Turkey shows the way out of coup quagmire

COMMENTARY

Turkey shows the way out of coup quagmire

Published: 26 Sep 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

It used to be unthinkable in Turkey. It is still unimaginable now in Thailand. But this secular Muslim country has shown it can clip the wings of the military to end coup d'etat threats. Can Thailand do the same?

Last week, the Truth for Reconciliation Commission (TRC) released its report that blames just about every party concerned _ be they the Abhisit government, the military, the protest leaders, and the inflammatory media _ as being culpable for the 2010 violence.

One of its recommendations is for the military to respect civilian rule and stop interrupting parliamentary politics through coup d'etats once and for all. But it doesn't specify how.

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bennu
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Discussion 12 : 27 Sep 2012 at 01.2612
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There are also those who are worried about this latest move toward democracy; opponents of all sides were put behind bars. Many Kurdish politicians are on trial for alleged links with terrorism. I am not saying this to defend the Thai military, but there are more journalists in jail in Turkey than in China and Iran combined.
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domdunnn
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Discussion 11 : 27 Sep 2012 at 01.0511
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I don't think I have ever really disagreed with anything Kuhn Sanitsuda has written and this is no exception.

Every Thai journalist should be required to state publicly whether they agree or disagree with her.
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domdunnn
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Discussion 10 : 27 Sep 2012 at 01.0110
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Eric D2

I agree. And the media should stop talking about "popular" "good" "non-violent" "bloodless" coups, as though this makes them permissible.
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domdunnn
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Discussion 9 : 27 Sep 2012 at 00.579
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spiceman D6

But it is the democratically expressed desire of the majority.
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oldexp
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Discussion 8 : 26 Sep 2012 at 22.368
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What can we learn from the anti-coup verdict in Turkey?
Absolutely nothing.
The two countries and their problems are too different.
(also see previous posts)
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spiceman
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Discussion 7 : 26 Sep 2012 at 14.037
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There is a different kind of coup going on in Turkey by a group called "The Muslim Brotherhood." And as a result, Turkey has become much more islamic than ever before. Coup is coup, right?
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spiceman
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Discussion 6 : 26 Sep 2012 at 13.156
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Just for the author's information, Turkey has become much less secular and more islamic than ever before!
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robins
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Discussion 5 : 26 Sep 2012 at 11.455
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Maybe tge writer should give some thought to what kind of insanity would be happening under the PTP now if the military were not a moderating influence or threat.
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Ian
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Discussion 4 : 26 Sep 2012 at 09.494
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As someone familiar with both Turkey and Thailand I agree there are similarities, but also important differences. In Turkey it is a struggle between religion and secularism, In Thailand it is between democracy and feudalism but distorted by an overall blanket of corruption which infests both movements.
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pjt
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Discussion 3 : 26 Sep 2012 at 08.573
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Although there are similarities there are also important differences. The first is the current Turkish government seems largely competent and not corrupt. The second is the desire for more religious expression in Turkish society is at least a clear change. What became obvious fairly quickly was that under Khun Thaksin nothing would change just a different set of elitist hands, continuing incompetence and corruption. I believe that if we got competent non corrupt government in the interests of all Thai people it would go a long way to remove any thought of military coup
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Turkey shows the way out of coup quagmire | Bangkok Post: opinion