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En bra artikel av Andrew Walker i New Mandala http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2014/05/25/thailands-invitation-to-violence/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+edu%2FbWcZ+%28New+Mandala%29 om militärkuppen.
Thailand’s invitation to violence
Thailand’s military coup is an invitation to violence.
When army supremo General Prayuth Chan-ocha seized power last Thursday he demonstrated to the Thai people that might is right. Talk of a non-violent coup is nonsense. Prayuth succeeded because he could mobilise overwhelming force and issue a compelling threat of violence to anyone who opposed him.
Thailand, and the world, is now waiting to see how the red-shirt supporters of the deposed government will react.
Their patience must be exhausted.
Many supporters of Thailand’s former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra – who was overthrown in the last coup in 2006 – must be wondering if the electoral process can ever deliver them the outcome they desire.
Since 2001 they have gone to the polls, in a peaceful and orderly manner, six times: 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011 and, most recently, in February this year. Every time they have elected Thaksin or one of his political allies. Thaksin’s majority in 2005 was the strongest in the modern history of Thailand. His sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, achieved the second largest majority in the election of 2011.
Thailand’s electoral system certainly has its faults but there is no credible commentator who would argue that these pro-Thaksin electoral victories did not represent the genuine will of the people
Med vänlig hälsning Isan Lover
