Amy Taniya Chen's status.
To my non-Thai friends:
Why is it that you keep seeing images of Thai people marching in the streets, waving flags, asking for political reform before any elections take place? Why have your Thai FB friends suddenly become patriotic through changed profile pictures and political statuses and stopped posting pictures of their morning Starbucks run and pets (not that there’s anything wrong with that!)? If Thailand is a known democratic nation, why are people protesting a government that came from elections?
Below are some key points referenced from Prof. Chermsak’s speech from Dec. 6, 2013 on the protest stage (my own details added since then). You will see a theme of a gradual, systematic ploy to destroy a nation’s checks and balances, resulting in one man’s monopoly of power for his own interests.
• *Still in Power* - Thaksin is still the mastermind behind the current government actions and policies (even though he’s a fugitive holding no official government title). Case in point, in preparation for the looming election on Feb. 2 Thaksin’s party submitted candidates names to him for his approval.
• *Planted Roots for Political Monopoly* - As a founder of one of Thailand’s most successful mobile service operators, Thaksin came from an industry with little to no competition (Prof. Chermsak used the word “monopoly”). As a Prime Minister he has tried to create the same environment, a government that can rule with no checks and balances and no true freedom of choice for its people.
He used his own massive funds to buy votes, get elected and create a monopoly of power with members of Parliament who use their voting rights not to represent their constituents, but to accelerate the demands of their boss. He then used government money to fund populist policies that appear to be helping the poor (e.g. credit cards for poor farmers – this ultimately creates debts that cannot pay off) to win over the masses.
• *Control Through Kinship* - In order to support the above policies, extreme nepotism is necessary to contain “secrets” amongst a tight knit group of people. He has moved opposing people from important posts and appointed his family members into those positions of power e.g. army generals, members of the senate, party members and other prime ministers after him. This, again, aids the creation of a society with no checks and balances.
• *Self-Seeking Use of the Law* - He and his party only accept court rulings that are in their favor and disregard the power of the court in cases that are not.
Through his puppet government, he attempted to pass an amnesty bill to acquit himself, his government and those against him (the latter so this bill would have a pretty package and higher chances of being accepted) of all political crimes so that he can return to the country and not face the consequences of the Supreme Court ruling.
• *Media Censorship* - He has restricted free sharing of information through controlling mainstream media and interrupting broadcasts from alternative channels with opposing views. However, Thaksin’s own representatives are able to air their talking points on widely viewed free TV.
Do you know how many times I had to find another way to say “control”?! (Lol.) Therefore, how can this be a democracy? A democracy means freedom for the people, by the people, within a system co-existing with checks and balances…not just one day in the voting booth.
This is why we protest an elected government.
Your friend,
A Protester
#thaiuprising #pdrc #ratchadamnoenavenue
ใช้อธิบายกับเพื่อนต่างชาติได้ดีเลยนะ
