PM’s sentiment in song worth honouring

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has come up with a new song, offering it as a New Year gift to the people. “Proh Ther Kue Prathet Thai” (“Because You are Thailand”) follows on the heels of “Returning Happiness to Thailand”, the tune Prayut composed soon after seizing power in a coup in May last year. 

Opponents of the junta have been quick to dismiss this latest effort as propaganda. While their criticism is well taken, the song does stand up to scrutiny. It entails a fundamental and heartfelt love of the homeland that even Prayut’s harshest critics cannot ignore.

“You are what I believe in,” he sings. “I love you more than anything else. Because you are Thailand, I will never allow anyone to destroy you. 

“With only my two hands and life, the force is not enough to realise the dream. We have to work together and the success will get closer, for a Thailand of everyone.”

In our complex modern society, it is often difficult to tell the heroes from the villains. Political hopefuls might extol the fairness of democracy while campaigning, only to become corrupt, authoritarian and condoning of political violence once elected. Meanwhile military coup-maker might crack down on civil liberties, but then turn out to be sincere in their efforts to maintain order and protect the national interest.

We have yet to establish clearly what kind of leader General Prayut is, but he still has time to prove his worth. He has at times taken actions that indicate genuine good intentions, and he is deserving of credit for ending the political unrest that was threatening to explode into deadly armed conflict. 

It is regrettable that averting the violence came down to staging a coup and ousting a properly elected government. But it is frightening to consider what might have occurred without that coup. Our country might well have ended up torn asunder like Syria, Libya and Iraq. We might have been entering the New Year engulfed in warfare.

Given that the lesser of two evils was chosen for us, by the military, we should now, however grudgingly, allow Prayut and his regime moral support. In lieu of “encouragement”, we must prod them as necessary to tackle the problems left unsolved by their predecessors in power as the country prepares to return to democratic rule.

Prayut has promised to cede the reins of power to an elected civilian government, in line with the political road map mooted soon after the coup. He knows he is being watched closely lest this pledge be forgotten or suspended. He also knows the clock is ticking.

In the meantime we must all address the important question of whether it will be a genuine democracy to which we return. True democracy requires rule by and for the people, either directly or indirectly through their elected representatives. That authenticity, that purity, erodes when those who aspire to power can buy the people’s votes. Having cheated, they can only represent an electorate of cheaters. The end result is not democracy but a purchased monopoly on authority. 

When we vote next time, it must be free of the shackles of greed and corruption. As Prayut sings, no one citizen can make things better for Thailand. Everyone needs to 

contribute.