: “The last power these men have over women’: Fate of Saudi teen sheds light on male guardianship laws, “Washington Post, January 12.
For once, PM Prayut got it right in handling Saudi Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun’s flight from her country, releasing the young woman to the care of the UN refugee agency instead of forcing her to return to Saudi Arabia, as happened in the Philippines in 2017, where a young female asylum-seeker was carried screaming into a Riyadh-bound plane. Dina Ali Lasloom has not been heard from since.
PM Prayut has rightfully been praised by other countries, such as Australia, for his actions in this case. He should learn from this episode that to improve Thailand’s standing in the world, he can, and should, give those in Thailand their rights as guaranteed by our Constitution.
Most importantly, the junta should give us rule “of” law – rather than rule “by” law. For example, he should go after Red Bull heir Vorayuth, accused of the hit-and-run killing of a cop, or unearth the provenance of his deputy Prawit’s ultra-luxury watches with the same vigour he displays in chasing down ex-prime minister duo Thaksin and Yingluck.
Burin Kantabutra
