OPINION

Death of democracy

It seems to me that Thailand and the US have the same problem in that their justice personnel are not unbiased or impartial. Both countries have reached a point where the followers of two political sides refuse to accept any decision made by a member of the opposition. In these cases, where a neutral judicial system is badly needed, we are finding judges that were selected for their party political opinion and owe their jobs to the chief.

Thailand, of course, has it even worse in that fair elections didn't take place and that the debatable "winners" also selected the full membership of the Senate ensuring there is no such scenario as separation of powers. What chance democracy when your judges show extreme prejudice?

After being here most of the year for 20-plus years, the present government makes me feel very unwelcome.

Reading about the gathering organised by the Future Forward Party brought me to tears. So thankful to see someone voicing resistance to the obvious shenanigans. Best of luck to them!

Re: "Charter amendment 'necessary'", (BP, Dec 15).

Who would not welcome a constitution founding their nation on a broad consensus of the Thai people? But for the latest permanent constitution of the kingdom to be amended with everyone's consent, all citizens must be accorded an equal right to a voice in forming the finally agreed upon legal foundation of their nation.

A good place to start the amendment process would, therefore, be to enable the necessary discussion by amending the current Section 34, which fails to give strong legal protection to the fundamental right to free speech. One amendment to give Thais a just voice in their affairs could be achieved by adding the word "equal" and deleting a few words so the amended Section 34 reads: "A person shall enjoy the liberty to express opinions, make speeches, write, print, publicise and express by other means. The restriction of such liberty shall not be imposed, except by virtue of the provisions of law specifically enacted for the purpose of protecting the equal rights or liberties of other persons."

Such an amendment to respect the rights of all Thai citizens as equally entitled to a voice in forming their nation's government and society has the virtue of recognising democracy as fundamental to a just society that works for consent in forming the laws that govern it.

Re: "Xinjiang China's Affair", (PostBag, Dec 14).

For China to claim that the Xinjiang issue and the treatment of Muslims is an internal affair and beyond global consideration is disingenuous on several levels.

China is one of the charter members of the United Nations which uses its political and economic clout to interfere in the internal affairs of countries all the time. If countries were not questioned or challenged on their "internal affairs" by other nations then the Holocaust would still be continuing, Pol Pot would still be committing genocide, Idi Amin would still be butchering his people, and apartheid in South Africa would not have ended.

The list of such inhumanities is long and they never ended through strictly internal mechanisms and balancing.

If the treatment of the Muslims in China is really such a great programme then invite the World to "see" with unfettered access to all the stakeholders involved. Simple solution: Prove your point!

Until then, criticism is fair game from the global community.