To PAD Or Not To PAD: Democracy Inaction

Since their recent renaissance, the People’s Alliance for Democracy PAD have taken us through a roller coaster of emotions and revisions of thought. Not a political movement per se, but a holistic approach to heal society as they claim, the PAD haven’t left a soul untouched in the kingdom.

But signs of divisions within the PAD are growing. They’re looking for a face-saving exit strategy. As slowly but steadily the beleaguering force turns into the beleaguered party. The PAD call the recent bomb attacks against their fiefdoms a full-scale war against the public.

Another sample of how the flawed logic of the PAD functions. Surrounded and therefore isolated by barbed wire, the PAD core leaders lost touch with the outside world where even more hatred is fueled and formerly impassionate people get radicalized. The fed up majority of people wonders what the lunatics on both sides are up to next.

On the one side we have a self-styled liberation militia of dash and decorum, breaking the rule of law as a raison d’être; a militia that even has the nerve to ask the army and police for protection. On the other hand the “reds” are capitalizing from the public’s growing PAD fatigue.

Combined with the intensifying economic hardships the Thaksin-haters create a fertile ground for a return of the great demagogue as a savior. Thaksin’s fiercest enemies unwillingly turn into his most valuable promoters.

While not Thaksin himself, but all the readings of and into Thaksin have turned Thailand into the world’s capital of impertinence. Nothing gets decided or done anymore.

All that’s happening are protesters protesting protests.

Thailand today is not democracy in action.

That’s democracy inaction.