Another military takeover in Thailand: Issues

-DR. ABDUL RUFF COLACHAL 

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Military does not believe in Constitution of the  nation that  employs it to protect it.

Military rule destabilizes civilization in the name of stability. Thailand or any other nation can ill afford open-ended military rule. Civil strife has already undermined the economy. Thailand’s gross domestic product shrank 0.6 percent in the first quarter from the same period a year earlier. Military rule with its heavy hand will increase uncertainty and fear about the future of the country.

Upon announcing military dictatorship in the country,  Thailand's army chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha announced a military takeover of the government on 22^nd May, saying the coup was necessary to restore stability and order after six months of political deadlock and turmoil. Flanked by the heads of the armed forces, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha said in a statement broadcast on national television that the commission which imposed martial law on 20^th May would now take control of the country's administration. The so-called Peace and Order Maintaining Command a new name for their command structure ,  which includes army, navy, armed forces and police — to take control of governing the country

Prayuth invoked the military's expanded powers and issued more than a dozen edicts that included broad powers of censorship over the media, the Internet and vaguely defined threats to prosecute opponents.

The Thai Army has staged roughly a dozen coups since the country became a constitutional monarchy in 1932. The most recent military takeover took place in 2006 when the Army ousted the government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a populist and divisive figure who now lives outside the country.

Thailand has been gripped by bouts of political instability for more than seven years now. The latest round of unrest started in November, when demonstrators took to the streets to try to force Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to step down. They accused her of being a proxy for her popular billionaire brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup and now lives in self-imposed exile to avoid a jail sentence on a corruption conviction.

It’s the latest in a series of disturbing developments that will further undermine the country’s democracy and its economy. The commander of the Thai Army, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, insists all military coup masters do that he has not staged a coup. In justifying his move, the general himself cited a broad 1914 law that allows the military to exercise “superior power over the civil authority” to maintain public order.

General Prayuth says he wants to protect Thailand from violent clashes between pro- and anti-government forces that have already claimed more than 25 lives since protests began late last year. He also says he wants rival political forces to “quickly find a sustainable solution for the country.” But the general has not said how he intends to bring about a political compromise or when he will hand back control of the country to an elected government. If anything, his intervention plays into the hands of anti-government protesters who have been calling for the Shinawatra administration to be replaced by an unelected people’s council.

The pivotal development came after Prayuth declared martial law in what he called a bid to resolve the crisis and a day later summoned the country's rival political leaders for face-to-face talks. Two days of talks failed to break the impasse.

The coup announced was the 12th since the country's absolute monarchy ended in 1932. The military was widely viewed as sympathetic to the protesters seeking to oust the current government and the military is trying to make maximum out of this pro-military perception of people by imposing martial law.

The army chief said that the military would "provide protection" for foreigners in Thailand. "We ask the public not to panic and to carry on their lives normally," Prayuth said. "And civil servants stay in every ministry, carry on your responsibilities as normal."

The military had insisted it was not seizing power, but was acting to prevent violence and restore stability in the deeply divided country. But Prayuth provided little clarity on a path forward, amid speculation both at home and abroad that the declaration of martial law was a prelude to a coup. Under the pretext of restoring “peace and order,” the military of Thailand imposed martial law in that politically troubled country. .

The pivotal development came after Prayuth declared martial law in what he called a bid to resolve the crisis and a day later summoned the country's rival political leaders for face-to-face talks. Two days of talks failed to break the impasse.

Shortly before the announcement was made, armed soldiers in military vehicles surrounded the military facility where the politicians were meeting, apparently to block those inside from leaving.

Many of the country's highest-profile figures were summoned by the military for a meeting. They included the acting prime minister — who sent four Cabinet ministers in his place — and anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, as well as Suthep's rival from the pro-government Red Shirt group, Jatuporn Prompan. Suthep and Jatuporn were escorted out of the meeting by the military.  The four ministers attending the meeting were still being held by the military.

Two weeks ago, Thailand’s highest court ordered that Thaksin’s sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, be removed as prime minister for abusing her authority. The decision reeked of political favoritism and followed months of street protests engineered by her political opponents angered by her efforts to push through an amnesty law that would have allowed her brother to return. She was replaced by an acting prime minister who has been rendered powerless by the imposition of martial law.

Far from restoring peace and order, military coups have played a huge role in weakening Thailand’s democracy and its economy. Washington asked the Thai Army to “honor its commitment to make this a temporary action to prevent violence, and to not undermine democratic institutions.” The Obama regime should make clear to General Prayuth that it does not support his actions and he should immediately restore civilian rule by holding elections.

It was a strange day, but not because we were not expecting. A military takeover in Thailand was not unexpected as military claims its right to intervene to govern the nation as interim rulers and a coup had been on the cards since martial law was declared. It was more the way events unfolded.

On May 21, Thailand's army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha had summoned representatives of all the main political groups for talks. They spoke for two hours and military claimed that things had gone well and that everyone had been given "homework" to complete on the key issues.

No-one realistically expected Thailand's deep-rooted political problems to be solved overnight - or indeed in a couple of hours of discussions - so why did Gen Prayuth decided to so dramatically end proceedings and seize power?

The military trucks suddenly blocked the entrances and exits before soldiers began to force all back. Then minivans containing the leaders of the political parties, demonstrating groups and government emerged, escorted by troops. Something was clearly up and a few minutes later Gen Prayuth appeared on television to announce that he had taken over.

Tellingly, in his address he spoke of restoring order and reforms, but not of a timetable for elections. In the evening, decrees were issued consolidating the military's hold on power. Over a period of hours the constitution was suspended, TV channels blocked and a curfew imposed. Protest camps were cleared forcefully like the pro-government Red Shirts' site outside Bangkok, for instance.

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There certainly was not deterioration in security and military takeover was not warranted by circumstances. Nor the situation was very worrying. In the past, when Gen Prayuth has expressed a reluctance to resort to a military coup, it was clear that he means the opposite. Could the talks really have been a ruse to get all the key leaders in one place before detaining them?

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There has been some suggestion that elements within the Thai army may have forced his hand, or indeed that some external factor may have played a part. However, it appears the military boss just wanted negotiations with political leaders as a token nod before stepping in to ascertain his right to rule. The rush from martial law to full-blown coup has left many here shaking and scratching their heads.

Yes, military is back in power in Thailand. People have to face the brunt of military dictatorship.

Can't the UN resolve to end military regimes world wide?