Ten things General Prayuth should know

You may argue that your rise to the top executive post was hardly unexpected, and that you remain the leader of the National Council for Peace and Order, which can overrule your government anyway. But surely the absence of fireworks to greet your rise must carry more significance than such explanations. NCPO advisers (who could collectively fill a modest-sized stadium) must have told you why so and what to do, but the following is my take. I call it a list of “10 things that Prime Minister Prayuth should know”:

1. Your song is losing its magic touch. Many songs get better with time, but yours is in danger of being used in sarcastic music videos depicting Thailand’s political vicious circle. There are many reasons why, and some are beyond your control – like Thais’ political fickleness and unrivalled impatience. 

But all in all, your song represents your reform pledge, so you’d better be careful. You have taken steps and spelled out your timeframes, but the frequency with which the song is being heard is far greater than the speed of changes. The song may have sounded inspirational and promising at first, but when you keep hearing it while nothing actually happens, you may just want someone to turn off the loudspeaker.

2. The “cult figure” trap is wide open. When Thaksin Shinawatra was accused of trying to be everywhere and control everything, it was the start of his downfall(s). Enough said.

3. The historical record is not on your side, and many believe it doesn’t lie. You have become the 11th Thai prime minister to be deemed a “coup-installed” chief executive. The successes of your predecessors have been minimal. And their career paths were more or less the same – from hero to villain. First, “patriotism” keeps public scepticism at bay, but then charges of opportunism creep in. The stories ended differently, but none of them as a fairy tale.

4. Your non-political moves have been fine. The strong public approval rating you have received had to do with cleaning up the beaches and getting tough with traffic offenders. The trick is how to keep them non-political while every one of your political acts is making the Thai public increasingly edgy.

5. The buzz you hear is the power of “viral” opinion. And that power can turn military guns into toys. You can laugh at the speed with which Thais of all ages and careers have embraced the ice bucket challenge, or you can be very afraid. That power, when added to Thais’ fickleness and impatience, can be a good politician’s nightmare. Where bad politicians are concerned, it can be the lowest hell.

6. Nobody overstays his or her welcome. This saying was coined before “viral power” even existed, and the phrase didn’t take into account the Thai people’s fickleness and impatience. As things stand, you remain fairly welcome, but the house owner is paying closer attention to his extra guests and the volume of their music.

You don’t have to look too far back in Thai history to see what happens when political leaders refuse the request “Please leave”, uttered by a significant number of people.

7. Thais want you to make democracy better. This is a far cry from wanting you as long-term leader. From your song, it seems you appreciate this truth, but it’s worth reminding you anyway. Nothing is the equal of democracy, provided its checks and balances are effective, transparency is the norm and accountability is prerequisite.

Here’s one analogy: Your car breaks down and you take it to a mechanic. He fixes a few vital components and promises some long-lasting solutions. He drives it around just to make sure the repair is okay. You feel assured initially, right? But what if the mechanic keeps on driving and driving for weeks and weeks while the car keeps sputtering and you start to wonder who owns it, let alone whether it will ever be permanently fixed?

General Prayuth, you are that mechanic, who has asked to take the wheel temporarily.

8. Corruption will be destruction.

9. Corruption will be destruction, and nobody can say that often enough. Heed the calls for declaration of assets.

10. NEVER EVER launch a “high-profile” amnesty programme. Don’t even think about it. By “high-profile”, I mean one covering key political figures. If you feel compelled to go anywhere near an amnesty, make absolutely sure it benefits only the man on the street. Pardoning big names should be avoided like the plague.

You will hear this argument: If Prayuth doesn’t do it, who will? If not now, when?

Well, ignore that. It’s a trap. If the temptation or pressure becomes too strong, go back and listen to your song. You promised peace, right? A high-profile amnesty will bring about anything but. And if you remain unconvinced, just remember that it was an out-of-control amnesty programme which brought you here.