Reina Anne C. Jayme Dr. Marilou F.

Siton-Nanaman
AB POSC 3 #13 January 28, 2014

Do We Have To Lost Thailand?
The violence prompted the countrys election commission to call for a
postponement of the February 2 general election, but that would only cause more
violence for people no longer trust political parties and they sense that the
elections would neither be fair nor credible and the results would not be accepted
by all sides regardless of who wins. So what is behind the long-running political
conflict? And how will Thailand's political crisis affect the country's economy?

I know Thai people who pride themselves on being smiley, friendly,
hospitable and peaceful and now where all of a sudden being portrayed in a
whole different light. For sure, Thailands tourism would inevitably lose
patronization. Indeed, the current political situation in Thailand presents an
interesting case study on democracy which is evocative of our own 2001 Edsa
II experience. What I don't understand is why do we have to try to percolate in
some negative remarks about China even though this article is supposed to be
about the ongoing political situation in Thailand? What does China have to do
with this? "But the biggest reason that Thailand matters for Asia's democracies is
fierce competition for influence between a rising China and the democratic
world"?

The greatest fear of the writer is not that democracy will be quelled in
Thailand but that democratic forces will line up with China. She is less concerned
about Thailand than what it would mean for the rivalry between China and U.S.
or Japan. Japan is different from Thailand. I think their politics are just under-
developed due to the lack of professionalism, discipline and good moral of the
politicians, who are acting for their personal interests and unfortunately share the
same scenario in the Philippine bureaucracy. I do respect Ms Koike's views as an
outsider because at least Thais need to do the right things to dispose of
corruption and to restore their country's peaceful ambiance. But as I think this is
nothing related to regional democratic situation and China's factor on the region
as Ms. Koike's mentioned.

Protesters and the Democrat Party are against the holding of elections.
This is probably due to the realization that their chances of winning are slim. Yet
they are going against a cardinal principle of any democratic system the
majority prevails. So the protesters options are limited by advocating a
suspension of the system (military coup), or they can work double time within the
system and convince the voters on the wisdom of their policies and justness of
their cause. Regardless of the outcome of the current political turmoil, Thailand
would never be lost. And hopefully it would never let itself become a pawn in
some ambiguous geopolitical power game. The way things stand; events are
primed to get worse before they get better.