Aug 1, 2013, should have remained in our fond memories as one of the most auspicious and joyful days for all Thais alike regardless of their bitter political differences and social status. It was the day when His Majesty the King left Siriraj Hospital and made his first journey out of Bangkok in four years in the company of Her Majesty the Queen and other members of the Royal Family.
Befitting the auspicious occasion, tens of thousands of people flocked to Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan, to welcome their beloved monarch who will spend an unspecified period of time at the beach-front Klai Kangwon Palace.
The town itself was given a face-lift with fresh flower pots, the King's portraits and banners declaring "Long Live the King" to give a warm welcome to Their Majesties, who have not visited the town for four years.
The past four years during which His Majesty spent most of his time at Siriraj Hospital for medical treatment was a period of great concern and anxiety for most Thais. Every day for the past four years, people of all walks of life and from throughout the country paid respect to the King's portrait at the hospital and wished him a quick recovery from illness.
Occasionally, the King made public appearances in his wheelchair and sometimes with his pet dog, Thong Daeng, in the hospital's grounds to the joy and happiness of the Thai public. On his 85th birthday last Dec 5, the King made a rare public appearance at the balcony of Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall with the Royal Family before tens of thousands of well-wishers in a sea of yellow, the Royal colour. On that auspicious occasion, he called on Thais to forge friendship and unity.
On this rare joyful moment, we should have set aside our political differences, at least for now and over the foreseeable future, and sung "Long Live the King" in unison. The country should have been happy and peaceful. Unfortunately though, this has not been the case.
But Aug 1, 2013, will go down as a bad memory, not worthy of mentioning in modern political history.
Yesterday marked the first day of the invocation of the Internal Security Act, prompted unnecessarily by the government. The Act will remain in effect for the next nine days to deal with anticipated protests by anti-Thaksin Shinawatra groups which, to most political observers and even some red-shirt academics, are incapable of posing any real threat to the government.
Although enforced only in Dusit, Phra Nakhon and Pomprap Sattruphai districts of Bangkok for 10 days beginning yesterday, the ISA amounts to, as the Thai saying goes, "riding on an elephant to catch a few grasshoppers". It is an over-reaction, an act of paranoia against a non-existent threat _ at least for now _ from political groups who are mostly peaceful and non-aggressive compared to some splinter red-shirt groups.
The security agencies which advised the mini-cabinet to invoke the ISA are wrong to paint the anti-Thaksin groups as a threat to national security.
The real threat to national security, the health of the economy, national reconciliation and investors' confidence is the Worachai Hema amnesty bill and other reconciliation bills which are to be debated in the parliament next week.
The ISA itself will influence and mislead investors, especially foreigners, into thinking Thailand is politically unstable. What the security agencies should have done is encourage the government to drop all the contentious bills and focus on building trust and economic stability in order to improve the livelihood of the people.