The Honorary Consuls Association in Thailand (HCAT) on June 12, 2014 issued a statement requesting Thailand’s western allies to support the ruling National Council for Peace and Order’s (NCPO) efforts to improve the Thai Constitution by closing up loopholes that allowed dictatorial corruption in the form of “false” democracy and to pave way to establish a true democracy so that future elections will be free and fair.
In principle, western democratic leaders are expected to stand up and condemn any form of military coup. This is understandable.
The situation in Thailand is certainly not as bad as it is being portrayed by the international media. But understandably, the word ‘coup’ is negatively connoted by any definition. Most military coups in developing or underdeveloped countries have been bloody and caused psychological and physical damages to virtually everything in those countries. However, in the case of Thailand, it is perhaps time for the outside world to take an unbiased look at why the majority of Thai people applauded the 22nd May coup. It is a coup in which not a drop of blood was lost despite of the seizure of piles of heavy weapons – numerous enough to stage a civil war – during and shortly after the takeover.
The May 22nd coup was truly the last resort to end the destructive deadlock when the ousted government repeatedly refused to compromise or resign to give way for reconciliation and to form an impartial interim government. In fact, many experts had speculated that it would be impossible for them to step down voluntarily to submit themselves to the judicial bodies due to the preponderant allegations and outstanding ‘guilty’ verdicts on many cabinet members and civil servants. The experts also believed the plan to take the country into bloody civil unrest was perhaps the only way for the then government to survive.
The majority of the Thai people, with the exception of a few hundred hard core government supporters, showed great relief when the military took over the leadership of running the country in order to save lives and restore law and order on 22nd of May 2014. This has set in the motion the much needed reform.
Successful reform against future corruption at all levels should be completed soon to pave way for a truly free and fair election in which good, honest and competent people can be encouraged to enter the politics to take Thailand to the much higher level of political decency the country deserves. HCAT hopes that Thailand’s western allies will understand that Thailand needed this one short step back in order to leap up over the hurdle. Otherwise, the country will revert to the vicious cycle of vote buying, corruption and coup again and again.
We urge our allies, particularly in the West, to understand and appreciate that time is needed, particularly at this important juncture to improve the constitution and to form our legislative body in such a way to prevent dictatorial corruption, to establish a truly democratic government through fair and fraudulence free elections.
Dr. Virachai Techavijit
[email protected] Tel: 089-1305555
Chairman, HCAT Foreign Affairs Committee
Chairman, Ad Hoc Committee on “Why Coup”
On behalf of Honorary Consuls Association (Thailand)
