PAD conflict with PPP legitimate,
should be resolved by compromise:
Today's Bangkok Post front page editorial
By Jon Fernquest |
A special front page editorial on the current political conflict in Thailand was published today in the Bangkok Post.
The editorial makes very clear the Bangkok Post's position on the conflict.
Newspaper editorials reflect public opinion, not always the public opinion of the majority of the electorate, but public opinion nonetheless.
During the current conflict, various foreign media organisations have suggested a conspiracy theory in which a small Bangkok elite working together with the army and permanent government bureaucracy was working to undermine democracy in Thailand (See an example in a Financial Times editorial today, cited at Australian National University's New Mandala Blog).
This week various important groups in Thai society ranging from academics to doctors to unionized labourers have expressed largely the same opinion as the Bangkok Post's editorial in a systematic and organised fashion, thus proving that this is not just an elite conspiracy (Read article today).
Today's article includes most of the key vocabulary words that are being used to describe and debate about the current political crisis.
(Prime Minister Samak meets opposition leader Abhisit in the cafeteria at Parliament House in the photo to the right)
Here is the editorial in full:
SPECIAL BANGKOK POST COMMENT
Page 1 comment
Wednesday September 03, 2008We strongly disagree with Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's decision to declare a state of emergency. It is only another vain attempt to survive the political crisis he faces.
Army chief Gen Anupong Paojinda, who heads the special emergency committee, deserves credit for stating clearly the army will step in only to prevent any further clashes between the People's Alliance for Democracy and the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship.
He said the continuing crisis is a political issue and should be solved by political processes, not by force.
The prime demand of the PAD is that Mr Samak step down; Mr Samak demands the PAD end its protest.
Mr Samak repeatedly proclaims the legitimacy of his government - because it was elected.
It is true his People Power party won the most seats in the general election. But winning the election does not mean his government has a mandate to break the law.
Even disregarding the Election Commission's unanimous decision yesterday to recommend the dissolution of his party for election fraud, Mr Samak's cabinet has made several decisions considered to be in breach of the constitution. Even the qualifications of some of his cabinet members are doubtful.
The Constitution Court ruled that the joint communique with Phnom Penh on the Preah Vihear issue was a breach of the charter. The appointments of some people, allegedly involved in certain controversial cases, to the boards of Bank of Thailand and the Securities Exchange of Thailand are questionable.
As are the PPP's efforts to amend the charter in favour of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and to help the party to avoid dissolution.
These moves are, in fact, not acceptable to the public. Although his government survived the censure debate in parliament, it does not mean it has done nothing wrong. It survived because his coalition has a large majority in the House.
Even though we disagree with the PAD holding the country and the people to ransom - by blocking the traffic, seizing Government House, closing three southern airports and planning strikes - we agree that the PAD has every right to protest against the government.
However, if neither side agrees to a compromise then the crisis will be never-ending.
Mr Samak must admit he has committed many mistakes during his seven months in office, and they are enough for him to call it quits.
At the same time, the PAD must accept the principle of democracy. If Mr Samak steps down, his party still leads a coalition which controls the House and can legitimately form a new cabinet.
The other option is that Mr Samak dissolves the House and calls a general election. Again, the PAD must accept the outcome and let the winning party form a new government.
These options embody the democratic principle. We strongly disagree with any undemocratic options, be it a coup or the appointment of a non-elected government.
(Source: Bangkok Post, front page editorial, 03-09-08, temp-link)
Vocabulary:
a political party - a political organization that seeks to attain and maintain political power within government by participating in elections and winning public offices for its members, usually has a vision and policy platform or is formed around a powerful and influential person (See Wikipedia)
parliament - a legislature, a type of representative assembly where laws are debated with the power to create, amend and ratify laws (legislation) (See Wikipedia)
the House - the lower house of parliament, usually has more members than the upper house, greater power, idirectly elected based on population, elected more often and all at once, given total or original control over budget and monetary laws, able to override the upper house in some ways (See Wikipedia)
the Senate - the upper house of parliament (See Wikipedia)
a state of emergency - an official governmental declaration that may suspend: 1. certain rights of citizens, and 2. certain normal functions of government
legitimate - acceptable, acceptable according to the law
a position, a stance - your opinion or attitude towards a situation
an editorial - an article in a newspaper or magazine that expresses the opinion of the editor, editorial board, or publisher (See Wikipedia)
public opinion - the collection of individual attitudes or beliefs held by the adult population in a country or region (See Wikipedia)
X reflects public opinion - X expresses widespread public opinion (not just the opinions of one or a small group of people)
a majority of the electorate - most of the people who vote in the country
X nonetheless - is X despite all objections
a conspiracy - the secret planning by a small group of people to do something illegal
a conspiracy theory - a belief that a small group of people are working behind scenese of political events trying to harm someone or change something (See Wikipedia)
an elite - the most rich and powerful people in a society
bureaucracy - workers in government ministries
undermine - make weak
vain - useless
a vain attempt to - a uesless attempt to
credit - receive praise for doing a good thing, consider you to be the person who did a good thing
give credit for Y, receive credit for Y
deserves credit for Y - people should consider you the person who did the good thing (but instead they think someone else did it)
step down - leave a public office you've been appointed to, such as Prime Minister
proclaims - formally and officially make known to the public
legitimacy - people accept it (they see it as reasonable and justified)
legitimacy of his government - his government is acceptable to the citizens
a mandate - the authority to carry out a task or policy
a mandate to break the law - have authority to not follow the law
unanimous - when everyone involved agrees
a unanimous decision - when all the people involved in making the decision agree
dissolve (verb) - officially end and break up a group
dissolution (noun) - the act of officially ending a group
dissolution of his party - the ending of his political party
dissolves the House - when the House is offiicially ended and broken up
fraud - the crime of gaining benefits from lying or by a trick
election fraud - teh crime of getting votes in an election by lying or by tricks
in breach of the constitution - violating the rules in the constitution
a communique - an official statement or announcement
a joint communique - an official statement by two or more groups
a charter - a constitution, a formal document describing the principles, goals, and rights of a group of people or organisation
a breach - violating a rule
a breach of the charter - violating a rule in the charter
amend the charter - change the charter
allegedly X - X may be true, but has not yet been proven
censure - condemn, tell someone that you don't agree with what they are doing
censure, censure debate, or censure motion (in parliament) - a method in parliamentary procedure that can be used to criticize the policies of the government currently in power (See Wikipedia on censure and no confidence motion)
holding the country and the people to ransom -
a strike - when workers stop working to achieve goals such as better pay or benefits (See Wikipedia)
a compromise - give up something to reach an agreement (See glossary)
agrees to a compromise
committed many mistakes - made many mistakes
call it quits - stop what you are doing out of frustration, leave a job
a coalition - a government formed from more than one political party
the cabinet - the most senior ministers in a government who meet regularly to advise the Prime Minister
legitimately form a new cabinet -
