OPINION

Get to the root of it

Re: "Media warned against revisiting past unrest", (BP, Dec 19).

"Media ... have been warned against ... presenting hate-provoking news and false information as they may be used online to influence how people vote...", according to Somsri Han-anantasuk of the Open Forum for Democracy Foundation.

For example, she said, media should not report stories like the 2010 pro-Thaksin, red-shirt protest against the Abhisit government which led to arson attacks and a military crackdown in which six people died at Wat Pathum Wanaram.

But, "those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it", said George Santayana. Thais are very resistant to learning from history, for we hold the world record for coups d'etat.

I fully agree that speakers must not intentionally provoke hate or false information, but until we understand what motivates adherents of each side, seek to understand those who believe differently, and work together to achieve common goals, we will neither reconcile nor have sustainable peace.

For example, what did the red shirts believe in when they sought to overthrow the Abhisit government? To what extent was that worldview factual? To what extent was the military crackdown justified? What can we learn from this tragic incident that will help us reconcile and work in unison?

How about a series of workshops, led by neutral academics, with participants from all major groups of thought -- including red-, yellow-, and green-shirts and others? Each workshop would focus on one area of reform, eg, education, military, or economics. They would study the root problems of each crisis and work out joint long-term sustainable solutions to present to the incoming government, loaning their leaders to implement their proposals.

If you approve, how would we create pressure on workshop participants to produce, not just argue and finger-point?

Re: "Justice fails rape victims", (Editorial, Dec 20).

The editorial described so well how Thais have to endure the insouciant behavior of some policemen.

Instead of arresting the alleged offenders immediately after the fact, the police at Muang Police Station in Saraburi voiced concerns over the future of the five teenage boys who allegedly raped a 12-year old girl.

They also said the girl needed to be physically checked before police could move to arrest offenders.

There were also reports of attempts by the alleged offenders' families -- to offer 30,000 baht to the father of the victim, to withdraw his complaints.

Hence, the Prayut Chan-o-cha government should pay special attention to this rape case -- and start weeding out bad cops immediately at the first reports of their misbehaviour. Don't wait until it is too late.

Re: "EC to check social media posts", (BP, Dec 20).

Deputy Secretary-General of the Bhumjaithai Party, Supachai Jaisamut, said the upcoming election "is a contest of policy platforms, not a competition of individuals". If one considers the Shinawatra "siblings" to exclusively define individuals this might well be true, but otherwise it is a false statement. One therefore must ask whether this is fake news and if Khun Supachai has committed a crime?

Censorship by bureaucrats is never wholesome nor right and this puts it one shade darker than what comes out of politicians mouths. Let the general population decide what they want and the libel law deal with determining falsehoods. It's a better way.

Re: "Brits of sterner stuff?", (PostBag, Dec 20).

Robin Grant overlooks two things: the 2016 referendum was advisory, not decisive, and is not therefore "the will of the people"; and the result was influenced by lies and fraud, and probably included leave votes that were just an anti-government protest and nothing to do with the EU.

And nobody knew what Brexit meant.

The Irish did not vote in favour in their second Lisbon Treaty referendum because that's what they were told to do; they had better information and changed their minds. They too are made of sterner stuff. I hope the British will follow their good example in the second referendum, which now seems very likely.

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