POSTBAG
Enlighten the electorate
- Published: 1 Dec 2012 at 00.00
- Newspaper section: News
Thitinan Pongsudhirak writes: ''Pitak Siam postmortem offers many lessons'', (Opinion, Nov 30). He then continues: ''What the Pitak Siam followers must now realise is that the best way forward for them is to find a way to win at the polls.'' With respect, that is exactly their intention. However, the writer does not suggest how that may be achieved.
Firstly, Pitak Siam is not a political organisation but a pro-democracy movement. While talk of overthrowing the government and involving the military showed a complete lack of a sound policy and wisdom on the part of the leadership, together with political naivety, the movement is intended to create awareness of the corrupt, undemocratic way in which this country is governed.
The history of coups and violence over the past eight decades is due to a lack of comprehensive education and a culture steeped in corruption and idolatry. Education cannot be achieved by academia alone, it requires general awareness and thinking to achieve enlightenment, as taught by Buddha. A mind so developed would not accept such infantile totalitarian governance. The current rote learning system would need to be relegated to history and red-shirt indoctrination schools banned before they take root, together with their TV channel. Therein lies the problem. Pheu Thai achieved governance and will retain it only with red-shirt support. Therefore, democracy will not be achieved in the foreseeable future because retaining power is paramount at all costs. An enlightened electorate would not have allowed the existence of either the UDD or Pheu Thai and would not have been ''bought'' so cheaply by Thaksin Shinawatra in the first place.
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