Leaders on both sides of the Atlantic have been essentially condoning and silently supporting an illegal coup in Thailand.
“Limited bandwidth”, or the express acknowledgement that the attention span of politicians is narrow, has become one of those overused catchphrases that always come out of the mouths of leaders, self-proclaimed experts, or journalists looking to excuse themselves for disregarding stories that are not repetitively featured in the media cycle. However, employing this hypocritical facade instead of exposing the truth about power, the media essentially acts as the catalyst for states’ overreach. When public opinion is left in the dark and unaware of the major abuses conducted either by the U.S. government or by some of America’s “close allies” around the world, the democratic rights to hold leaders to account are suspended. Thailand is one such story.
Since Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha swept to power in May last year after toppling the democratically elected government of Yingluck Shinawatra, Thailand’s democracy, institutions, and checks on executive power have been eroded to a husk with Washington’s silent blessing. Acknowledging yet again that strategic interests trump democratic values and other vacuous commitments to uphold the rule of law, Washington has allowed a general in a Prime Minister’s attire to endow his junta with sweeping powers and stifle internal dissent. Indeed, when a journalist asked if there are limits to his power, Prayuth ruthlessly lashed out “Do you want me to use all of my powers? With my powers, I could shut down all media. . . I could have you shot.”
The general, never a stranger to tongue-in-cheek remarks, said in May 2014 that he seized power to protect Thailand’s democracy and “for society to love and be at peace again”. After imposing martial law, the army backed his comments and insisted that their actions do not amount to a coup because they are actually “peacekeeping operations” to “restore order” until democratic elections are held. However, one year on, the US-backed junta shows no intention of stepping down, having postponed elections by six months until August of next year while intensifying its hold over Thailand.
Ever since, hundreds of political opponents have been detained, media outlets have been banned, and political gatherings and protests outlawed, while those suspected of undermining the government are ordered to undergo “attitude-adjustment” sessions. Deposed Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is on trial for a generous rice subsidy she used to secure the support of farmers, while her brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, is being investigated for hinting in South Korean press that the 2014 coup was organized with the help of councilors of the king. As a result, he has been stripped of his passports and was slapped with a lese-majeste violation, facing up to 10 years in prison if found guilty.
However, the strongest hint that Prayuth’s junta is looking to tighten its grip came in April when the draft constitution was released to the media. If passed by popular referendum, the project would set back Thailand’s democracy considerably. Employing some skillful creative lawmaking and language, the aim of the document is to reduce as much as possible the powers of elected politicians, in a bid to end what the Drafting Committee outrageously called “the parliamentary dictatorship”. Accordingly, half of the members of the Senate would be directly appointed by the government, while the individuals seeking to have their names on the ballot box would be vetted in advance by the army.
Even after democratic elections are held, the generals would retain control over the legislative agenda through a 120-member National Reform Steering Committee, comprising members drawn from the current bodies entrusted by the military to govern the country. A National Moral Assembly would bar from office politicians “of bad character”, meaning “passing laws that ‘establish political popularity’ that could prove detrimental to national economic [interests] or the public in the long run”. The junta-appointed National Reform Council’s pre-election shenanigans and changes to democratic elements of the Constitution is said to be aimed at eliminating any potential political struggle and silencing former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
This time, Washington has coldly used the popular mood to its own advantage. When General Prayuth came to power, Secretary Kerry condemned the coup underlining that the takeover was completely unjustified and would “have negative implications for the US-Thai relationship”. However, after the initial media ruckus died down, things went back to business as usual. This year, Obama told Thailand’s new ambassador that he sees the country as a “partner and ally despite the differences over last year’s coup”. The State Department used similar wording in February, calling Bangkok “a valued friend and ally”. The European Union, for all its soft power, took a similar stance, issuing strongly worded statements last year before falling back to its usual aloof stance.
Hiding behind the cynical trope of “limited bandwidth”, leaders on both sides of the Atlantic have been essentially condoning and silently supporting an illegal coup. This complete lack of interest from both Washington and Brussels has the unwanted effect of strengthening the legitimacy of the junta, who has so far been free to abuse a long-term political system and defang the people of Thailand. This lack of interest exposes once more the hypocrisy of the ‘democratic’ West, always ready for political grandstanding and moral posturing when its strategic interests call for it, but rarely ready to punish friendly authoritarian regimes.
As a resident of Thailand and a long time supporter of our local heroes, the Shinawatras, I’ve come to the conclusion that Western-style democracy is unsuited to a developing nation like Thailand that retains an active monarchy. Since the USA is a faux democracy (as recent Princeton studies proved) it is also ridiculous to urge such an inefficient and self-destructive form of politics on other nations. The overwhelming majority of Thais feel that the present government is doing a better job of running the country, and their opinions deserve respect. This is not a black and white situation at all, and its nuances are completely lost to Western media, unfortunately.
Unsupported statements like “the overwhelming majority of Thais feel that the present government is doing a better job of running the country” are beyond laughable. If such were the case, the current government would submit itself to an election and stop arresting democracy campaigners.
Sorry. I should have provided a link.
Poll backs Prayuth as PM – Thai PBS English News.
Most Thais want Prayuth as PM | Bangkok Post: news
Prayuth tops poll on preferred PM – The Nation
On ‘happiness’ and Thai opinion polls after the military coup – Asian Correspondent
It’s well known now that all of those organizations are pro-royalist and that their methodology is extremely questionable.
Shame on you for supporting a harsh military dictatorship that arrests, tortures, jails and kills democracy activists. Let the Thais decide for themselves.
I seem to recall the USA arresting, torturing, jailing and killing democracy activists all over the world, for decades.
The current Thai authorities do some symbolic arresting, but not much jailing (there are more people in jail for lese majeste than defying the government) and no torturing or killing.
The reason the US mouthpieces are making a fuss of Thailand’s situation (as compared to, say, Ukraine’s or Honduras’) is that the Thais are moving closer to China and away from the US. It’s that simple.
Um, HUNDREDS of pro-democracy activists have been detained so far, and they’ve been forced to signed agreements stating that future activities will lead to long prison sentences and asset seizures. Fourteen students are going to jail just this past weekend. The current PM is shaking his court summons for having ordered the murder of nearly one-hundred UNARMED pro-democracy protestors in 2010.
No one here is defending US actions, so this is a non-issue for this discussion.
It’s a simple matter. If the current junta was genuinely overwhelmingly popular, then they would be able to win a popular election and tolerate the dissent of the small minority. Please stop defending military dictatorships!
You do realize that there is a relationship between the military and the palace that can’t be discussed here, and that’s why hundreds languish in jail for the crime of speaking their minds, right?
And most of them are muslims, no doubt, from the south, who want to take over Thailand, just like they are doing in America right now. I hope americans, who were represented by 9 non elected people, and now made it legal for SSM, realise that this is just one step towards legalising pedophilia, which already next on the card. Americans have lost all their credibility and the American govt appears to be already overthrown by foreign forces, the Americans have just not realised it. So your respect for people to speak their minds, does not exist in America. Those who speak their minds are considered bigots and racists and haters, and are named and shamed by the well funded foreign input and funds. You are just a stupid american. You know nothing. You don’t care about people, and even less about innocent people and children. So shut up, and sort your own backyard out, because it is a real jungle of shit.
http://dcgazette.com/pedophilia-is-natural-and-normal/
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jun/24/nc-lawmaker-pedophilia-is-like-homosexuality/
http://joeforamerica.com/2015/03/margo-kaplan-pedophilia-is-not-a-crime/
You have faith in the voting process. But it has proven, notably in the USA and Egypt, to be merely symbolic. It is not democratic in itself and does not in itself, lead to good outcomes. Voting in a 1 party (capitalist) state like the USA or Egypt, makes no difference. This has been proven by the recent Princeton studies (
Princeton Study: U.S. No Longer An Actual Democracy
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/princeton-scholar-demise-of-democracy-america-tpm-interview), addressed by President Carter, and obvious from our own experience. Why should Thailand perform such a charade?
Godfree, can I assume from your attempt to change the discussion that you concede that the military junta has indeed ruthlessly attempted to squash opposition and that it has no genuine popular backing? I made it pretty clear that early on that I don’t consider the US to have the moral high ground. There are certainly ways to improve on the US model of democracy (i.e. Western Europe, S America) without resorting to the gun. You need to read a 20th century history of Thailand (Thanom, Sarit, Thanin) to realize how bad military dictatorships have been for human rights, corruption, the economy, etc.
Elections! Oh, you must be very, very stupid.
You are beyond laughable, especially in the face of the fact that America is not a democracy, just pretends to be one. The whole world can see that, and we laugh.
Julie, you should Google the term “ad hominem”. Your method of debate doesn’t merit a response.
I agree with you wholeheartedly. In this instance, the “west” must stop interfering with Thailand. We remember the so-called Arab spring to well, since that false call for democracy and freedom, was but a disguise for muslim psychopaths to take control, eventually giving birth to isis, the pagan death and sex cult of islam, like it was practised by mahomet in the 7th century. The “west” and the “rest” appear to be completely impotent to exterminate these vermin from the face of the earth, to protect the innocent from these muslims. And the false call for democracy in Thailand has exactly the same root. In the face of this islamic jihad, which gains momentum, thanks to your islamomarxist president in the USA, Thailand must remain a dictatorship, if that is what it is, because it is only this style of governance that can stamp out the swarming monsters of islam.