OPINION

Insult to democracy

Re: "Anutin is Bhumjaithai's sole PM pick," (BP, Dec 18).

The essence of a democracy is that the majority of the electorate rules (but the minority has rights). For that to happen, each voter's wishes must have the same weight as every other voter's -- no more, no less. Yet in Thailand, 1/6 of the electorate can overrule the remaining 5/6, even if that 5/6 speaks as one.

How is such a travesty of democracy possible? In Thailand, a candidate needs the backing of a majority of MPs and senators combined, plus one, for 376 votes or more to win. PM Prayut carefully selected 250 senators -- then ran for PM himself. No prizes for guessing that all senators unerringly chose he who had earlier chosen them, so all he needed was 126 more votes.

A minority must not trample the rights of the majority. Senators, being appointed, should not be allowed to vote for candidates.

Re: "Try walk the talk" (PostBag, Dec 18).

Samuel Wright, thank you for that warm response to my recent letter responding to your own.

I also concur with your belief in the excellence of the Swiss conscription system. If Thailand also has such a system where all able-bodied citizens of a certain age are required to do the same form of military service irrespective of family status or wealth, I would also think that will be perfectly acceptable to Thailand.

However, that system of universal conscription, where citizens from varied backgrounds get to meet in close quarters for an extended period, sharing experience that included learning of their compatriots very varied life experiences, is radically different to the status quo conscription system you appeared to support. The historical facts are perfectly clear: the current Thai conscription system has proved itself not a force for democratisation but one for enabling coups against democracy.

I would also suggest the conscripts get history classes which analyse how the series of military coups committed by those who proved themselves disloyal to the nation's constitutions have impeded Thailand's growth not only politically and socially, but also morally and economically, as noted by former Prime Minister Anand Panyarachun (BP, March 6), who was himself installed as prime minister as a result of a coup that had yet again overthrown the people's democratic constitution.

Also worth remembering is that it was Prime Minister Anand who gifted the Thai nation what was arguably its best permanent constitution to date. Naturally, two further coups were then committed by the conscript-fed military to dismantle that most popular people's constitution.

Re: "Tourists cruising back to Koh Samui, PM pleased," (BP, Dec 18).

On a recent trip to Bangkok I found it extremely difficult and sometimes impossible to find a taxi even using the Grab app. Taxis roaming the streets for hire seem to be an endangered species whose only vocabulary was "200 baht".

I also searched Bangkok Airways' website and was unable to find a single available seat from Bangkok to Koh Samui for the last two weeks of December.

To revive the tourist industry, we need to focus on reinstating the basic infrastructure, not creating new attractions.