Time to bring curtain down on coup diplomacy

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s government should end its policy of forcing Thai envoys to justify the May 22 military coup to foreign powers.

The junta, the Cabinet, the National Legislative Assembly, the National Reform Council, the armed forces and other national agencies should instead be focusing on reforms that pave the way to democracy and reconciliation.

During their visit to Italy last week for the Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem), Prime Minister Prayut and his foreign minister Tanasak Patimapragorn pressured Thai ambassadors stationed across Europe to defend the coup. 

Basic Thai government policy towards countries in the West as declared in the National Legislative Assembly is simply to maintain good relations. But General Prayut and General Tanasak prioritised the need for their envoys to explain political developments in Thailand.

“Explain” here means legitimise the coup and seek approval for it from countries in the West.

The Thai leadership had been dismayed at the reaction to their military intervention among European countries, notably those in the European Union (EU), who strongly criticised the power seizure. The EU has frozen several areas of cooperation with Thailand, though diplomatic relations are normal.

Prayut wants to see “business as usual” with the EU, while the latter is not comfortable with the military regime and wants to resume cooperation only when Thailand returns to democracy.

As such it is a waste of national resources to have Thai diplomats seek to justify the coup. Prayut’s intervention was no different in essence than the previous coup in 2006 – and this is reflected by the almost identical response to both from the EU. Countries in the West have rightly judged that this Thai coup, like its predecessors, destroyed democracy and the rule of law and violated basic rights. 

Thai diplomats are therefore wasting their time in seeking to convince the international community that this coup was enforced in good faith to break a violent political impasse. The world is already convinced that the military came out simply to help anti-government protesters topple the Pheu Thai-led administration. Painting the Thai military as an honest political broker will not change this perception. Thai diplomats have tried hard to do so over the past few months, but failed: The stance of European leaders has not shifted. This was reflected in events at last week’s Asem, where Prayut secured formal bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Asia but failed in attempts to get European leaders to listen to his account of events surrounding the coup. British Premier David Cameron did agree to talk to his Thai counterpart, but only to express grave concern over the investigation into the murder of two British tourists on Koh Tao.

Thailand’s guidelines for diplomatic engagement must now be adjusted. What Thai diplomats need to do is to tell the world what actions the junta is taking then listen to opinions from abroad on whether those actions are right or wrong.

The democracy that this military-dominated government claims to be championing is defined by universal values and norms. Human rights, the rule of law and freedom of expression are fundamental components. A country that claims to be building or restoring democratic rule should prove openly that it is committed to those principles in its reform process.

Since the May coup, Thai politics has drawn comment from many countries. Whether from the East or the West, most have confined their statements to concern over rights, the rule of law and basic freedoms in Thailand. None has insisted that Thailand change its form of government to match theirs.

The government and the Foreign Ministry cannot justify the coup to foreigners unless authorities at home respect the people’s freedom of expression, allow inclusive political reform and lift martial law.

It is ridiculous to have Thai diplomats tell the international community that Thailand is returning to democracy and respects rights and freedoms, while at the same time the military is waging a campaign to gag academic speech and threaten political activists with legal action.