Under Pheu Thai Party rule we heard a cacophony of complaints from a "sanctimonious society" about a parliamentary dictatorship. But now the country is under military dictatorship, their silence is utterly embarrassing.
We all want a government that is honest and effective. But civil liberties must never be sacrificed to achieve this, because there is a far deeper and more profound principle at stake here. With our civil rights confiscated, we must ask ourselves one important question. Are we slaves or are we citizens?
If we are slaves then we are destined to live our lives in humble servitude, shackled to the fates and whims of our masters. But if we are citizens, those that govern us can do so only with our expressed consent. I believe we are a country of citizens. We're not mere tenants paying rent, we are taxpayers paying taxes. Therefore, we should constantly remind ourselves with those immortal words of Abraham Lincoln: "No man is good enough to govern another man without the other's consent.''
I don't particularly care about Thaksin and his Pheu Thai Party, nor do I have much time for Suthep Thaugsuban and his People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC). Politicians like these are a dime a dozen. They are public relations specialists, expert campaigners and serial opportunists. What I do care about is equality, liberty and justice. In essence, a society in which 67 million Thais can have a fair chance at success and prosperity, if they work hard and play by the rules.
Thaksin was never genuinely interested in empowering the disenfranchised, he was exploiting the gullibility of the disenfranchised to empower himself. Suthep Thaugsuban was never interested in a crusade against corruption and nepotism. Thaksin and Suthep are the fruits of the same poisonous tree. The real question for us is, what is that tree and how do we fell it? If we want to really change things in this country, we must look to change the very structure of our society.
I vehemently and unapologetically disagree with the PDRC and the way the judiciary and independent agencies handled the crisis that led to the military coup. But the bomb has gone off, so there is no point in trying to diffuse it. Instead, we should all make sure that the junta is going to enact reforms that are in the people's interest, rather than in "some people's" interest. But more importantly we should insist that civil liberties and civilian rule under a democratically elected government is returned to Thailand as quickly as possible.
Banyong Pongpanich, chairman of Phatra Securities, is a rare voice of reason. He has asked the junta to clarify three points: Tell the people what you are going to do, how you're going to do it and how long this will take. Spoken like a veteran businessman, Mr Banyong's strategy is a much needed dose of clarity in these times of conflict and confusion. But I would like to add one more thing which the junta should also make clear, and that is: Why they are doing it? In my humble opinion, why is a question seldom asked but often the most revealing.
Why was a military coup necessary? Why is it imperative to suspend civil liberties and suppress dissenting opinion? And more pertinently, why is purging and excommunicating Thaksin and his minions the panacea for all society's illnesses? The success or failure of this military coup, once history is written, will hinge on the last question.
The junta's honeymoon period has begun in earnest. But as Winston Churchill put it, this is only "the end of the beginning". The road ahead will be as tedious as negotiating your way through a vast minefield completely blindfolded, armed only with a shoddy metal detector supplied by the lowest bidder.
From this point onwards, Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha will be able to claim sole credit for all apparent successes. On the other hand, he will also have sole ownership of any monumental catastrophes.
And in government the next crisis is just around the corner. If the economy takes a wrong turn and we enter a period of recession, the general cannot escape the blame. If the international community admonishes Thailand and ostracises her, it will be the general who will be held mainly accountable. And if stray bullets happen to maim or kill anti coup protesters, it will be the general himself who will ultimately be tried by the courts of public opinion.
Songkran Grachangnetara is an entrepreneur. He graduated from The London School of Economics and Columbia University. He can be reached at Twitter: @SongkranTalk