RED IN USA

Starting again from a clean slate

http://www.pchannel.org/index.php?name=pitaya&file=readknowledge&id=34         One of the pretexts put forward by those who don’t believe in the forthcoming election is that the election is to be held under the rules of the game maliciously crafted by the Thai oligarchy and its military ally.  Although such contention cannot be faulted, it falls short of meeting the people’s aspiration:  to exercise their rights by going to the polls and choose the government which is capable of propelling the country forward and bringing back their happiness that had been rudely taken away from them by the military coup d’etat of 2006.  The Thai people have suffered so much for almost 5 years of semi-autocratic administration under the stewardship of the military.  How many more deaths must democracy-loving people have to endure at the hands of trigger-happy government troops.  How many people have to be victimized and demonized just for merely voicing their opinions.  Therefore, it is imperative that all the good people break their silence to send a strong message to the dictatorship through the polls that their days are over.  Napoleon once said: “The world suffers a lot, not because of the violence of bad people, but because of the silence of good people”.          But have no elusions.  Election is not a magic wand that can cure all ailments afflicting our society in one stroke.  However, there are no better alternatives that can resolve political conflict without the loss of lives.  For those who are obsessed with a violent overthrow of the oligarchy do not have anything constructive to offer to the people.  Their ‘one agenda’ diatribe holds empty promises for the poor people.  They do not understand statecraft nor have the vision necessary for national development and improving the people’s livelihood.  Election is now the only hope for the people to ‘right the wrongs’ in our country by starting from a clean slate,  and hopefully with the winning Pheu Thai Party spearheading far- reaching structural reforms of our political, administrative, and judicial systems in line with democratic principle and the aspiration of the people.  However, to be in the position to carry out wide-ranging reforms, the Pheu Thai Party has to win, not only by a plurality, but a majority of not less than 325 seats in the Parliament.   Yes, Napoleon had put it very succinctly when he said that the world would suffer if good people remain silent.  In the case of Thailand, the silence of some people can only be construed as an acquiescence to the authoritarian dominance with its attendant injustice, propensity to use violence, suppression of liberty and freedom, double standard, corruption, mismanagement, incompetence, and arbitrary of use of power.  Let us all go out to the polls to affect a big change for a better life for us and our children for some generations to come.                                                                     By Pithaya Pookaman                                                                     Former Thai Ambassador

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