So, things are moving according to a familiar old script. There is much that Thaksin has done wrong to bring about this unfortunate outcome. But the constant denigration of his electoral mandate has also played an important part. The so-called pro-democracy movement has been persistent in undermining the legitimacy of the electoral will of a majority of Thailand’s voters (a will expressed in three consecutive elections). The so-called pro-democracy movement’s constant references to a naive and gormless rural majority blindly following the “populist” policies of Thaksin has laid much of the ideological groundwork for this outrageous military intervention. Bring on an election!
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6 responses so far ↓
1 Steve // Sep 20, 2006 at 6:09 pm
Amen brother.
The boycott of a election by a “pro-democracy” movement is bad form.
And there are some instructive parallels between this coup and the coup of ‘57, which happened after an election in which the Democratic Party also refused to participate.
2 Judi // Sep 20, 2006 at 6:45 pm
don’t know who you are trying to pick the tail but let you worry about what is happening/going to happen in your country then worrying about somebody else’s backyard.
3 patrick // Sep 20, 2006 at 11:11 pm
Good on the generals, Thaksin is nothing more than a crook they should drag him back to Thailand and execute the bastard. If Australians had any balls instead of being pro American scum, the army would have placed Kerr and Fraser under house arrest as the taritorous scum they were, given them a fair trial and then hung the bastards.
4 Small Axe // Sep 21, 2006 at 11:00 am
Thaksin forfeited his right to play the “democracy” card when he winked at more than 2,000 extra-judicial killings in 2003. I’m deeply sorry to see a coup, but Thaksin knew the stakes and he overplayed his hand. He shouldn’t be considered a victim. He did much to undermine the constitution and the rule of law.
5 New Mandala » Governing by the gun // Sep 22, 2006 at 1:23 pm
[...] One recent comment post on NewMandala argues that Thaksin “forfeited his right to play the ‘democracy’ card when he winked at more than 2,000 extra-judicial killings in 2003.” A telling point. Thaksin winked and many in the electorate nodded. Now a new form of extra-judicial, extra-constitutional and extra-electoral governing has been put in place. Strategically placed yellow ribbons are a clever public relations move but, at the same time, they underline that fact that governing by the gun resonates with broader cultural orientations to national leadership. [...]
6 New Mandala » Beyond the “rural betrayal”. Where to now for the social movements? // Sep 23, 2006 at 9:41 pm
[...] In the latter period of the Thaksin era it has become clear that many of these leftish-leaning commentators have been bewildered by the “rural betrayal.” Contrary to the images promoted in the various campaigns of political empowerment (such as the long standing campaign for community forestry) many rural voters seem to have embraced Thaksin’s vision of market oriented economic diversification. The result has been an increasing disconnect between academic and activist commentary and the rapidly changing livelihoods and apsirations of people in rural areas. The disconnect is powerfully expressed in the NGO/academic rejection of Thaksin in contrast to his broad electoral popularity in many rural areas. As I argued in a previous post, the constant disparaging of Thaksin’s electoral support has contributed significant ideological legitimacy to the military takeover. [...]
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