RESPECTING SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY
The vast majority of Thais may not have been aware that yesterday marked the 85th anniversary of the day their country first tasted democracy. The efforts of those who risked their lives to achieve the stunning success of the bloodless coup of June 24 which overthrew the absolute monarchy and put Thailand on the path to democracy has been almost erased from the public’s memory.
Even a plaque commemorating the events of Friday, June 24, 1932 mysteriously disappeared recently.
There was public outcry about that, of course, and after a weeks of intense pressure to investigate who was behind the missing plaque, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered a probe on April 19. But two months later there is still no word on how far the investigation has gone or where it is heading.
But, this is precisely what we can expect from authorities who are quick to crack the difficult cases, such as the spate of bombings across the capital. However, when it comes to simple cases like the vanishing plaque — which few Thais even knew existed — they are unable to get to the bottom of it.
June 24, 1932 was not just another day for most Thais. Now, more than eight decades later, the country’s progress as it marches toward democracy has been as unsteady as when Khana Ratsadon — a group of military and civil officers that later became a political party — moved to usher in democracy all those years ago.
In the intervening years Thailand has seen nearly two dozen constitutions and as many attempted coups. Some were successful and others weren’t. This has left the country weak in terms of its functionality, with the powers-that-be, especially the military, quick to take a heavy hand.
In fact, few countries have seen as many coups as Thailand — a regrettable pattern that has stalled its attempts to settle on democracy. This has put it behind other countries that moved toward democracy at a later point in time but stuck with it. Some of those nations, like India or Indonesia, have even become regional powerhouses.
Thailand’s role and importance on the world stage has also been gradually dwindling. The country that was at the forefront of the formation of the now 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is now mired in obscurity and notable for its lack of progress in areas like human rights.
However, Thailand is strategically located and its role as a key broker in regional geopolitics can be restored. It can continue to play an important role in the development of the region, but only if its leaders show the will and determination to let the country develop as it should.
As long as the military thinks it needs to intervene in political matters, the country will not be able to learn from its mistakes and will remain stuck in time.
As Thailand enters the 86th year of its transition toward democracy, one hopes the military government that seized power on May 22, 2014 will stick to its never-ending roadmap and restore basic democracy by next year at the latest.
Although there are indications that a general election may take place sometime late next year, history has shown it is not wise to take anything for granted. We had such hopes before, but the 2014 coup shattered many of those. Now, whenever the military regime makes a promise, we know we have to take it with a pinch of salt.
The recent decision by coup leader Gen Prayut to ask the public a set of questions about what kind of people should lead the country in the future took many pundits by surprise. Some have taken this as an indication that the roadmap to the election may be delayed again.
Hopefully, the spirit of those who orchestrated the events of June 24, 1932 is respected and we get the chance to choose who our future leaders will be.
After 85 years of stumbling on the path to democracy, now is the time to make sure we don’t deviate from it. Maybe then Thailand can become a respected player on the world stage and also in regional affairs.