Not time to get tough or stage another coup

Not time to get tough or stage another coup

The crackdown on peaceful, unarmed protesters last Friday signalled the government's intention to get tough with pro-democracy groups. Such a stance prompts condemnation as well as concerns over violent confrontation.

As we are about to lose hope, some parliamentarians kicked off a move for the House to open a special session as stipulated by Section 123 that recognises the role of the legislative branch in averting a national crisis which is exactly what we are facing.

The opening of the special session requires at least 245 MPs, or half the Lower House, to support it. Pheu Thai secretary-general Prasert Jantararuangtong said the opposition bloc has 211 MPs in hand, so needs 34 from the government coalition, the Democrats, Bhumjaithai and Chart Thai.

"We are meeting every party leader to discuss a peaceful solution through the parliamentary system, in a bid to end the current political crisis," he said, urging the government not to intensify the conflict by imposing a curfew.

The House would address the student activists' demands including the prime minister's resignation; amending the charter, particularly of the role of the regime-installed Senate, and monarchy reform -- which would see the high institution placed under the constitution.

Last week, the country managed to avoid a confrontation between pro-democracy activists and pro-government groups as both sides mobilised members at rallies along Ratchadamnoen Avenue. But for how long? A series of rallies after Friday's crackdown seems to be gaining steam with several thousand pro-democracy people turning up, challenging the emergency decree, and the threat of security officials imposing another crackdown.

We keep our fingers crossed that the prime minister should know that the use of force in such a situation may backfire. The number of street protesters is likely to swell in response to state intimidation which should give him some idea of what will happen if he and his security forces go ahead with an iron-fist approach. Such a response will draw criticism since the country has, by far and large, had no violence.

In fact, some critics had predicted smaller crowds at the Oct 14 rally because they deemed pro-democracy groups lost momentum after they refused to drop the reform of the high institution from their demands. But the arrest of some 20 activists including Jatupat Boonpattararaksa at the Democracy Monument on the eve of the protest day fuelled the activists' anger. Yet their protests were peaceful and orderly.

The pro-democracy movement is not like the 2006 yellow-shirt protesters who seized Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports; or the 2010 red-shirt rally that camped out on streets for months; or the People's Democratic Reform Committee demonstration that staged its "Bangkok shutdown" campaign. All those three protests resulted in casualties. We should learn to avoid those grievances. Never again.

Never again should we have another coup. Army men have no ability to run the country, nor can they achieve reconciliation. We know that well after more than six years under the Prayut regime!

I agree with the legislative branch, as one of the three pillars of the country, taking this opportunity to insert itself and do whatever it can to move the country out of deadlock. We are in dire need of such a discussion platform.

I beg to disagree with some politicians who said we can wait until next month when MPs are to gather for an ordinary House session.

It remains unknown how the coalition parties will respond. Yesterday, Democrat party leader Jurin Laksanawisit welcomed the special session and even pledged that the government should play host to the meeting.

It remains unknown, too, how parliamentarians would handle the monarchy reform issue which is a political hot potato. Pheu Thai has insisted that it distances itself from monarchy reform matters.

But MPs who are elected by the people should be instrumental in settling this difficult topic, at least by providing a platform where people with differing opinions can discuss the issue constructively.

One mission that requires urgent attention is to tackle disinformation that stirs up hate speech. There are issues that need to be cleared, including some allegations against the pro-democracy protesters, especially the unfortunate incident involving Her Majesty the Queen's motorcade on Oct 14. We also need to eradicate some discourse. Reform is not abolition.

I hope the military and security forces will not stop the move to have this special session like they did last week when they "asked" a House panel on charter amendment to cancel a planned meeting in the wake of the emergency decree which bans all political activities. This should not happen to the special sessions. It's time we talk seriously.

Paritta Wangkiat is a Bangkok Post columnist.

Paritta Wangkiat

Columnist

Paritta Wangkiat is a Bangkok Post columnist.

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