OPINION

Revolving-door politics

Re: "Thai charter court deserves scrutiny", (Opinion, Aug 4).

It is evident the current coalition government crafted by the military, the courts, the Election Commission (EC) and other state entities involved in writing a hodgepodge constitution, including the appointed "senate", will not enhance democratic values in Thailand. Traditionally, the foundation of Thai governance is closely tied to the establishment, including the police and military. Many other countries in SE Asia thrive using this model.

Thitinan Pongsudhirak, the political scientist, is correct in saying the establishment's belief has long been that politicians are bad and untrustworthy, whereas "good" and appointed officials and rulers conversely gain moral high ground.

Because of rampant corruption, they are often seen as "saviours" of Thailand's glory. One must then ask why the EC keeps conducting new elections here and there when their outcomes mean nothing.

Sadly, Thai politics resembles a revolving door that keeps going in circles. Many Western countries have reached a point where they think none of this election stuff is worth anything, but why does Thailand keep holding them?

Why all this drama? Sadly, few seasoned politicians and those in the establishment think they will win another contest, start a new party, or invent a new manoeuvre to slow down the young people and their enthusiasm for tangible reforms. In a nutshell, forget about democracy; the traditional revolving-door governance is back.

Missing the crux, completely

Re: "Bending on S112", (Editorial, July 31).

Your editorial calling on the Move Forward Party (MFP) to adopt a more flexible attitude to amending Section 112 of the Criminal Code, in other words, to drop it, misses the crux of our political dilemma by a universe and a half. The ruling elites are simply using S112 as a smokescreen and in doing so are seriously abusing their claim to be supporting the monarchy.

What is at stake here for these feudal claimants is fear, the fear of losing their privileges and prerogatives. For in promising to deconstruct the tools of control deployed by these false guardians of the monarchy, MFP is striking at the very heart of privilege-induced inequality.

MFP stands for unprecedented structural change. This is the real reason why MFP and its 14.5 million votes are being denied a voice.

No man is only an island

Re: "Religion and politics", (PostBag, Aug 4).

Jeff Wilcox presents himself as being as well informed on Buddhism as he is on Thai political history. Both are solidly on a par with his understanding of human society.

In describing Buddhism's founder, he writes that "Siddharta established the sovereignty of the individual human mind: that people are individuals, not one of a collective species". I am not sure that Siddhartha would have claimed to have established any such broad understanding of human reality, nor would he have dogmatically asserted he had infallibly gotten that or any other factual matter right for all time. He presents as a more modestly human individual.

If Mr Wilcox seriously thinks that we are "not one of a collective species", how does he explain his use of the internet to interact with the Bangkok Post? Did that just appear out of blue for his "individual human" use? And the Post itself, where his letter is published? And if Mr Wilcox buys food, how is that not making him a part of a collective species? Being unique individuals with rights that can be violated does not preclude our also being members of collectives, which are themselves collectivised. It might shock Mr Wilcox, but the evidence supports John Donne's pithy "No man is an island entire of itself".

Simply make your choice

Re: "Wonky visa rules", (PostBag, Aug 1).

Don't complain, we all have a clear choice: Living in the West under its increasing restrictions with the rapidly encroaching totalitarian woke ideology that promises us, "we will own nothing and be happy" but suffer the loss of freedom. Or, one can live in Thailand where we own nothing and be truly happy and ensure our personal liberty by spending 15 minutes registering online every 90 days.

Unlike the West with its open borders policy, Thailand controls immigration as a sovereign state must. Thailand thus ensures its vital institutions like healthcare (that is the best in the world) are not overwhelmed by illegal immigrants who contribute nothing.

Paying for healthcare assures a high standard. In the West illegal immigration is swamping free healthcare, education and the economy. Above all personal liberty with the policy of net zero and its lunatic anomalies is destroying individual liberty.