A new round of student-led protests against the government erupted last Saturday in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. They demanded the dissolution of parliament, no harassment of government critics and amendments to the military-written Constitution, which they deem to secure premiership for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in elections last March. They gave the government two weeks to respond or else they would ramp up their protests.
As usual with any modern-day protests, they brought along several new hashtags. #เยาวชนปลดแอก (#YouthsRemoveYoke) refers to Thai youths' wish to remove oppression they feel like removing the wooden beam that is used to train cows or buffaloes. #ให้มันจบที่รุ่นเรา (#Let'sEndThisInOurGeneration) is a call to end the cycle of coup d'état. One or two of them are too hot to be repeated here.
Among them, #ถ้าการเมืองดี (#IfThaiPoliticsWereGood) stood out, as people use it to envision what the country would be like if we have good and effective administration. I would like to present to you some of the hypothetical statements -- from hopeful to hilarious -- that people have for a well-run Thailand.
- If we have real democracy where both houses (the lower house and the upper house of the National Assembly of Thailand) truly represent the people, we would then get what we deserve from our tax money #IfThaiPoliticsWereGood.
@isthatmakesense via Twitter - #IfThaiPoliticsWereGood- we would have passenger-friendly airports.- we would have a national airline that's free from any political interference. - we would have a strong and stable regulator to oversee and improve our country's aviation.
@aviknowledge via Twitter - #IfThaiPoliticsWereGood, Thai citizens will be free from fear. Fear of poverty, fear of human rights violation and fear of living in Thailand without a good quality of life.
@obbralee via Twitter - The ability to learn a second or third language(s), including English, shouldn't be subject to money or privilege. It should be a thing we all can afford, #IfThaiPoliticsWereGood.
@blacksh28 via Twitter - #IfThaiPoliticsWereGood, Thailand won't have the super-rich and the super poor! Thailand won't have a class system based on wealth, like we have today.
@MookkkYtkp via Twitter - #IfThaiPoliticsWereGood- your dream job won't be a pipe dream.- the minimum wage of B300 per day may turn into B300 per hour.- we'll have bicycle lanes.- we'll more places to visit, besides malls.- all utility wires would go underground.- we'll have a single ticket that can be used with all types of public transport.- we'll have good schools and universities across the nation.- our books will become more affordable.- those who live hand to mouth will do better financially.- middle-class citizens would have a better quality of life.- everyone will have better access to state welfares.
Rattanaporn Udomchien via Facebook - #IfThaiPoliticsWereGood- men won't be mandatorily conscripted into the military. - we would have clean air to breathe in.- we would have a quality education system that respects human rights.- we would have good welfares for workers.- we would have marriage equality.- we would deal with the problem in the three southernmost provinces better.- we would have a better future for our children.
@fordtattepRuang via Twitter - #IfThaiPoliticsWereGood, all students would receive an equal education. Everyone will have access to education without worries about their families well-being. (referring to students from poor families who have to take care of their families while going to school.)
@JakkritTomTom via Twitter - #IfThaiPoliticsWereGood, you would be able to stand on a footpath without the worry of being s*** on by birds who hang out on the overhead utility wire. Who the heck told you that being s*** on by birds is good luck!? I don't think so!
@iamjungwoosdog via Twitter - #IfThaiPoliticsWereGood, we'll have good universities in major provinces. In every region, we'll have scholarships for bright kids to study abroad and come back to teach at their homes so country kids won't have to go to Bangkok for good education. They should be able to receive good education and be as brilliant as Bangkok kids in their hometowns.
@vivianthehooker via Twitter - #IfThaiPoliticsWereGood, all regions of Thailand will be more evenly developed. People will have various career choices to choose from without having to leave their hometowns for Bangkok to find work. Families will become stronger as people have less things to be stressed about. And when the foundation of their lives is strong, they would become good citizens who have a strong sense of social responsibility.
@nefj94 via Twitter - If Thai politics were good, the construction of Rama II would have been finished a long time ago, suckers! (this one is a bit of insider joke.)
@khundeex via Twitter - P.S. I took liberty in editing some of these statements for brevity and clarity.