Moral right to protest

Veera Prateepchaikul in his March 2 column, “Student rallies need careful handling”, could more plainly have stated that the students have moral right and reason on their side. The government of the man who overthrew Thailand’s supreme rule of law in 2014 to make himself prime minister, whose coup also trampled into the dirt, yet again, Thailand’s form of democracy, now preaches that the law is sacred and warns about touching the high institution. The hypocrisy is obvious to the least intelligent or informed, let alone to the students at Thailand’s top schools and universities.

Being so concerned for their success, Veera could have offered some more constructive suggestions. The students could have been advised to start campaigns to raise money to fund further activities. Information campaigns to counter the official propaganda from the forces disgracing Thailand’s parliament could have been suggested. Peaceful street theatre to raise awareness could have been constructively encouraged. With regard to concerns about Covid-19 spreading among them, he could as well have told the students to stop crowding together in enclosed lecture theatres, seminar rooms and the like — they are at least as safe out in the open air.

Finally, perhaps the beneficial synergy that came from forming transparent alliances with other good organisations that love their nation, such as the Future Forward Movement, would also be way forward for the students to avoid the pitfalls that Veera highlighted on the road map to democracy. In fact, reaching out respectfully with a clear message to form alliances with the rest of the Thai nation sounds the most sound strategy.

FELIX QUI