The Generals’ Democracy

Slowly but surely it’s getting uncomfortable again in Thailand. When the army’s shadowy Internal Security Operations Command Isoc has to explain villagers the nature of democracy it is as plain as the nose in your face that politicians do not really set a good example explaining what democracy is all about.

Good luck to us all if the righteous rightists see themselves predestined to “Create a Better Understanding of Democracy,” as Thailand Outlook TOC titled, the English-language web network of the yellow rightists’ core leader Sondhi Limthongkul. Born as the Communist Suppression Operations Command CSOC, Isoc has a colorful history.

Isoc gets a whopping one billion baht budget for the “political reorientation” of largely red areas. An official explainer to justify Isoc’s political role: “The budget is to be used to create a better understanding of democracy as well as to promote careers in line with the sufficiency economy philosophy,” TOC quotes Isoc spokesman Colonel Thanathip Sawangsaen.

Read Wikipedia’s backgrounder on Isoc. It gives you a taste of the democracy the generals may aim for. While me wonders, how do they spend that billion baht to convert the ignorant red masses.

Maybe they call for supernatural help again. And I’m quoting from Wikipedia: “To protect people in the south of Thailand from insurgency-related violence, the Isoc produced Jatukam Ramathep amulets for distribution to the Buddhist minority.”

“The renowned animist amulets were believed by some to have magical powers to protect there holders from violence and large sums are paid for them. The plan was developed by Colonel Manas Khongpan, deputy director of the Isoc in Yala province.”

We all know how the – scam? – ended. Read the Wall Street Journal’s take on it.

But then again, there’s democracy and democracy. Indonesia’s Sukarno at least was so honest to call it guided democracy.




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March 25, 2009 | Filed Under Politics, Society 

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  1. Thailand : The Generals' Democracy - TeakDoor.com - The Thailand Forum on March 26th, 2009 2:36 pm

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