Pressure Prayut!
Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha is scheduled to meet UK Prime Minister Theresa May in London on Wednesday and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris next week.
Human rights concerns need to be at the top of the agenda.
Ms May and Mr Macron should be prepared to give Gen Prayut an earful about Thailand's abysmal human rights record and why his deliberate dawdling on restoring civilian democratic rule is damaging Thailand's reputation and hurting Thai people.
The UK and France are long-time allies of Thailand who have repeatedly stated that bilateral relations will only be normalised when democracy is fully restored through a free and fair election.
Yet four years after the May 2014 coup, Thailand is nowhere close to meeting Gen Prayut's pledge to quickly restore civilian democratic rule.
Instead, the junta has been trying to masquerade as a more kind and gentle quasi-democracy. That argument has fallen flat in Thailand, and European leaders should not fall for it either.
Since the coup, Gen Prayut has wielded unchecked power with total impunity. The ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has routinely enforced censorship and blocked public discussions about the state of human rights and democracy in Thailand. Hundreds of pro-democracy activists and dissidents have been prosecuted on criminal charges such as sedition, computer-related crimes, and lese majeste for the peaceful expression of their opinions.
Public gatherings of more than five people and peaceful political activities are prohibited. Thousands have been summoned to have their political attitudes "adjusted" by the military and pressured to stop making critical comments against the junta. Military authorities continue to secretly detain people for up to seven days without charge and interrogate them without access to lawyers or safeguards against mistreatment. Government agencies have frequently retaliated against individuals who report allegations of abuse by filing spurious criminal charges against them.
The junta has repeatedly made -- then broken -- promises about the election date and a return to civilian rule. Gen Prayut's latest promise is to hold an election by February 2019, but there is little reason to believe that, if held, the election will be either free or fair. Ongoing repression means that voters, political parties, and the media in Thailand will have their arms twisted and their mouths gagged in the lead-up to the election.
Unfortunately, Ms May and Mr Macron seem intent on making business deals a priority at the expense of serious discussions of Thailand's human rights record. What they should recognise is that the UK and France stand to benefit far more from a partnership with a country that respects human rights and rule of law.
The UK and France should base their relationship with Thailand on principles of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. That means pressing for an end to Thailand's persecution of dissidents, lifting restrictions on fundamental freedoms, and undertaking genuine, rights-respecting reforms.
Gen Prayut should return to Bangkok after these visits with a clear understanding that Thailand's human rights problems are a top priority for London and Paris. Otherwise the junta will continue to believe that it can continue rampant abuses without detriment to Thailand's international standing.
Law of the jungle
I live where there are two former chiefs of the Forestry Department who live within walking distance of each other. One lives a modest, middle-class life, with a modest house and a modest car.
The other lives behind a huge cement wall and I have glimpsed what appears to be a mansion inside. There is a big, heavy iron door that is rarely open, but when it is a Mercedes-Benz with dark windows is often driven out. There is also an extension to the house across the street where I believe family members live. I have glimpsed houses inside which I would not call modest.
How is it possible that two men who had the same job end up with such a difference in wealth?