There are only a handful of countries in the world that would call themselves “democratic” when the military still have so much influence on its government and politics.
The prime example in Africa is the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The prime example in Asia is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
They are not fooling anyone.
In Thailand, the junta here is also trying to say that the current military government is actually a democratically elected government.
They are not fooling anyone either.
Even most of their supporters know that there is something wrong with 250 junta-appointed senators unanimously selecting the leader of the previous coup-makers to be the current prime minister.
But there is no need to dig that deep to see how much influence the country’s military forces have on Thai politics.
Apart from the prime minister, his right-hand man is sitting as the leader of the current ruling pro-military party.
At the same time, the current army chief has been widely commenting on various political issues like it was part of his job when he should not be politically active at all.
In a developed democracy, you will never hear its generals talking about politics in public and they will never make comments against the civilians they are meant to protect.
General Apirat Kongsompong, the current army chief, does not see it that way. For him, commenting on politics is part of his job because the prime minister position might be open up for him one day.
Again, this is something that should not even be an option in a democratic country because a coup d’état is not part of the system with a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
For Apirat to loudly comment against pro-democracy protestors while knowing that a camera is on him, it was clear that he wants to get his voice out to his supporters.
Telling a cadet of an elite military school that the coronavirus can be cured but the “Chung Chart” disease is incurable is obviously a message to the protestors and coup supporters.
It was also obvious that he does not see protestors as part of the civilians that he is meant to protect. To him, they are an enemy to destroy, which is a message he wants these elite soldiers to keep in mind
But to truly understand the message, you have to understand the phrase Chung Chart or nation hating.
For Apirat and his supporters, it meant anyone who does not see things the same way that they do.
In a democracy, people of different political ideas can love their own country in their own ways.
Being a conservative does not mean that you love your country and culture more than a liberal person and vice versa.
That is a fallacy and it is part of coup-makers’ propaganda that they have been instilling in their supporters and subordinates since forever.
A nation is made up of its people, not its government, military, or any other institution. There is no Thailand without Thai people.
From his comments, Apirat’s first message is to the protestors to let them know what he thinks of them. His second message to his supporters that he is willing to protect the nation against these “nation hating” people.
The previous coup was the same. General Prayut Chan-ocha also cited “national security” to overthrow an elected government and then used the same propaganda to stay in power for the past five years.
If anything, the military is the main reason for political instability in this country since 1932 and it still is.
Apirat’s message certainly does not promote unity or peace.
It was more of divisive comments to pitch civilians against each other in order to create instability so that he can continue to claim national security for the next coup with the elite soldiers that he just gave medals to.
For Apirat to continue to comment that his previous jabs against protestors was not meant at anyone also shows how much he respects these enemies of his.
Personally, I thought he would be man enough to stand behind his comments, but if he cannot, he should not be commenting on anything else in this nature at all.
This not part of his job, just as leading an economic team through a recession is not a job for a soldier.
Your job is to protect the Thai people, which includes the protestors and people who do not see things the same way as you, that is what Apirat should be telling the cadets.
After all, this is a democratic country, right?
